The Interpretation from the Department of Energy (DOE)

This is a draft document and does not represent a definitive view of the agency on the questions addressed.

This and other guidance documents are accessible on the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy web site at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/guidance/default.aspx?pid=2&spid=1.

Guidance Type: Conservation Standards, Enforcement
Category: Commercial Equipment
Product: Walk-in Cooler and Walk-in Freezers
Guidance Version: DRAFT
Issued: January 20, 2012
Comment Period Closes: February 20, 2012

Q: What are the relevant dates for compliance with the prescriptive requirements for walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers? For example: If a newly manufactured component of a walk-in cooler or walk-in freezer is installed in a walk-in box manufactured prior to January 1, 2009, does it have to comply with the prescriptive requirements of 10 C.F.R. § 431.306?

A: The following is a draft U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) guidance document regarding commercial walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers. This draft guidance document represents the Department’s interpretation of its existing regulations and is exempt from the notice and comment requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act. See 5 U.S.C. § 553(b)(A). Therefore, the Department is accepting comments and suggestions from the public until February 20, 2012. Comments and suggestions should be provided in WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PDF, or text file format by sending an email to WICFEISA2007Guidance-2012-0001{at}ee.doe.gov. Please also include the docket number EERE-2012-BT-STD0001.

At the end of the comment period, this draft guidance document may be adopted, revised or withdrawn.

Earlier this year, DOE issued two rules that detailed a general approach with respect to the regulation of walk-in coolers and freezers (“WICFs” or “walk-ins”) –the WICF test procedure final rule (76 Fed. Reg. 21580 (April 15, 2011)) and the certification, compliance, and enforcement (CCE) final rule (76 Fed. Reg. 12422 (March 7, 2011)). Because the statutory framework enacted by Congress established a series of component-based standards, DOE opted to follow this approach in regulating this equipment by establishing a test procedure that accounts for these component-specific standards. This approach effectively results in enforcement at the component level and requires component manufacturers to certify that the components they produce meet the applicable standard or standards. The CCE rulemaking further clarified that assemblers of walk-in systems are required to use only components that comply with the Federal standards. 76 FR 12422, 12444.

In response to these rules, DOE has received a number of questions regarding how to apply the component-based approach when deciding which replacement components to install into WICF applications. Specifically, under what circumstances must WICF replacement components meet the applicable Federal standards? This guidance document addresses that question as it pertains solely to those requirements that have already been prescribed in EPCA as a result of amendments added by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Pub. L. No. 110-140 (Dec. 19, 2007)) (EISA). These requirements, which are currently in place and became effective as of January 1, 2009, are also found at 10 CFR 431.306. DOE may amend this guidance in the future as needed.
The guidelines presented below, which are consistent with the component-level approach established by Congress, include examples to illustrate their application.

Guideline 1: All WICF components covered under EISA and manufactured on or after January 1, 2009, that are used in WICF applications must comply with the relevant EISA requirements. This includes WICF components that are assembled to make a newly constructed WICF and a WICF component that goes into an existing, previously installed WICF to replace a component.
Example 1: A display door manufactured after January 1, 2009, and used in a walk-in cooler must comply with the relevant EISA requirements for a walk-in cooler display door no matter whether the display door is being installed in a new WICF or is a replacement for a display door in an existing WICF. (If the same or similar display door is used in an application other than a WICF, it does not have to meet the EISA requirements for WICF display doors.)
Example 2: A WICF evaporator, manufactured prior to January 1, 2009, requires a replacement fan motor. If the replacement fan motor was manufactured after January 1, 2009 and is going to be used as a replacement for an existing WICF, it must be compliant with the WICF standard. Thus, the motor must be an ECM motor or a 3-phase motor.

Guideline 2: WICF components covered by EISA and manufactured prior to January 1, 2009, that are installed in WICFs manufactured prior to January 1, 2009, do not have to meet the relevant EISA requirements.
Example: A WICF manufactured prior to January 1, 2009, needs a replacement door. The door may be replaced from existing inventory consisting of replacement doors manufactured prior to January 1, 2009, and that door does not have to meet the EISA requirements for doors.

DOE believes this approach is permissible under the legal framework established by EISA and will not cause undue burden for the following reasons. First, DOE expects there to be a sufficient supply of WICF components to meet the demand for replacement components for WICFs manufactured after January 1, 2009. Component manufacturers are already producing compliant components as required under EISA, and supplying owners of pre-2009 WICFs with components as needed should not present any problems given the relatively small demand.

