Refrigeration System Design – Covert Engineers, Inc.

A national juice and dairy processor commissioned CEI^TM to develop a central ammonia refrigeration system performance design for a new cold storage facility (+34 ºF) and future freezer (-10 ºF). The challenge in this project was that the client wanted to investigate a variety of different viable refrigerants and design options. CEI^TM was able to lead the design effort and provide details of these options for consideration of safety, cost, efficacy and complexity to allow the client to make decisions and provide direction to move forward.

The deliverables were to develop a complete system design and bid package for the client to solicit multiple competitive bids from refrigeration contractors. The following were the approximate results of the competitive bidding process:

$ 1,100,000 – Variance between the two lowest bids
$ 3,900,000 – Variance between high and low bids

CEI’s scope of work included:

Calculations of required load for both the 37,000 ft² cold storage building and 10,000 ft² future freezer.
Refrigeration equipment sizing including compressors, vessels, coils, pipe sizing, pipe routing, and condensers.
General arrangement and critical elevation views of refrigeration equipment (including future equipment for the freezer system expansion to be added later) including engine room layout with compressor locations, vessel locations and pipe routing as well as evaporator arrangement in the cold storage and general plant pipe routing (including glycol to an existing facility via a pipe bridge).
Fully detailed P&ID of the system with all elements identified and specifications noted.
Recommendations on system design with cost impacts to optimize the refrigeration system based on the client’s needs.
Evaluation of system design options such as liquid recirculation (flooded) evaporators vs. direct expansion (DX) style to minimize refrigerant charge.