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NASRC Factsheet on Natural Refrigerants

The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) recently published a factsheet outlining the impact of natural refrigerants on supermarket refrigeration. We aim to circulate this factsheet to ensure people do not miss this valuable resource and reminder of the benefits of natural refrigerants. The NASRC advocates for natural refrigerants. In their words, “Natural refrigerants are the climate-friendly solution to mitigate supermarket HFC emissions.”

Zero Zone Natural Refrigerant Systems

Zero Zone offers natural refrigerant systems using CO₂ or ammonia. Our equipment serves both commercial and industrial settings, ranging from 5 tons to 500 tons. Additionally, our Natural Refrigerant Systems product sheet demonstrates the variety of systems we have designed and put into service. We provide CO₂ and ammonia system solutions to meet various requirements for cold storage, food processing, pharmaceutical operations, and supermarkets. Furthermore, we incorporate secondary glycol loops, air-cooled or water-cooled condensing, heat reclaim systems, and more.

CO₂ Systems

We offer CO₂ subcritical and CO₂ transcritical systems. CO₂ systems can be indoors or outdoors, set up inside custom electrical mechanical centers (CEMCs), built as full racks or condensing units, and be part of booster systems and cascade systems. This versatility unlocks CO₂ as a viable solution for warm and cool climates for all sorts of customers, and Zero Zone has been shipping these systems across the United States with great results.

Ammonia Systems

Ammonia is a great choice for industrial customers and ice arenas. Low-charge ammonia systems can be utilized indoors, outdoors, and in CEMCs. We have many years of experience and knowledge in ammonia, and we are ready for your project.

EPA Regulations and Assistance

With increasing EPA regulation limiting the continued use of HFC refrigerants, Zero Zone is eager to assist you with deciding which natural refrigerant system would be best adapted to your specific application. Begin a conversation with us. Contact your local Zero Zone sales rep today.

What is the best refrigerant for my system? As government regulations push the industry away from high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants towards low GWP options, now is the right time for natural refrigerants. Zero Zone natural refrigerant systems provide the solutions you need to meet your objectives and government regulations. A couple recent projects include a CO2 transcritical system for Rufus Brubaker Refrigeration and an ammonia chiller for Air Management Technologies.

System Facts: 200-Ton CO2 Transcritical System

  • Customer: Rufus Brubaker Refrigeration
  • State: Pennsylvania
  • Application: Process refrigeration
  • System Type: Parallel system located indoors
  • Capacity: 150 tons used for medium temp, 50 tons used for low temp
  • Features: Parallel compression, adiabatic gas cooler, hot gas defrost
  • Energy Savings: Heat reclaim for facility water

CO2 refrigerant (R-744) grows increasingly important to the refrigeration industry as a natural replacement for high GWP refrigerants. Improvements to CO2 transcritical technology make CO2 feasible and reliable in more regions, including Pennsylvania where this new system is located. CO2 compressor discharge offers high-quality heat that can be repurposed through a heat reclaim system. Rufus Brubaker’s customer uses that reclaimed heat for their facility’s warm water.

John Collins, Industrial Sales Manager – East for Zero Zone, commented that “Rufus Brubaker is a longtime customer of Zero Zone. When they made the decision to pursue CO2 refrigeration for their customer, they came to Zero Zone as a trusted partner to deliver a successful project. Our team worked closely with Rufus Brubaker all the way through design concept, fabrication, installation, and start-up to assure a smooth project delivery and satisfied end user.”

System Facts: 150-Ton Ammonia Chiller

  • Customer: Air Management Technologies
  • State: Illinois
  • Application: Process chilling
  • System Type: Outdoor parallel system (OPS) configuration
  • Capacity: 150 tons used for process cooling
  • Features: Screw compressors, adiabatic condenser, low-charge plate chiller heat exchanger
  • Energy Savings: VFD compressor control and DC motor condenser control

A large food processing organization globally recognized for their environmental and sustainable processes chose to install a low-charge ammonia (R-717) chiller manufactured by Zero Zone as part of a worldwide R-22 equipment phase-out. The low-charge ammonia chiller was selected to meet health and safety standards for both their employees and the surrounding neighborhood community. The package chiller was customized to provide the same low temperature glycol refrigeration capabilities of chemical refrigerant chillers while exceeding target GWP objectives. John Collins chimed in that choosing ammonia “is a future proof and environmentally friendly solution.”