DOE also believes customers will not be “stranded” – that is, unable to find replacement components for WICFs manufactured before January 1, 2009 – because existing products are available to meet the demand. For example, many motor manufacturers offer ECM motors as drop-in replacements for shaded pole and PSC fan motors that were installed in pre-2009 WICFs. For envelope components, which may be custom-made, DOE expects that in the majority of cases, manufacturers would be capable of supplying EISA-compliant components to replace non-EISA-compliant components that were manufactured before January 1, 2009. For example, if a cooler non-display door or panel made of 3 ½ inches of expanded polystyrene foam fails, it can be replaced with a component made of 3 ½ inches of extruded polystyrene or polyurethane foam, which would meet the EISA R-value requirement. If a freezer display door with 2 panes of glass fails, it can be replaced with a 3-pane door. In a case where the component must be replaced with a component of different dimensions to meet the standard – for instance, if a 3-inch freezer panel would have to be replaced with a 4-inch panel – manufacturers and customers have several options. If the panels can be connected using the panel locking system, the difference in thickness can be made up with gasketing. The panel can also be replaced with a 3-inch panel from inventory manufactured before January 1, 2009. Another option is to replace the panel with a used panel; used components are not covered under the EISA requirements, which only apply to new products.

Finally, DOE believes manufacturers will not be left with a significant amount of inventory they cannot sell. Any components manufactured prior to January 1, 2009, can be used as replacement components in WICFs manufactured before January 1, 2009. DOE realizes that in the absence of comprehensive guidance, some manufacturers may have continued to produce replacement components for pre-2009 walk-ins that did not meet the EISA standards even after the January 1, 2009, compliance date. To address this concern, the guidelines presented in this document will not be applied retroactively to components made prior to the issuance of this guidance but on or after January 1, 2009. As a result, if a manufacturer in 2010 produced a panel that did not meet the required R-value as a replacement for a panel in a WICF manufactured prior to January 1, 2009, the manufacturer would not be penalized for producing a noncompliant component. DOE does not believe that any additional lead time is warranted.

DOE believes the approach outlined in these guidelines will enable manufacturers to satisfy the EISA requirements without subjecting them or their customers to an undue burden. The approach ensures that all new equipment manufactured since January 1, 2009 – both complete WICFs and components thereof – comply with the EISA requirements while permitting components manufactured before January 1, 2009, or used components, to be used as replacement components in WICFs manufactured before January 1, 2009. Finally, this guidance is consistent with the component-level approach enacted by Congress through EISA and requires newly manufactured components to comply with the applicable standards regardless of whether they are used in a new installation or as replacement components for a previous installation.

The original DOE PDF can be found here.

Installing replacement gaskets correctly is important to ensure a tight seal with no air infiltration or icing along the door frame.

Soak the gasket in warm water for several minutes in increase pliability.

Dart Style Gasket Installation Instructions

1. Remove door from walk-in cooler/freezer (some hinges have lift-off capability when the door is open) and place on a pair of saw horses or table with gasket side up. Using a screw driver, remove the 7 screws from the inside edge of the old gasket if they were installed. (NOTE: some types of gaskets are not screwed in).
2.  After old gasket has been removed place new door gasket around door, laying it out across the top and down the sides of the door. With door gasket in position around the door starting at the top corner, firmly seat the spur of the door gasket into the groove of the extrusion along the edge of the door using a hammer. It’s important that the spur be positioned over the groove correctly as it needs to be seated on the first impact of the hammer. Continue along the top of the door seating the gasket and then down the sides until you get to the bottom of the door.
3. Trim the bottom of the door gasket so it just covers the metal strip of the door sweep. It should not extend onto the rubber part of the door sweep. If the gasket is trimmed, remove the rubber plug from the trimmed piece and insert it into the bottom of the gasket to keep the magnets in place. Use NSF approved silicone caulk to keep the rubber plug in place.
4. Using a screw driver, install 7 screws into the locations shown on this drawing.
5. Re-install door onto the hinge blocks on the walk-in frame and check door for proper operation.

You can buy name-brand walk-in parts such as gaskets, handles, and door closers from walkincoolerparts.com. Walk-in Cooler & Freezer Parts has the lowest prices on the net and will ship most orders the same or next business day.

When troubleshooting walk-in freezers, technicians often find a frozen evaporator coil. Although there are several possible causes, one common cause involves the defrost system. For some reason, the system is not properly defrosting the evaporator’s coil on a regular basis. In order to effectively troubleshoot this problem, a technician must understand the design and operation of the defrost systems typically used.

