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In previous blog posts, we’ve discussed that owners of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) refrigeration systems have some decisions to make as R22 refrigerant is phased out and states take on regulations and enforcement.
Natural refrigerants, like CO2 or ammonia, are good alternatives, but they can sometimes get a bad rap. We’ve debunked some myths about CO2 before — now let’s look at ammonia.
Compressed air is a commonly used power source in manufacturing facilities, but it isn’t necessarily a cheap one. Aided by the Compressed Air Challenge movement, which started 20 years ago, users have started treating compressed air as a utility with supply and demand.
This has led to a greater understanding of how to use compressed air efficiently, but many facilities are still running on systems that are not optimized.
Continue Reading “The Secret to Optimizing Your Compressed Air System”
Growth in online grocery sales is stoking demand for cold storage facilities across the United States, according to a new research report from CBRE. The real estate services and investment firm found that up to 100 million square feet of additional capacity is needed to meet online sales through 2022.
However, the cost and complexity of cold storage construction could make meeting that demand difficult. The resulting shortage will likely cause cold storage to become an even more coveted real estate asset – and those willing to invest in the market stand to reap major rewards.
Read below for the top insights from CBRE’s latest cold storage report.
Continue Reading “Demand for Cold Storage Development Heats Up”
We recently updated our refrigeration parts and compressor shops in Jacksonville, Florida, and Fort Worth, Texas. (Stellar also has shops in Modesto, California and York, Pennsylvania.) Each facility offers climate-controlled storage spaces and a compressor shop with a separate teardown room, clean room and paint booth.
From the time a compressor arrives at one of Stellar’s service facilities to the time it leaves, it undergoes an unrivaled 75-point quality inspection — a rigorous examination unlike any in the industry. Continue Reading “How Stellar Services Industrial Refrigeration Compressors [VIDEO]”
When it comes to ammonia refrigeration machine rooms, ventilation updates can often be overlooked.
Current and new mechanical codes — International Mechanical Code (IMC) and Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC) — defer to IIAR 2 (and sometimes ASHRAE 15) as the referenced code for ammonia refrigeration systems, including the machine room ventilation.
Just because your ammonia system was designed to code years ago it may not necessarily be code compliant today.
If you have updated your refrigeration system recently, did you update your machine room’s ventilation as well?
Continue Reading “Ammonia Refrigeration: Is Your Machine Room Ventilation Up to Code?”
Automation is on the rise in industrial facilities, food processing plants and cold storage warehouses. At Stellar, we’ve seen more client requests for automation in the past year than ever before.
When people think of automation and cost savings, the obvious usually comes to mind first: labor costs. Projected minimum wage increases and the scarcity of people willing to work in a cold storage environment are driving more owners to invest in automation.
But automating your warehouse can yield more savings beyond just the payroll. Here are six more benefits that you may not have considered.
Continue Reading “Cold Storage Warehouse Automation: 6 Money-Saving Benefits Beyond Labor Costs”
The need for cold storage facilities is greater than ever. Product integrity and fresh products are in demand as Millennials become major players in the consumer market. This generation of buyers favor healthier, fresher and higher quality products that have a shorter shelf life — meaning an efficient distribution network is crucial to serve these consumers.
But how can you design your warehouse cost-effectively?
Continue Reading “5 Budget Factors to Consider When Designing Cold Storage Warehouses”
This is the last year that R22 can be manufactured in or imported to the United States.
As a reminder, here’s the timeline according to the EPA final rule:
If your refrigeration system uses R22, you have some decisions to make — and the clock is ticking.
Continue Reading “Industrial Refrigeration: Your Options as R22 Refrigerant Is Phased Out”
When the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced they were going to phase out hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants in 2015, many in the industry began preparing for the coming changes. The new proposed regulations under Section 612 of the Clean Air Act, known as SNAP Rule 20, established a schedule to phase out common HFC refrigerants such as R-22, R-124 and R-507.
However, when major chemical companies challenged the EPA in federal court in 2017, a judge ruled the EPA didn’t have the authority to mandate the changes. Attempts to appeal the court’s decision failed, and the EPA acknowledged they will not enforce the rule.
However, just because the rule was overturned at the federal level doesn’t mean you’re in the clear if you use these refrigerants.
Continue Reading “HFC Refrigerant Regulations: What to Do as States Adopt SNAP Rule 20”
Summer is around the corner, which means now is the time to ensure your refrigeration system is ready for the upcoming hot months. Summertime is when these systems work their hardest, so how can you make sure yours is running efficiently and at peak performance levels?
Here’s a short checklist to prepare your refrigeration system for the summer:
Continue Reading “Keep Your Cool: How to Prep Your Refrigeration System for Peak Summer Performance”
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