Making an Educated Decision

There are many practical reasons to still consider HFCs. Traditionally, HFCs are seen as a low cost and familiar option. However, it is sometimes difficult to know where HFCs can be used because high GWP refrigerants are being increasingly regulated by individual states. To get started on understanding HFC restrictions, read our news article and white paper about state refrigerant regulations.

Likewise, there are many practical reasons for using natural refrigerants. CO2 is one of the safest refrigerants to use. Ammonia systems are some of the most efficient and have been used safely in industrial applications for many decades. Both CO2 refrigerant and ammonia refrigerant are readily available. Of course, the biggest benefit to natural refrigerants is that they are environmentally sound and meet global sustainability goals.

So, if either synthetic refrigerants or natural refrigerants can be reasonable choices, how do you know which to pick? A good place to begin is by contacting your local Zero Zone sales representative and starting a conversation. They will help you select the best refrigerant for your needs, whether it is synthetic or natural. Fill out a contact form or give us a call (cases 800-247-4496; systems 800-708-3735). We would love to talk refrigerants with you.

Not even refrigeration regulations are simple after 2020. Refrigerant regulations are changing, and getting new refrigeration equipment is complicated. This adds more challenges to stores, cold storage warehouses, pharmaceutical plants, and more.

Here is the brief summary of recent refrigerant regulations. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued SNAP Rules 20 and 21 in 2015 and 2016 to eliminate the use of refrigerants with high global warming potential (GWP), but those rules were vacated by the D.C. circuit court in 2017 and 2019. Since then, individual states have taken responsibility for issuing their own regulations. So far, most state regulations target the same high GWP refrigerants, but they have different effective dates and even define the effective dates differently. This creates a challenge for both buyers and manufacturers who need to know whether their new equipment will be compliant.

Zero Zone wants to help by providing the effective dates and a map so it is clear whether your state has any regulations. Check out our article about The State of Refrigerant Regulations. Please note that we recommend that our customers contact their state’s environmental regulatory department to clarify the nuances, but our research will be a valuable starting point.

“You asked, we answered.” That has been the motto for the Reveal Merchandiser® ever since it was launched in 2017. Through the years, we have expanded this product line again and again based on customer feedback, as you’ve seen with our Tall, MX, PX, and Hybrid™ options. And now, we are excited to announce that the Reveal Merchandiser® can be ordered (drumroll, please)… with doors!

Retailers sought a display case with the sleek design and merchandising flexibility of the Reveal Merchandiser® open multi-deck, but with the energy savings of a reach-in case. It was an open and shut case… Reveal™ with Doors to be exact. The Reveal™ with Doors case gives you all the merchandising capabilities you know and love about the standard Reveal Merchandiser®: deep shelves, deep bottom wire racks, beautiful ChillBrite® LED lighting, and equally versatile horizontal or vertical merchandising strategies. But, the best part? Reveal™ with Doors can lower energy costs by up to 71% compared to open multi-decks! Refrigeration equipment runs 24 hours per day, so there’s no denying, putting doors on cases significantly reduces energy costs and improves product shelf life.

Thinking of something with doors? Open the door to having it all in one. Learn more about the Reveal Merchandiser® with Doors and contact your sales representative today!

We take our home refrigerators for granted. We put food into the refrigerator, and it makes the food cold. But actually, the refrigerator is not making the food cold; it is removing heat from the food. That might sound counterintuitive, so we invite you to open the door to the world of refrigeration by learning about the basics of the refrigeration cycle.

Heat Transfer & Pressure

Before we discuss the refrigeration cycle, we must briefly discuss heat transfer. Heat always transfers from warm to cold. You can see evidence of this in your beverage of choice. Your morning coffee may start hot, but as the day wears on, it gets cooler because heat transfers into the surrounding air. At lunch, your soda warms up as heat transfers from the surrounding air. This is called sensible heat transfer. You can remember this by thinking about how you can sense (feel) the change. The coffee mug feels hot as heat transfers to you; the soda can feels cold as heat transfers from you.

