140kW R454A A2L Refrigeration System for New Chilled Storage Facility

Application: New commercial chilled storage facility
Room Size: Approx. 40m x 25m x 6m
Room Condition: +4°C
Refrigerant: R454A A2L
Refrigerations systems: 2 independent systems
Combined cooling duty: Approx. 140kW
Condensing Units: 2 x SCM BRLV B 400 MT
Evaporators: 4 x Güntner GACV RX 050.1FF/3A-40.A
Controls: Carel EEVs with RDM control and DM Touch monitoring

Performance Cooling. Engineered Responsibly.

As the refrigeration industry continues its transition towards lower GWP refrigerants, Coretemp is already designing and delivering practical A2L solutions for commercial refrigeration applications.

This project is another example of that approach in action. As part of the expansion of an established commercial business, our client required a new chilled storage facility at their new premises. Coretemp was appointed to design and install the refrigeration system, with a requirement to maintain the new cold room at +4°C.

The installation was designed around R454A A2L refrigerant, combining low GWP technology with inverter capacity control, electronic expansion valves, intelligent monitoring and an engineering approach that considered regulatory compliance from the outset. The result is a 140kW commercial refrigeration installation designed not only around the cooling requirement of the building, but around the future direction of commercial refrigeration.

The completed chilled space: approximately 40m long x 25m wide x 6m high.

A Significant Cooling Requirement

The new insulated cold room, constructed by others as part of the client’s business expansion, measures approximately 40m x 25m x 6m high – around 6,000m³ of chilled storage space.

Maintaining +4°C throughout a space of this size required approximately 140kW of refrigeration capacity. Coretemp designed the installation around two independent refrigeration systems, each providing approximately 70kW of cooling. This provides the required overall capacity while dividing the refrigeration duty between two separate systems.

Lower GWP Refrigeration Using R454A

A key part of the design was the use of R454A, an A2L refrigerant. For Coretemp, selecting a lower GWP refrigerant is only one part of delivering a successful refrigeration solution. The equipment, controls, pipework, safety considerations and regulatory requirements all need to be engineered around it.

• 2 x SCM BRLV B 400 MT A2L condensing units
• Bitzer 6GE-40Y semi-hermetic compressors
• 30-50Hz inverter compressor control
• EC condenser fans
• 4 x Güntner GACV RX 050.1FF/3A-40.A evaporators
• Carel electronic expansion valves
• RDM evaporator controllers
• RDM DM Touch monitoring and alarm management
• R454A A2L refrigerant

Each refrigeration system was designed to provide approximately 70kW of cooling capacity. Four Güntner evaporators, each selected at approximately 35kW, provide cooling throughout the cold room, with an airflow of approximately 19,066m³/h per evaporator at the selected operating conditions.

External SCM plant and insulated refrigeration pipework. The pipework circuits are clearly identified at the plant connections.

Efficiency Designed into the System

Moving towards lower GWP refrigeration should not mean focusing on refrigerant choice alone. Energy consumption throughout the life of the equipment remains a major part of the environmental and operating cost of a refrigeration system.

That is why this installation combines A2L refrigerant technology with inverter controlled compressors, EC condenser fans and electronic expansion valve control. Rather than relying solely on fixed speed compressor operation, inverter control allows compressor capacity to respond to changes in refrigeration demand. As the room reaches temperature and the load reduces, the system can adjust its output accordingly.

Provide the cooling capacity when it is needed, without unnecessarily operating at full capacity when it is not.

An Engineering Led Approach to A2L

Introducing A2L refrigerants brings additional considerations for system designers and installers. For this project, those considerations formed part of the design process from the beginning.

The evaporator valve stations incorporate Carel electronic expansion valves together with isolation valves, filtration, sight glasses and pressure measurement. RDM evaporator controllers provide local control, while the RDM DM Touch front end provides central system monitoring and alarm management. The result is a refrigeration system in which refrigerant control, compressor capacity and monitoring work together rather than operating as separate elements.

Coretemp control panels with RDM DM Touch monitoring and alarm front end.

Designing with PESR in Mind

One of the more technically challenging aspects of the project was the application of the Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations (PESR). The overall refrigeration systems were treated as Category IV assemblies, requiring assessment through Coretemp’s approved body.

Rather than simply accepting the implications of the finished system configuration, Coretemp considered pressure equipment classification during the design and equipment selection process. Pipe diameters, wall thicknesses, components and circuit arrangements were carefully considered with the aim of maintaining the relevant refrigeration pipework within Category I where practicable.

It is an aspect of the project that is not particularly visible once the installation is finished, but it is an important example of the engineering that sits behind a compliant A2L refrigeration system due to the higher safety classifications of each element.

High-level refrigeration pipework during installation, before completion of the coldroom structure.

From Design to Successful Operation

Delivering a lower GWP A2L refrigeration system requires consideration of more than cooling capacity alone. For this project, Coretemp worked closely with its equipment suppliers throughout the design and selection process to ensure the condensing units, compressors, evaporators, controls and associated components were suitable for the required operating conditions and the specified R454A refrigerant.

Following installation, pressure testing, commissioning and system setup, the completed refrigeration installation has successfully achieved the required cooling performance and maintains the new chilled storage facility at its specified +4°C operating temperature.

Completed external plant installation, including Coretemp identification and A2L safety labelling.

Another Lower GWP Project Successfully Delivered

The completed system provides approximately 140kW of refrigeration capacity, but the significance of the project for Coretemp goes beyond cooling duty alone. It represents another substantial commercial refrigeration installation successfully delivered using lower GWP A2L technology.

The project brings together R454A A2L refrigerant, inverter compressor technology, EC condenser fans, electronic expansion control, intelligent RDM monitoring and an engineering approach that considered PESR requirements from the design stage.

As the refrigeration industry continues its transition away from higher GWP legacy refrigerants, businesses need solutions that are practical, efficient, compliant and properly engineered for the application. This project demonstrates how lower GWP A2L refrigeration can be successfully applied to a large commercial chilled storage application while delivering the performance and reliability the customer requires.

Performance Cooling. Engineered Responsibly.