City’s innovative cooling technology trial set to improve retail refrigeration energy efficiency

City is trialling an exciting prototype dew point cooling technology system at a major retail site in South Australia. 

The deployment of this innovative technology is designed to significantly reduce the energy consumption of the site’s refrigeration system during peak periods of demand, such as hot summer days.

Our team collaborated with UniSA, the Race 2030 Research Centre, Adelaide-based Glaciem Cooling Technologies, and manufacturer Seeley International to bring the concept to life.

The dew point technology works by drawing in ambient outside air and cooling it using a high efficiency indirect evaporative cooling process. The cooled air is then integrated with a traditional transcritical CO2 refrigeration system gas cooler.

This integrated approach means that the retailer’s refrigeration system can be operated much more efficiently, especially on hot summer days. Lab testing and modelling carried out by the UniSA of the integrated dew point cooling system shows that energy consumption can be reduced by up to 16 percent annually and 24 percent during peak demand periods.

The dew point cooling trial will continue to be monitored, with all data collected used to understand how the system performs in real-world operating conditions. It is expected that a successful trial will lead to a commercialisation and roll-out of the technology across many more sites, helping to reduce energy costs, minimise greenhouse emissions, and lower energy peak demands without replacing existing refrigeration infrastructure.

This project showcases City’s innovative thinking and long-term dedication to supporting our clients to meet their sustainability and cost reduction goals.

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