ACR Journal

John Lake Shellfish, a family-owned business based in Norfolk, has been supplying shellfish for over 30 years and is always keen to adopt the best technology available for delivering its product to market profitably, while maintaining a reputation for high quality. The company has opted to use CO 2 as the refrigerant in a new cockle and whelk freezer room to avoid the potential pitfalls of using traditional HFC refrigerants. It had experienced first-hand one of the penalties in using a refrigerant where the price under quota became unviable. It wanted a solution that provided a stable cost platform, whilst o…ering an environment benefit, to protect against potential high service costs in the future. John Lake turned to its refrigeration contractor, Fourstar Refrigeration, where owners Steve and David Forster always aim to look ahead and work towards a greener future. Steve said: “Global Warming Potential and ozone depletion factors need to become obsolete terms. We can sleep soundly knowing that, on our watch REFRIGERATION 24 Why long-established business John Lake chose a CUBO2 Smart system for its new freezer room. Shellfish company picks CO 2 solution at least, we’ve made a conscious e…ort to leave a better planet behind for our children and future generations.” Right choice They realised their ambition could become a reality after attending the CUBO2 Smart training course at Cool Concerns in Tewkesbury. Steve Benton at Cool Concerns quickly answered their concerns regarding the suitability of CO 2 for commercial systems. Like many engineers, the thought of dealing with a ‘high pressure’ refrigerant had been a concern, but this was put into perspective. So, CO 2 was chosen for the project using three CUBO2 Smart LT units linked to LU-VE F35 evaporators. Steve explains: “The installation itself was incredibly straightforward. The K65 pipework manipulates easily and smaller sizes are required than those needed for a traditional HFC system of similar duty. There’s no solenoid required, as the electronic expansion valve does all the work. “A higher pressure regulator for the nitrogen cylinder was required, to ensure a correct pressure and strength test, but other than this and a designated CO 2 charging hose, all our regular installation tools and equipment was utilised as normal. “The MX Pro control panels utilise 4 probes per system, the coils for the valve also require a 4 wire connection and then there’s the communication between the Mx pro and the CUBO2. However it’s all labelled explicitly, so with a spool of some good quality FTP selected, we soon had everything connected up and ready to go. “Commissioning did present some additional challenges; it was a steep learning curve understanding the pros and cons of ‘floating suction’ and ‘smooth lines functions’. But thankfully, the highly detailed Cool Concerns ‘bible’ supplied provided a step by step guide though each stage of the process, and we soon had all three systems humming away quietly and smoothly. Within a couple of days, we’d gently stepped the store down to -22°C and it held. I’m pleased to say it’s all been working flawlessly for over a year, with incredible e¤ciency and performance” Steve and David were so impressed they recently took delivery of another two CUBO2 units for a customer in Essex. Steve was even more impressed when he popped the cover o… the first unit to find some suggested changes had been adopted. He says: “I was pleased to see an ‘additional oil already charged’ sticker and obvious signs that my concerns have now been addressed, in what is obviously a constant e…ort to keep improving an already reliable and practical product. “As such, I have no qualms in recommending a CUBO2 Smart to every one of my customers who is looking for new equipment. And I’m quick to underline that although the costs may be o…-putting today, when you consider the technology within and the benefits tomorrow, it’s without doubt the lucrative choice.” www.hrponline.co.uk Volume 7 No.1 CUBO2 Smart LT units at John Lake Shellfish HRP Cubo2.indd 24 03/12/2020 11:53