One popular method of defrosting walk-in freezers is the electric defrost system. This is comprised of several components, including a defrost timer, resistive heater(s), defrost termination switch, fan cycling control, and drain line heater. An electric resistance heater is placed on the outer surface of the evaporator’s coils. The energized heater supplies enough heat to completely defrost the coils.

The resistive heaters used on a typical electric defrost system are sized to provide sufficient heat to effectively defrost the coil’s surface. Their capacity is normally rated in watts per foot. They are shaped to fit snugly onto the coil surface, creating efficient heat transfer during defrosts.

Most heaters are manufactured for a specific coil, and when replacing these heaters it is best to obtain the OEM replacement. Universal defrost heaters are available, but matching their wattage and shape may be difficult.

A defrost timer controls the entire defrost operation. It initiates the defrost cycle, controls the operation of the compressor and defrost heaters, and is part of the defrost termination. Defrost timers can be adjusted to initiate defrost from just once a day to several times a day.

The actual number of defrosts per day depends upon the location of the walk-in. Walk-in freezers are usually designed to defrost once or twice a day. The more humid and warm a location, the more defrosts will be needed. If a system needs to be defrosted more frequently, add only one additional defrost period at a time and monitor the results. Adding too many defrost periods will not be beneficial to the system or the customer.

In a common wiring diagram for a time-initiated, temperature-terminated electric defrost system the time motor (TM) is energized continuously. Normally closed contacts 2-4 of the defrost timer are wired in series with the compressor and the evaporator fan motor (EFM). Normally open contacts 1-3 are wired in series with the electric defrost heaters and the timer release solenoid (TRS).

The timer motor controls the operation of contacts 2-4 and 1-3. They work opposite each other. When contacts 2-4 are closed, 1-3 are opened. When contacts 2-4 are opened, 1-3 are closed. When the timer motor initiates a defrost, contacts 2-4 will open and 1-3 will close. This stops the compressor and the evaporator fan motor, and energizes the defrost heaters.

DEFROST CYCLE TERMINATION

A defrost cycle can be terminated based on temperature, pressure, or time. These three methods are commonly referred to as time-temperature (defrost cycle initiated by time, terminated by a temperature switch), time-pressure (defrost cycle initiated by time, terminated by a pressure switch), and time-time (defrost cycle initiated by time, terminated by the defrost timer). Most defrost timers will also have a fail-safe time which can be set to terminate the defrost based on time.

On systems being terminated by a pressure or temperature switch, if the termination switch fails, the defrost will be terminated by time. The fail-safe time should be set long enough to allow the system to terminate by the temperature or pressure switch, and short enough to prevent the system from over defrosting or creating a hazardous condition by having the heaters energized all the time. Usually the fail-safe time is 35-45 minutes.

Terminating a defrost cycle by temperature is the most popular method. A temperature control is used as the defrost termination switch. It is installed on the evaporator at a location where the design engineers feel that frost will leave the coil last. At a specified temperature, the defrost termination switch closes and energizes the TRS, switching the system back into the refrigerating mode. (The TRS is an electrical solenoid located in the defrost timer.) When the TRS is energized, it mechanically switches the timer contacts: 2-4 will close and 1-3 will open.

The temperature at which the defrost termination switch closes will vary from design to design. Check with the manufacturer to determine the temperature setting. Some defrost termination switches will have their settings stamped onto the body of the device. One typical temperature cut-in used on many systems is 60°F.

The defrost cycle can also be terminated by a pressure switch, where a pressure control is used as the defrost termination switch. It is connected to sense the pressure of refrigerant in the evaporator. When it senses a pressure that will ensure all the ice is removed from the evaporator, it will close and terminate defrost. Many times the pressure control and defrost timer are combined into one unit. The pressure at which the pressure switch closes will depend on the type of refrigerant used in the system. Check with the manufacturer.

The defrost timer can also be used to terminate defrost by time, although this method isn’t very popular. The time required to defrost an evaporator varies depending on how much frost has developed on the coil. The ambient humidity level and usage of the walk-in affect how much frost develops on the coil. If the walk-in is in a very humid location with heavy usage, a heavy accumulation of frost will develop on the coil. If the walk-in is installed in a location where the humidity level is low and has very little usage, the frost will be less for the same amount of time.

Article originally published at ACHR NEWS by Joe Marchese, owner of Coldtronics of Pittsburgh. He can be reached at  joe[at]coldtronics.com.

Flowers do best with High Humidity and Low Velocity refrigeration

Aside from the box temperature, other considerations that are particular to medium temperature applications (walk-in coolers & refrigerators) are the air velocity and humidity of the refrigerated space. Below freezing, humidity is inherent (the moisture is mostly frozen out of the air), so low temp applications are easier to spec than medium temp.

