Ultra low charge Star Refrigeration system cools Brakes distribution facility

Brakes, a leading supplier to the UK, Irish, French and Swedish foodservice industries, have established a state-of-the-art temperature controlled storage and distribution centre near Reading, awarding Star Refrigeration the cooling system contact. In line with Brakes R22 replacement programme, Star Refrigeration installed an ultra-low charge ammonia plant designed with energy saving features for highly efficient operation.

The naturally refrigerated, purpose built facility meets Brakes commitment to reducing environmental impact, including reducing CO2 eq. emissions by 20% by 2020 relative to 2010 turnover.

Star’s Director of Sales – Food Market, James Ward, says: “Energy efficiency and reduced carbon footprint were key factors in securing the cooling contract for the new Brakes facility in Reading. As well as offering a competitively priced bespoke system, we selected high quality components and built-in design features such as reverse cycle defrost and floating head pressure control, to maximise efficiency and significantly reduce energy consumption.”

Bespoke, multi-temperature ammonia cooling system

With refrigeration accounting for up to 80% of total energy consumption in temperature controlled warehouse facilities, plant design and efficiency is key to cost saving and energy management. The Star Refrigeration cooling system therefore features the following:

2 direct ammonia LPR systems, which supply cooling to a frozen food cold store (-21ºC) via four ceiling evaporators.
2 ammonia/glycol chillers supply cooling to a chill store for meat products (+1ºC), a banana store (+13ºC) and vehicle loading bays via 13 ceiling mounted air coolers.
Capacity: 650 kW cold store and 750 kW chillstore

About Star Refrigeration

Founded in 1970, Star Refrigeration has become one of the leading companies in cooling and heating system innovation. It has expanded from an industrial refrigeration company to a multi-faceted engineering group. Today Star Refrigeration is a total solutions provider, active from design through to commissioning and maintenance of cooling and heating systems with a specific competence in the minimisation of refrigerant charge and leak-tightness.

It has over 350 employees working from nine branches throughout the UK and a network of overseas partners enabling the delivery of Star solutions around the world.