Meeting the Refrigeration Needs of a Pasteurization Plant
Refrigeration Load Requirements & Challenges
Private label juice manufacturer Citrus Systems, Inc. specializes in pasteurizing an extensive line of juices and fruit drinks. The business provides juice to local dairies, grocery stores, and institutional customers. Their success and future contracts led them to build a new facility that is twice as large as their previous location. Consequently, this expansion presented several challenges for their refrigeration needs.
Large Capacity Needed
To accommodate their increased production, Citrus Systems required:
- 2 pasteurizers
- 6 packaging lines
- 18 blending and storage vessels
- Over 560,000 cubic feet of storage
- Doubled square footage from the previous facility
- A system that follows precise HACCP food safety guidelines from the FDA
The Zero Zone Refrigeration Solution
To meet these demands, Zero Zone provided three refrigeration systems:
- A low temperature rack offering 82 tons of cooling at -23°F
- A medium temperature rack providing 124 tons of cooling at +20°F
- A 4-circuit chiller delivering 240 tons of cooling at +18°F
Additionally, Zero Zone designed and built a package rack system to be installed on-site. To ensure food safety, the system includes remote monitoring and diagnostics.
The refrigeration systems are designed to provide trouble-free, energy-efficient operation for Citrus Systems’ production process. Zero Zone incorporated features and technology tailored to the needs of pasteurization plants, such as multiple chilling circuits, industrial PLC controls, and evaporative condensing with variable speed fan control. Furthermore, a heat reclaim system off the compressor discharge circuit reduces both electric and natural gas demand by repurposing heat for hot water used throughout the production facility.
Guaranteeing that the system always maintains the correct temperature is essential for Citrus Systems’ HACCP program. To monitor operations and communicate any alarm conditions, Citrus Systems implemented a remote diagnostics system connected to the refrigeration equipment. Consistency and dependability are crucial in the pasteurization and food processing industries to protect the quality of the final product.
A Satisfied Customer
Thomas E. Boehland, founder and president of Citrus Systems, takes great satisfaction in how everything came together, describing the equipment as “a work of art.” He praised the Zero Zone team: “You can tell that there is a lot of pride in what they put together. It isn’t just a bunch of refrigeration components cobbled together on-site to get the job done. It’s a nice package, and you can tell just by looking at it. The factory people take pride in it and even sign off on the equipment with each individual person putting their names to it. You don’t see that very often these days.” Boehland concluded by saying, “I’ve put my faith in Zero Zone to do what we need to be done.”
Contact our sales team to start on your next refrigeration journey.
Read more in the full case study: “An Industrial Work of Art.”