Commercial refrigeration equipment is the largest and most costly item in non-commercial retail purchasing. The criteria for selecting it are very important. Until a few years ago, retail chains in most cases purchased from the supplier that offered the best price and could supply a wide range of products. However, with this approach, the quality of the equipment supplied was not checked, resulting in lost sales due to frequent breakdowns and lack of the necessary temperature control, as well as higher operating costs due to low energy efficiency.
Large chains have started to introduce TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) into the refrigeration supplier selection process. In this case, supplier selection is based on comparing the price of the equipment with the cost of resource consumption for its operation, which allows an objective comparison of the company's capital costs and an accurate forecast of the operating budget and its use.
However, a different problem arises in a direct comparison of nameplate data provided by suppliers - the installed capacity does not allow for a correct assessment of the efficiency of this or that equipment in operation, as it does not reflect real power consumption.
There is no procedure for verification of nameplate data at the state level in Russia, and there are no voluntary unions and organizations where suppliers could assess their equipment on a voluntary basis.
If we look at household appliances, most of them - from a light bulb to a refrigerator - have an energy efficiency class label.
In addition to the energy efficiency class, the label also indicates the main characteristics of the labeled equipment.
There are now standardized labels for assessing the energy efficiency of equipment that uses electrical energy. The utilization efficiency is denoted by classes from A to G. Class A has the best energy efficiency, G the least energy efficient. A glance at the labeling is enough to estimate the expected costs of operating the equipment. Therefore, a logical requirement for the energy labeling of commercial refrigeration equipment has been established by the EU Energy Commission.
The following types of refrigeration equipment are subject to this requirement:
with remote refrigeration unit;
with built-in unit;
refrigerated medium- and low-temperature chests;
beverage cabinets.
From 1 March 2021, all manufacturers and suppliers of refrigeration equipment in the European Union must mark all products placed on the market with a printed label that complies with the format and content of the information required by law.
The label indicates:
energy consumption,
the display area for medium and low temperature equipment
Temperature classes for medium temperature (M1 -1...5°C or M2 -1...7°C) and low temperature (-15...-18°C) equipment.
The information specified must be obtained by testing the characteristics of the product in accordance with specific standards and on the basis of reliable, accurate and reproducible calculations. The manufacturer in turn must also provide the product data sheet and, on request, full technical documentation that complies with legal requirements.
Energy efficiency policies are aimed at encouraging the production and sale of more efficient products that consume less energy and therefore have a lower negative impact on the environment.
Compliance with the temperature profile
In addition to energy efficiency, one of the key objectives of testing is to obtain temperature field data in the refrigerated volume. If the supplier specifies a temperature class of M1, this means that at any point in the volume the product temperature must not fall below -1°C and must not rise above +5°C. Compliance with the temperature class is the most important refrigeration equipment parameter that determines the quality of the stored product. If the temperature class is not met, such equipment, as well as its supplier, must not be allowed to bid.
There are no labeling requirements, but there are already test requirements for refrigeration equipment that are fully compliant with ISO 23953.
Equipment testing
Recently, professional laboratories have started to appear that carry out tests in accordance with the requirements and allow verification of the passport data as well as giving a real analysis of the energy efficiency of the equipment supplied.
Among them, several laboratories can be distinguished, which work in strict compliance with the requirements. For example, the laboratories offer a full range of testing services for commercial refrigeration equipment in full compliance with the requirements. According to them, the tests are carried out in a climatic chamber equipped with high-tech climate control devices and equipment for simulating different operating conditions corresponding to different climate classes. The information from all instruments in the equipment under test, ranging from temperatures at 54 points inside the product and refrigerated volume simulators, to relative humidity and room air speed, to the refrigerant flow meter for precise calculation of cooling requirements, is time synchronised, archived and consolidated in a control unit. In addition to testing for compliance with refrigeration and energy consumption data, the laboratories carry out a full analysis of the equipment's compliance with specifications, equipment load capacity and the possibility of condensate fallout. A detailed test report is issued based on the test results.