Heat transfer can also cause a substance to change state between solid, liquid, and gas. This is called latent heat transfer. For example, H2O can exist as a solid (ice), a liquid (water), or a gas (steam). At sea level, H2O will be water between 212°F (100°C) and 32°F (0°C). If water is heated beyond 212°F, it will evaporate into steam. If water is cooled below 32°F, it will freeze into ice. As a substance changes state, its original state will be reduced as the other state increases. For example, as ice melts, it disappears and the amount of water increases. If enough heat transfers, the substance will cease to exist in its original state. Latent heat transfer (changing state) takes more heat than sensible heat transfer (changing temperature).

Another factor is how pressure relates to temperature. Boiling points vary depending on the pressure surrounding the substance. At sea level, water boils at 212°F, but if you travel to Denver or Pikes Peak in Colorado, the atmospheric pressure is lower and the boiling point will be lower.

The Refrigeration Cycle

Your unfinished can of soda is now warm. How do you chill it again? You may think the answer is to add cold to it, but remember that heat only moves from warm to cold. It is more accurate to say that you are actually removing the heat from the soda by transferring that heat to another, colder object. This is the concept behind the refrigeration cycle.

The refrigeration cycle comes from the work of William John Macquorn Rankine, who discovered how to transfer heat away from objects that were already cool. Historically, this could be done by placing objects into an ice box. Ice works well as a refrigerant because it maintains a constant 32°F temperature. Warm product (milk, meat, etc.) transfers heat to the ice (latent heat transfer), causing the ice to melt into water. The water (full of heat) drains away, and the refrigerated space and product remain cool.

All modern refrigeration systems have four main components that work together to move heat: the evaporator, the compressor, the condenser, and the expansion device. Imagine that heat moves in a “bucket” and follow the bullet points which correspond to the figure.

  1. The evaporator gathers/absorbs heat from the refrigerated space into a “bucket.” The “bucket” is low-pressure, and it changes state (latent heat transfer) as it absorbs heat. Then the evaporator moves the low-pressure, heat-filled “bucket” to the compressor.
  2. The compressor applies pressure, which compresses the heat-filled “bucket.” The heat-filled “bucket” changes from low-pressure to high-pressure as the compressor pushes it from the colder evaporator to the warmer condenser. When pressure is added, the temperature of the “bucket” also increases.
  3. The condenser takes the high-pressure, heat-filled “bucket” and releases the heat from the “bucket” to the outside air (or other application). The “bucket” changes state (latent heat transfer) again as it releases heat.
  4. The expansion device relieves the pressure on the empty “bucket.” When pressure is reduced, the temperature also decreases. The “bucket” cools and expands on its way to the evaporator to absorb more heat again.

The downside of using ice as the “bucket” is that more ice must constantly be added as it melts away. Modern refrigeration systems needed a long-term solution. Refrigerants are the modern “bucket” because refrigerants can continually absorb and release energy without escaping the system. Refrigerants change state between a liquid to a gas. Refrigerants must be able to boil at low pressures and low temperatures to be efficient.

High-glide refrigerants have a unique effect on a refrigeration system.

Have questions? Contact us and ask for our Director of Regulatory Compliance & Refrigeration Technology.

The pursuit of perfect product presentation is a constant endeavor for retailers, especially those dealing with fresh perishables. The original Reveal Merchandiser® has long been a staple in the refrigeration world. It is a versatile open multi-deck case that retailers rely on for medium temperature applications. Its popularity stems from its reliable performance and adaptable design and our customers tell us they love it! However, at Zero Zone, we believe in continuous improvement. We are driven by the invaluable feedback of our customers. When they asked, “How can we further enhance the freshness and visual appeal of red meat and produce?” we listened. The result? The revolutionary 4-deck Reveal™ MX (meat exclusive) and 3-deck Reveal™ PX (produce exclusive) open multi-deck cases.

