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“We can offer something with no gas, less pressure, better safety and 30% to 40% energy savings,” Delecourt said of his company’s refrigeration systems for supermarket coolers, comparing them to the commonly used R404A cooling systems. Cooltech has deployed magnetic refrigeration systems for uses other than supermarket coolers, including some medical applications, but the technology has not yet been rolled out in a supermarket environment. The company owns a portfolio of more than 300 patents in 40 countries. Delecourt said Cooltech expects to complete the first supermarket installation in Europe by the end of this year, and he said the company is targeting the first U.S. supermarket deployment within the next 12 months.
HOW IT WORKS Magnetic refrigeration leverages a phenomenon called the magneto-caloric effect, in which materials heat up when subjected to a magnetic field, and cool down when removed from it. This process replaces the vapor-compression technology commonly used in both conventional and natural refrigerant systems. Because no gas is used in the magnetic system, it does not require a compressor or an evaporator. Cooltech’s MR400 system uses a proprietary blend of solids, including a gadolinium alloy, as the material that is influenced by the magnetic field. That material in turn cools a water/glycol mixture, which becomes the secondary refrigerant that cools a display case.
The unit operates at low pressure with low rotational speed, which reduces vibrations to a minimum and cuts noise to less than 35 decibels. The system has a “quasi-indefinite lifespan” with minimal maintenance required, according to Cooltech. The system is relatively small, with cooling power of 200 W-700 W, and is designed for individual, self-contained coolers. It can cool to a range of temperatures for both mid-temperature refrigeration units (32°F) and low-temperature freezers (19.4°F) as well as high-temperature applications (about 4°F above ambient room temperature). The system can also be customized to suit specific case sizes. In addition to functioning without gas, Cooltech’s magnetic refrigeration system also operates with relatively low pressure (about 30 psi) compared to vapor-compression systems and draws less electricity. Delecourt said he sees the potential for the system to eventually account for 10% to 20% of the cooler market in the supermarket industry. In addition to its partnership with Structural Concepts in the U.S., Cooltech also has agreements with high-end equipment manufacturers in Europe for the potential rollout of the product there, and is seeking to expand in the Asia-Pacific market in the same way. Hittinger said the company hopes to have one installation in each of the commercial segments it is targeting in each of three global regions within the next year. A larger magnetic refrigeration system with 20 kW or more of cooling power for commercial rack and industrial applications is in the planning stages, and could take about two years to develop, Delecourt said. Cooltech is currently seeking an equipment manufacturer to partner with on that initiative. “Right now we’re looking at medical equipment, display cases, beverage coolers and foodservice equipment” for the MR400 rollout, Delecourt said. Cooltech and Kirsch, its German partner for medical applications of the technology, presented the first magneto-caloric refrigerator system for medial refrigeration installations at the Medica 2015 conference in Dusseldorf, Germany, last December. continued on p.62
Cooltech booth at FMI Connect September 2016 Accelerate America
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