Application Article

Indirect refrigeration
in supermarkets

Use of indirect refrigeration requires new system concepts

and at the same time knowledge of:

Brine temperature control

Appliance temperature control
Flow control

ADAP-KOOL

Example of indirect refrigeration in a supermarket

Warm brine

Cold brine

Evaporator

Automatic
balancing
valve

Constant flow control

Condenser

Fan unit

General
Indirect refrigeration in supermarkets is today
primarily used in refrigeration appliances with
temperatures above 0C where the brine
temperature is cooled down to approx. -8C. Brine
is the name of the cold carrier that is pumped out
to the various refrigeration points. It may for
instance be a mixture of water and propylene
glycol. For low temperature plant there are other
types of brine. The secret here is to find one with a
viscosity allowing it to be pumped round at -30C
while it retains an acceptable refrigeration
capacity.

The build-up of a brine system of this kind varies a

lot, depending on where the installation is made
and by which company.
An example is shown overleaf of a possible design
of such a brine installation.
A description is given below of some of the control
functions, based on the example depicted.

Brine temperature
Compressor unit
The primary refrigeration can take place with a
compressor setup where the compressors are
capacity-controlled by means of controller type
AKC 25H6.
In the primary refrigeration circuit the refrigerant is
circulated in two heat exchangers:
- one cooling the brine (cold brine) and
- one condensing the refrigerant (warm brine).
In this primary refrigeration circuit the refrigerant
could for instance be R134A, R404A or ammonia.

Cold brine
The cold brine is pumped to the various
refrigeration points by means of a pump placed in
front of the heat exchanger. In this way the effect
added to the pump is removed before the brine is
once more circulated to the refrigeration points.
Warm brine
Used as warm brine is water or a mixture more or
less like the one used for cold brine. The warm
brine removes the condensing heat. The warm
brine can be used for heat recovery, where this is
possible. Otherwise the heat will be removed by a
fan-cooled heat exchanger.

Appliance temperature
Refrigeration points
The refrigerated brine is distributed to the various
appliances via a well-dimensioned pipe system
and correctly set flow valves.
In the individual appliances the temperature is
controlled by means of an ON/OFF thermostat
and a solenoid valve - in some cases by a motoroperated three-way valve.

Modulating thermostat function

The controller offered by Danfoss for the
temperature control is a complete appliance
control which can also handle all the other
functions - like defrost, change-over between day
and night temperatures, temperature monitoring,
night setback control, etc.

The ON/OFF valve may instead be replaced by a

modulating thermostat function, so that a
considerably better temperature control is
obtained for the products.

ADAP-KOOL

Flow control
Throttling
In practice brine is a lazy medium. It finds the
easiest way through the pipe system - choosing
the line of least resistance. Valves must therefore
be fitted in the installation, so that there will always
be brine for the individual refrigeration points.

Overflow valve
To ensure that brine will always be returned to the
heat exchanger, an overflow valve will typically be
placed at the end of the pipe system. This valve
will see to it that brine will return, also when all the
refrigeration points are closed.

There are however also installations where the

dimensioning of the pipe system is absolutely
optimum, so that only very few valves will be
required for throttling.
Among suitable valves are the simple manual
throttle valves or valves with automatic flow control.

ADAP-KOOL refrigeration controls do their own thinking, and they

consists of a number of controllers and electronic valves that will
ensure:
Continuous optimum operation of the refrigerating plant
Alarm before the goods are influenced by temperature changes
Central monitoring function
Data communication
Data collection

RZ.0X.91.02

09-1995

Danfoss A/S, AC-RDT