Page 10 - Climalife_Contact_15_EN

10 | CASE STUDY | February 2019 | Climalife contact #15
COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION I HYPERMARKETS
The Intermarché store at Saint-Gély
switches to R-448A
"We aim to support our customers with a trustworthy, environmental process, at the best possible price and as sustainable as possible," says Corentin Bonnec, branch manager at FCT.
The Solution
Solstice® N40,
a replacement solution for R-404A
For the maintenance of commercial use refrigeration equipment, note that from January 1, 2020, the F-Gas regulations will include a ban on the service or maintenance of refrigeration equipment with HFCs with a GWP ≥ 2,500 and with charge ≥ 40 T. eq.
CO2 (or 10.19 kg of R-404A for example). This ban does not apply to reclaimed or recycled HFCs from said equipment.
Solstice® N40 (R-448A) meets this legislative requirement with a GWP of 1,387. Its thermodynamic characteristics make conversion of R-404A / R-507A installations simple and also improve the energy efficiency of the systems. More than 10,000 conversions have been successfully carried out worldwide.
+ More info at:
climalife.dehon.com/ solstice-n40/r-448a
In an effort to limit the use of high GWP fluids and to keep its customers' refrigeration installations running, Froid Climatisation Technique (FCT), based in Velaux in Bouches-du-Rhône, France, chose to
replace R-404A in existing direct expansion refrigeration production units with Solstice® N40 (R-448A).
That is why the Intermarché store at Saint-Gély, on the outskirts of Montpellier, decided to entrust the conversion of its R-404A-based refrigeration sys- tems to FCT; a specialist in refrigeration and energy management.
The 3,600 m2 store uses medium and low temperature equipment, among other things, to cover refrigeration needs for its fresh and frozen products.
FCT is very conscious of regulatory constraints and market developments so when it took charge of installation maintenance, it recommended its customer switched to a fluid with a lower GWP. R-404A availa- bility issues in late 2017 bolstered their determination to retrofit existing installations as soon as possible with a fluid that was easy and quick to use.
Corentin Bonnec, Director of the FCT agency in Vendargues has proven expertise in retrofit manage- ment and in the use of Solstice® N40, having carried out several conversions from R-404A to R-448A, and was able to reassure and guide Mr. Grégory Lopez, Manager at the Intermarché store at St Gély, on the retrofit of these installations.
A misting system for the exchangers
After a study of the installation, Mr. Bonnec concluded that the conversion was feasible. He did, however, note that the exchangers were already undersized and might not be capable of optimal performance. To overcome this constraint and in order to retain the existing equipment, FCT devised and installed a misting system that is activated as soon as the outside temperature exceeds 37°C.
To avoid limescale deposits on the condenser fins and clogging of the nozzles, the misting circuit is equipped with a water softener that stabilises water hardness at 7.
FCT - FROID CLIMATISATION TECHNIQUE AT A GLANCE INTERMARCHÉ SAINT-GÉLY AT A GLANCE
1980
Year founded
Business: Commercial refrigeration and A/C.
48
employees
2017
€13 million
Location: Vendargues (France).
2003
Year founded
Business: Retailing.
73
employees
Location: Saint-Gély-du-Fesc 34 (France).