The inherent allure of fresh meat and produce lies in their vibrant colors and natural appeal. The bright red of premium cuts and the dazzling hues of ripe fruits and vegetables are powerful visual cues that draw shoppers in. Recognizing this, we engineered the Reveal™ MX and PX open multi-deck cases to amplify these natural qualities. Our design philosophy centers on maximizing product freshness while presenting it in its most appealing light. The sleek, clean exterior of these cases provides an unobstructed view of the merchandise. The spacious interior ensures excellent packout, allowing for ample product display.

Multi Deck Case Lighting

A critical element in showcasing fresh products is lighting. The Zero Zone ChillBrite® LED lighting system is integrated into the Reveal™ MX and PX open multi-deck cases to provide bright, even illumination. This lighting highlights the natural beauty of the merchandise. This superior lighting enhances the visual appeal of the products. It also contributes to a more inviting and engaging shopping experience.

Customization

Understanding that every retail environment is unique, we’ve designed the Reveal™ MX and PX open multi-deck cases with a high degree of customization. Retailers can choose between a variety of options! This includes two case heights (75″ or 80″ for MX; 80″ or 82” for PX), two sill heights (low or medium), optional windowed ends, and optional glass fronts. This flexibility allows retailers to tailor the case configuration to their specific needs. This ensures optimal product presentation and store layout.

The Reveal™ MX and PX open multi-deck cases are more than just display units; they are strategic tools that empower retailers to gain a competitive edge. By presenting fresh meat and produce in their most appealing form, these cases encourage repeat business and foster customer loyalty. In today’s competitive market, the ability to showcase products effectively is paramount. The Reveal™ MX and PX open multi-deck cases provide the perfect platform to do just that, ensuring that your shoppers keep coming back for more. Choosing the Reveal Merchandiser® MX or PX is not just an investment in equipment; it’s an investment in the success of your fresh food offerings.

Visit the Reveal Merchandiser® page to learn more!

When making your New Year’s resolution, you possibly resolved to save more and spend less. How can retailers like you continue to save money with your commercial refrigeration equipment?

Every grocery store requires thousands of kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per year to operate. This electricity covers refrigeration, ventilation, lighting, cooking, heating and cooling, and office. But the overwhelming majority of electricity goes to commercial refrigeration equipment that runs whether the store is open or not. This makes refrigeration an obvious target for energy and cost savings.

Through some simple investigation and adjustments, you could benefit from energy savings. Check out some steps our product managers and engineering team recommend to get the most out of your commercial refrigeration equipment.

Evaluate Energy Consumption

First, collect data about the energy that your commercial refrigeration equipment uses by referring to the component specification sheets. You should verify that the equipment is operating at the specified temperatures. If not, the controls could be set too cold, which wastes energy, or there could be a performance issue such as an iced coil or low refrigerant charge. If you notice equipment is not operating correctly, contact your refrigeration contractor.

You can also contact your utility company. Ask if they can perform an energy audit to compare your energy usage to similar businesses that use commercial refrigeration equipment. They may even suggest ways to improve the efficiency of your equipment.

In addition to checking your commercial refrigeration equipment, look at your HVAC system settings. Refrigerated display cases are designed to operate in ambient temperatures of 75°F and 55% relative humidity (defined by ASHRAE). Ensuring that your HVAC equipment maintains good store conditions will reduce commercial refrigeration equipment energy consumption, and it is more cost effective to have the HVAC equipment cooling the store instead of having the display cases dehumidifying it.

Install Energy-Saving Features

There are many features available that are designed to reduce energy usage and provide cost savings down the road for your commercial refrigeration equipment.

Motion sensors, which turn display case lights off when no shoppers are around, have a relatively quick payoff. Anti-fog coating is a clear film on doors that prevents fog buildup and helps shoppers see products. Over time, this leads to energy savings because the case does not get opened unnecessarily, which means less energy is consumed to cool the case. Most display cases come with standard anti-sweat heaters that limit door sweating in humid conditions, but they can run too aggressively in cooler, drier stores. Consider ordering your next display case with an anti-sweat controller, which cycles the heaters off when there is less humidity in the air, thereby saving energy. Also contact your refrigeration manufacturer. They may be able to offer other features to reduce energy consumption for your commercial refrigeration equipment.