The following are common design parameters and examples of their application:

• 35 degrees F / 90%+ relative humidity (low velocity coils) – high humidity – Used for: sensitive materials, floral – roses
• 35 degrees F / 85% – 90% relative humidity – general purpose – Used for: foodservice, fresh meats, packaged goods not sensitive to humidity, short-term mixed produce, thawing, and dry goods unaffected by humidity
• 35 degrees F / 60% – 75% humidity – low humidity – Used for: retail, beer and beverage coolers, packaged items, materials sensitive to humidity
•  45 degrees F / 55% – 70% humidity – low humidity – Used for: aging red wine
• 45 degrees F / 90%+ humidity (low velocity coils) -high humidity – Used for: sensitive materials, floral – general
• 55 degrees F / 55% – 70% humidity – low humidity – Used for: processing rooms occupied by personnel
• 55 degrees F / 60% – 75% humidity (low velocity coils) – low humidity – Used for: produce

Have you ever picked up a 12-pack of product at the convenience store and the wet cardboard broke sending the cans across the floor? Well, that was an improperly applied refrigeration system. The refrigeration system in that event was likely rated for general purpose and the humidity damaged the packaging which was an important aspect of the purchase in order to get it out the door.

We control the humidity in a space by manipulating the temperature of the cooling coil. This is accomplished by increasing or decreasing the size of the cooling coil (a smaller coil will be colder than a larger coil). The coil temperature establishes the dew point in the refrigerated air, the temperature at which moisture is condensed from the air.

Flowers get “wind burn”, so we are careful to gently move the air while removing the heat load. Fortunately floral applications benefit from high humidity because in order to do the work with only a gentle breeze, we increase the size of the coil which inadvertently raises the coil temperature. As such, the proper conditions are obtained.

Anthony debuted this innovative new product  with a 5 door display of Transparent LCD Refrigerated Glass Doors.

What is a Transparent LCD Door?

• Embedded translucent LCD panel within the sealed glass refrigerator door

• Includes LCD panel, media player, wireless connectivity

• Completely self-contained unit

Convenience stores, retailers and consumer product manufacturers can now place video advertisement on Anthony Transparent LCD Doors.  Advertisers can engage directly with consumers through QR coupons, dynamic data (weather, sports, news, events), polling on new products or promotions, bundled product offers and contests.  It will be the MUST SEE at the NACS show this year.  Anthony has already created a buzz in Europe and now the U.S. In the near future these Transparent LCD Doors will be at local convenience stores and retailers. Anthony is leading the way in making this a reality.

Mike comes to U.S. Cooler with over 17 years of experience in the industry. He has an extensive commercial foodservice equipment background as well as design work in the convenience and grocery store industry. U.S. Cooler is confident that his abundance of experience, knowledge of the industry, and work ethic will lend itself well toward serving their customer base.

Chances are you’ve recently pulled a soda or cold drink of water out of the fridge without giving it much thought. Maybe you dodged summer heat by heading to your air conditioned home. These refrigeration luxuries have done a great deal to change modern living, but avoiding a sweltering day or keeping food cool for consumption later hasn’t always been so easy.

Early Days

Jacob Perkins Refrigerator Photo: Xtimeline

Jacob Perkins created the “first practical refrigerating machine” in 1834, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and the unit used ether in a vapor-compression cycle. A refrigeration machine in 1850 relied on water and sulfuric acid as a refrigerant, while still others in later years used ammonia, methyl chloride, sulfur dioxide, and other highly toxic, flammable substances. Needless to say, accidents with these machines were common.

And the refrigerators weren’t widely used. Even in the early 20th century, people usually had to get produce fresh daily and consume it almost as quickly. They made frequent trips to the butcher’s shop, and the milkman completed daily rounds. Fortunate people who had the money to spare for weekly ice deliveries were able to keep food for two or three days in an icebox.

Improvements

Fred W. Wolf created the first commercially successful electric home refrigerator, which was produced in the United States and went on sale in 1913. Wolf’s creation, dubbed the Domelre, was an air-cooled unit made for mounting on top of an ice box. In 1915, Alfred Mellowes worked in a backyard wash house to design another electric refrigeration unit, but this one differed in that a compressor sat in the bottom of the cabinet.

