This project investigated candidate advanced system design approaches to determine their potential for reducing refrigerant usage and energy consumption for both refrigeration and heating/air conditioning in supermarkets. Advanced supermarket refrigeration system concepts to be considered include, but are not limited to:

  • secondary loop systems
  • distributed compressor systems
  • self-contained display cases

Objectives

This project aimed to demonstrate and document the benefits of advanced systems design for food refrigeration and space heating and cooling for retail food stores (supermarkets). A specific goal was to identify advanced system design options to reduce the total equivalent warming impact (TEWI) of supermarkets.

Project manager and participating countries

The designated project manager (the so-called Operating Agent) was the US Department of Energy, acting through Oak Ridge National Laboratory on behalf of the USA. The participating countries in this project were: Canada, Denmark, Sweden, UK and USA.

Activities

The following describes some of the task-sharing activities that was carried out under this project:

  • Activity 1:
    • Analyse candidate advanced supermarket refrigeration systems and compare them to current state-of-the-art systems
    • Determine ‘best’ or most appropriate method(s) of integrating HVAC and refrigeration systems to maximise waste heat recovery
  • Activity 2:
    • Conduct one or more field demonstrations of advanced systems in actual supermarkets (in collaboration with system manufacturers, participating stores and local utilities) to compare with conventional store systems now in common use, or alternatively
    • Prepare case studies documenting ongoing or previous demonstrations being conducted by various agencies within each country.

Publications

The project would yield comparative analyses and field tests (or case studies) documenting the performance of advanced and cost-efficient supermarket refrigeration/ heat recovery options and their potential energy savings and TEWI reductions. The proceedings of the first workshop and the final reports are now available:

  • Advanced Supermarket Refrigeration/ Heat Recovery Systems – Workshop Sweden
    Order No. HPP-AN26-1; Published June 2001. CD-ROM with 16 papers and general information on this project (Annex 26). Full price € 90 and reduced price € 30.

    This CD-ROM contains the proceedings of a workshop (held in Stockholm, Sweden, 2-3 October 2000) on Advanced Supermarket Refrigeration/ Heat Recovery Systems. Sessions at the workshop discussed: The supermarket as a system, Analysis and modelling, Field experiences and Energy-efficient equipment. The 16 papers presented at the workshop provide a useful information source for all involved in supermarket refrigeration.

  • Advanced Supermarket Refrigeration/ Heat Recovery Systems – Final Report Vol.1 – Executive Summary
    Order No. HPP-AN26-2; Published July 2003; 73 pages. Full price € 90 and reduced price € 30.

    The report cotains a detailed summary of the activites carried out within the Annex 26, as well as the principal conclusions from each participant.

  • Advanced Supermarket Refrigeration/ Heat Recovery Systems – Final Report Vol.2 – Country reports
    Order No. HPP-AN26-3; Published July 2003. Full price € 150 and reduced price € 50, but there is an embargo until July 2004 for non-participants.

    This volume of the IEA Annex 26 final report contains the detailed project reports from each participating country. It is available in cd-rom format only. Each country report consists of a separate pdf file on the cd.