A Lithuanian supermarket chain has chosen a transcritical CO2 (R744) rack with an integrated battery backup, also called a UPS battery, ensuring that the system maintains a 45bar (653psi) pressure in the event of power cuts.
The supermarket is located in Klaipėda, Lithuania. The end user has not been named.
The R744 booster system was manufactured by Refra, also based in Lithuania. The customer was focused on security. The system was therefore designed with a “special standstill cooling technology, which together with the integrated UPS battery will constantly maintain the proper pressure,” Refra said in a post on LinkedIn.
“The UPS battery is like a special ‘power bank’ designed to maintain that 45 bar pressure in the event of an emergency, or repair, when the power supply is interrupted,” explained Ilona Pavšukova, Marketing Manager at Refra. “It is like a backup power source that will keep the unit running even when there is no electricity in the building.”
“The customer also wanted an economical and cost-effective option to reduce electricity costs,” Pavšukova said. “In most cases, CO2 systems are more economical than others.”
To ensure that the R744 solution had the best possible energy efficiency, Refra included heat recovery in the rack. The supermarket utilizes the recovered heat for hot water production and space heating, Pavšukova said.
The rack chosen by the supermarket has a 49.6kW (14.1TR) medium-temperature cooling capacity at -10°C (14°F), and 10.9kW (3.1TR) at -32°C (-25.6°F). It includes compressors from Bitzer, heat exchangers from Alfa Laval, and controls from Carel.
Refra is fast putting the COVID-19 pandemic behind it, expecting to more than double its turnover from R744 products in 2021, compared to 2020.
To keep up with the increased demand, Refra began production at a new 12,000m2 (129,167ft2)production facility in March. This move will eventually, when the facility is fully operational, double the company’s capacity.
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