Chocolate factory to install ammonia chillers, heat pump system

The new Eco-Pack glycol chiller is a compact unit for medium-capacity industrial cooling applications. In a closed circuit, it condenses the ammonia with water, working with very low charges of refrigerant.

Coop, one of the biggest supermarket chains in Switzerland, has installed a new integrated chiller and heat pump system at their chocolate factory near Basel. The system provides both process heat and cooling for the chocolate production process. RV Colling Tech has received enquiries for producing more such systems.

Unlike RV Cooling Tech’s previous chiller, the new Eco-Pack can work with two types of condensation: by means of water or with an air-cooled condenser. Each chiller integrates a screw compressor, and the six chillers together offer a refrigeration capacity of 6,000 kW.

The unique aspect of this system is the integration of the heat-pump system with the chiller with a water circuit, says RV Cooling Tech’s Mikel Diaz. “The heat pumps are based on reciprocating compressors, which are able to condensate the ammonia at high temperatures, offering in total 2,000 kW of heating capacity. Then the ammonia condensates at 65 degrees Celsius to deliver water at 60 degrees,” Diaz told ammonia21.com.

RV Cooling has worked hard to mitigate safety concerns. “We have extra protection,” says Diaz, explaining that “there is no ammonia connection between the heat pumps and the chillers – it is enclosed”. Each chiller and heat pump has its own independent ammonia circuit, and an external housing which can close the ammonia inside with motorised windows if there is a leakage.