Latest technology combined with green refrigerant In an era when business strategies are tailor-made to the market with the user experience focus, Embraco offers a real, energy-efficient and technology-minded answer for plug-in cabinets as the best solution for supermarket.
Big retail chains are translating the customer experience idea with a movement from maxi stores to smaller neighborhood supermarkets (up to 1,500 sq. metres of sales area). These are often found in more commercial and attractive locations, bringing the point of sales closer to the point of consumption and allowing consumers an easier and more frequent access to the goods.
Mandatory characteristic of this kind of shops is the FLEXIBILITY for internal layout, together with a strong focus on ENERGY SAVING solutions. “These are only a couple of reasons why plug-in cabinets are the best solution for this new supermarket concept” states Gilmar Pirovano, Commercial Senior Sales Manager for Embraco EMEA. Failure in big system are commonly more complex to be solved, which puts a large quantity of goods under risk, on the other hand modular plug-in cabinets, have individual refrigeration system that minimize the risk of goods losses. Moreover the impact of European F-gas and future EcoDesign regulations is leading the market towards environmental friendly and energy efficient solutions: to cope with this legislations manufacturers are adapting their applications closing the doors in all cabinets to reduce energy consumption, allowing them to reduce also the size of the compressor, and converting to natural refrigerant solutions.
In the field of natural refrigerants for commercial application the most suitable options are Propane or CO2: for self contained systems propane is considered the most competitive and reliable solution because of higher efficiency and lower level of investment. On the other hand Propane, as flamable refrigerant, present some constrains: compressor electricals to be adapted, restriction on refrigerant charge (up to 150gr the application is considered “free installation”, without constraints on occupancy and ambient volume) that require adequate design of the systems, and training for service handling. All these aspects are finding more and more a solution and even major supermarket chains are moving in order to make propane usage safer and well perceived. Propane and Fullmotion applicable Considering that the impact of energy consumption of refrigeration systems in supermarket is approximately 50% of the energy bill, energy efficiency of the refrigerating cabinet is a mandatory requirement.
Together with propane, variable speed technology Embraco Fullmotion can lead to significant energy saving: “Main European OEMs are more and more implementing Fullmotion inverter technology, that combined with Propane solution is allowing them to reach the highest level of energy efficiency”, adds Pirovano. “At Chillventa 2016 Embraco lauched the newest platform of FM-FT that allows to reach almost 50% reduction of energy consumption from the previous R404A solution, with an estimated energy cost saving up to 600€/Year*.” But it’s not only about the energy efficiency: due to the less temperature fluctuation provided by Fullmotion technology, it allows a better food preservation, keeping the best organoleptic qualities of the food for the entire shelf life and even extending it.
Source: Embraco
