Refrigeration system design assessment
Refrigeration systems play an essential role in almost every industry, e.g. food, pharmaceuticals, buildings, chemical, etc.
Meticulous refrigeration system design is essential to develop a well-functioning and efficient system. Initially a specification will be developed but then the designer has to decide how that specification is converted into a real-life product.
By evaluating cooling loads, equipment sizing, energy performance, refrigerant selection, and safety requirements, engineers can design systems that meet operational demands while minimising environmental impact and long-term costs. A comprehensive assessment ultimately contributes to improved system reliability, reduced energy consumption, and enhanced performance throughout the refrigeration system's lifecycle.
At RD&T we are increasingly being asked to assess design specifications for a wide range of equipment to determine whether the design meets the required performance. We regularly work with companies who are developing new refrigeration systems and concepts. Often these are innovative ideas that have not been tested before and so require initial assessment of the concept for viability, which may be followed by building, testing and optimising the system. As part of any development and testing work, we can build small refrigeration systems, check refrigerant safety, optimise performance (in particular, efficient operation of capillary-based expansion systems) and finally test the performance across a wide range of ambient conditions in our test rooms. Whilst testing we are able to apply a range of sensors that measure temperature, relative humidity, refrigerant pressure, mass flow of refrigerant, energy and power that can be used to monitor system performance and identify whether systems are correctly optimised.
A properly conducted assessment helps prevent problems such as inadequate cooling, excessive energy consumption, equipment failures, and costly maintenance issues. If you would like further information, please get in touch with Judith Evans (j.a.evans@rdandt.co.uk).