Schedule Routine Maintenance

It pays to be proactive and schedule regular maintenance for your commercial refrigeration equipment. Instead of waiting for an issue to happen, you should schedule regular visits from your refrigeration contractor to keep the equipment running efficiently and catch component failures early.

General cleaning and maintenance is important for efficient case operation. You should clean doors and windowed ends so people can see product. Regularly clean lint and dust accumulation off of condenser coils and discharge air grills. On a monthly basis, ensure gaskets are not torn, doors are at ideal tension, and all fans are operating.

To check gaskets, simply place a dollar bill in the door track. If the dollar slides out with little to no resistance, it’s time to have the seals replaced or adjusted. To check ideal door tension, open the door and observe how well it closes. A properly tensioned door will close itself gently and not swing open. If the door does not close or swings open, the case will not operate optimally. There are two ways to check fan operation. One way is to put your hand near the discharge air grills. If all fans are working, the airflow will be the same from door to door. If less air is coming out, a fan may not be working. However, the most effective way to check fan operation is to unload product, take out the cover, and visually confirm that the fan is working. Do not put your hand into the fan, even if it appears to not be operating.

With so many steps available for reducing your refrigeration energy consumption, it is wise to develop a plan. Even if the budget does not allow for a full equipment overhaul, you may be able to update your cases department-by-department. That allows you to stay within budget, and your New Year’s resolution will be off to a good start!

Maximize your savings this year! Contact us to learn more about energy-efficient commercial refrigeration equipment solutions.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has officially published details about the California Cooling Act, which will take effect on January 1, 2019. The Act, which is based on vacated EPA SNAP Rule 20, prohibits HFC refrigerants with high global warming potential (GWP)—such as R-404A and R-507A—for supermarket systems, condensing units, and self-contained units.

The California Cooling Act affects new and retrofit equipment. Manufacturers cannot sell equipment using prohibited refrigerants that are manufactured after January 1, 2019.

CARB Definition for New Refrigeration Equipment:

  1. Any refrigeration equipment that is first installed using new or used components; or
  2. Any refrigeration equipment that is modified such that it is:
    1. Expanded after the date at which this subarticle becomes effective, to handle an expanded cooling load by the addition of components in which the capacity of the system is increased, including refrigerant lines, evaporators, compressors, condensers, and other components; or
    2. Replaced or cumulatively replaced after the date at which this subarticle becomes effective, such that the capital cost of replacing or cumulatively replacing components exceeds 50 percent of the capital cost of replacing the entire refrigeration system.

If the retailer or engineer is unsure whether the work will classify as a new system, they should contact the Refrigerant Management Program Hotline at 916-324-2517 or rmp@arb.ca.gov.

Additional Reading:

Refer to the following for more information about California’s regulations or the EPA regulations that affect the rest of the country:

For further information, contact Zero Zone at 800-247-4496 and ask for our Department of Regulatory Compliance and Refrigeration Technology. This message is informational only, and customers should review the new regulations fully to ensure compliance.

Maximizing Product Appeal: Strategic Use of Retail Display Cases in Modern Supermarkets

In the competitive landscape of modern retail, particularly within the grocery sector, the strategic deployment of retail display cases is paramount to captivating customers and driving sales. Retailers are constantly seeking innovative ways to showcase their products, ensuring optimal freshness and visual appeal. To gain valuable insights, we turned to Mike Floersch, owner of Ray’s Apple Market in Seneca, Kansas, and Marc Robért III, general manager of Robért Fresh Market in New Orleans, Louisiana, to discuss their merchandising strategies using open multi-deck and reach-in display cases.

The Allure of Open Multi-Deck Retail Display Cases

Both Ray’s Apple Market and Robért Fresh Market have embraced the Reveal Merchandiser® open multi-deck for their produce displays. This choice underscores the inherent appeal of fresh fruits and vegetables when presented in an open format. “I did not want to put produce behind doors,” Floersch explained, drawing upon his extensive experience in the grocery business. “I’ve been in the business 50-some years, and I felt like it presented itself well.” The open design of these retail display cases allows the vibrant colors and natural textures of the produce to take center stage, creating an inviting and visually stimulating shopping experience.