Other Applications

As researchers studied principles of keeping things cool, they naturally began looking at air conditioning possibilities as well. High ceilings, shaded porches and well-ventilated homes did a great deal toward keeping people cool, but there was more to be done. Engineer Willis Haviland Carrier determined in 1902 that air could be dried by saturating it with chilled water to promote condensation. He patented a Dew Point Control in 1907, the first device that allowed people to influence the temperature and humidity required for certain industrial processes.

Today

Today, the efforts of these refrigeration pioneers and others can be found across the country. Refrigeration has improved from using hazardous chemicals to more environmentally-friendly, energy efficient units, and added a considerable amount of convenience to daily life.

HVAC Training

If you’re interested in how refrigeration works, and you want to obtain the skills necessary to keep these machines working properly, consider going to school for HVAC training and preparing for professional certification. You will learn how to install, maintain, and repair air conditioning, heating, and ventilation systems. Your role will be an important one, and you’ll help ensure that children and adults are safe and comfortable at home, school, work, or elsewhere.

• 

  Make sure you have an inventory management process in place.

  Walk-in freezer that was very poorly lit (read: hard to find items), with boxes of frozen foods that had not been dated. Clearly without a date, it is hard to employ the First-in, First-out (FIFO) method of inventory management. How do we know when that box of chicken wings on the bottom of the stack came in? It is possible the box on the bottom is living there in perpetuity while new inventory is stacked on top every week?

• Food items stored unwrapped, with no date, in non-translucent storage pans and hotel pans. In one instance, two different products were in the same tray: one was uncooked raw chicken breast stored at an angle so the blood was running into unwrapped Canadian bacon. In a cruel moment of irony, just that morning I had been in the hotel’s restaurant outlet and sat next to four female business travelers who all ordered the eggs benedict for breakfast. When I eventually asked the sous chef (the executive chef was off at the time) what was going on, there was a general lack of awareness and training about the dangers of such poor food handling and the improper storage methods. The acts and non-acts were not malicious; rather it was a training and education issue. Oh, and he thought buying Lexans for storage purposes was too expensive for the GM to approve.
• Soup stored unwrapped in a large container sitting on the floor directly under the cooler’s condenser unit that was dripping water condensation into the soup.
• Pre-torn and bagged Iceberg lettuce, carrot sticks and celery sticks. Most of us in the industry know that convenience products come with a cost, both financial and quality to our guests. In the case of bagged lettuce, this product was highly preserved with a chemical known as “Freshway” that delays the browning process of the lettuce. Unfortunately, it is also known to cause some guests intestinal problems not unlike the way MSG gives some people headaches. I encourage you to evaluate the true cost of the convenience products you use and determine if your kitchen staff is taking a shortcut that is effectively putting thorns into your hotel’s crown.

I ended up finding the GM immediately after my inspection and insisted she look at what I was seeing so it could be fixed prior to any additional guest impacts. There are many ways your property can lose money in the kitchen operation including theft, poor receiving practices, ordering and inventory management, food handling and sanitation. When I was a hotel GM, I made it a practice to visit walk-in coolers on a weekly basis, and my chefs generally liked the idea that I took an interest in his operation. The good ones will welcome it.

Read the full article by Gavin Landry at Hotel News Now

Because food is so important to survival, food preservation is one of the oldest technologies used by human beings. There are many different preservation techniques commonly used today, including:

• Refrigeration and freezing : Canning : Irradiation : Dehydration : Freeze-drying : Salting : Pickling : Pasteurizing : Fermentation : Carbonation : Cheese-making : Chemical preservation

The basic idea behind all forms of food preservation is either:

• To slow down or completely stop the activity of disease-causing bacteria
• To kill the bacteria altogether

I­n certain cases, a preservation technique may also destroy enzymes naturally found in a food that cause it to spoil or discolor quickly. An enzyme is a special protein that acts as a catalyst for a chemical reaction, and enzymes are fairly fragile. By increasing the temperature of food to about 150 degrees Fahrenheit (66 degrees Celsius), enzymes are destroyed.

A food that is sterile contains no bacteria. Unless sterilized and sealed, all food contains bacteria. For example, bacteria naturally living in milk will spoil the milk in two or three hours if the milk is left out on the kitchen counter at room temperature. By putting the milk in the refrigerator you don’t eliminate the bacteria already there, but you do slow down the bacteria enough that the milk will stay fresh for a week or two.

Refrigeration and Freezing

Refrigeration and freezing are probably the most popular forms of food preservation in use today. In the case of refrigeration, the idea is to slow bacterial action to a crawl so that it takes food much longer (perhaps a week or two, rather than half a day) to spoil. In the case of freezing, the idea is to stop bacterial action altogether. Frozen bacteria are completely inactive.