Robért Fresh Market has further elevated this approach by creating a dramatic “showstopper” display, featuring a 54-foot run of Reveal Merchandiser® cases strategically positioned at the store’s entrance. This impactful presentation immediately captures the attention of shoppers, emphasizing the store’s commitment to freshness and quality. The versatility of these open retail display cases extends beyond produce, as Robért Fresh Market also utilizes them for showcasing fresh meats. “That bright red meat color really pops, and it’s all about ‘eye appeal is buy appeal,'” Robért noted. He also emphasized the enhanced accessibility of products in open cases, allowing customers to easily browse and select their desired items.

The Practicality and Efficiency of Reach-In Retail Display Cases

While open multi-decks excel in visual merchandising, reach-in display cases, such as the Crystal Merchandiser® and Highlight Merchandiser®, offer distinct advantages for other refrigerated products. Both retailers have opted for these cases to display dairy, deli, and frozen foods. The key feature of Zero Zone’s reach-in merchandisers is the CoolView® doors, which boast a sleek, narrow design that maximizes display area and provides excellent product visibility. These retail display cases offer a clean and organized aesthetic, contributing to a pleasant shopping environment.

For stores located in humid regions like New Orleans, the performance of reach-in cases is critical. The CoolView® doors are equipped with heaters in the doors, door rails, mullions, and sills, effectively preventing condensation. Robért has been particularly pleased with the performance of these retail display cases in his high-humidity environment. “With our high humidity environment, I have found that [Zero Zone] has been a perfect match and that we’ve had zero issues with sweating and humidity issues coming onto our product,” he stated.

Floersch, initially hesitant about using reach-in cases, has also experienced positive feedback from his customers. “A lot of stores you go into, it’s cold, and it’s because of all the open cases,” he observed. His shoppers appreciate the warmer environment created by the reach-in cases, highlighting the importance of customer comfort.

A Comprehensive Solution for Every Retailer

Whether a retailer prefers open multi-decks, reach-in display cases, or a combination of both, Zero Zone offers a comprehensive range of solutions to meet their specific needs. Robért emphasized how the combination of Zero Zone’s retail display cases has “brought the décor and the feel of the whole store together.” Floersch highlighted the significant cost savings achieved through a 25% reduction in kilowatt usage. Ultimately, both retailers agree that selecting Zero Zone as their refrigeration partner was the optimal decision, providing a complete and effective solution for their merchandising needs. The right selection of retail display cases can truly transform a retail space.

Learn more about our retail display case solutions!

The pursuit of freshness unites two distinct family-owned supermarket chains, Ray’s Apple Market in Seneca, Kansas and Robért Fresh Market in New Orleans, Louisiana, despite their geographical separation. Both understand that the key to thriving in today’s competitive grocery landscape lies in delivering superior perishables. Central to their strategies is the strategic implementation of the retail display case, a crucial element in maintaining product quality and visual appeal.

Robért Fresh Market prioritizes produce as its “showstopper,” utilizing a 54-foot run of open Reveal Merchandiser® cases. This choice highlights the importance of visual merchandising, where the vibrant colors and fresh appearance of produce drive impulse purchases. The open retail display case allows shoppers to fully engage with the product, emphasizing freshness and quality. This approach reflects the understanding that in produce, “eye appeal is buy appeal.”

Similarly, Robért Fresh Market extends the use of open retail display cases to their meat department, where the rich colors of beef, poultry, and pork are showcased. Ray’s Apple Market, however, opts for reach-in cases for their meat, emphasizing product longevity and reduced shrink. These reach-in retail display cases provide a clean and organized appearance, enhancing the perception of freshness among shoppers. Owner Mike Floersch notes a significant reduction in shrink, attributing it to the superior preservation capabilities of these cases.

The choice of retail display case directly impacts product lifespan and consumer perception. While open cases excel in visual merchandising and impulse buying, reach-in cases offer superior temperature control and reduce product waste. Both Ray’s Apple Market and Robért Fresh Market have tailored their refrigeration strategies to align with their specific needs, demonstrating the versatility and importance of selecting the right display solution for maintaining the highest standards of freshness.

Learn more about their refrigeration strategies using Zero Zone!