One-year payback time on supermarket shell-and-tube investment

CDEW desuperheaters installed in Case Story

By installing Alfa Laval CDEW desuper- Food retailers are recognizing the ben- Fast facts: heaters in central cooling systems for efits of investing in shell-and-tube (S&T) stores and distribution centres, super- desuperheaters from Alfa Laval for their Distributor: market chains can reduce heat waste central cooling systems. One major Tewis Smart Systems, main distributor for the Iberian refrigeration market. Customers and make considerable energy savings. Spanish supermarket chain has placed include , Ikea, Repsol, One Spanish supermarket recouped its an order for up to 150 S&T desuper- System builder: investment in under a year. heaters per year with Alfa Laval Iberia Zanotti Smart Solutions, part of the Zanotti through the central cooling system Group Selling groceries has always been a builder Zanotti Smart Solutions. Challenge: To supply desuperheaters in cen- tral cooling systems for a major supermarket competitive , but today the chain’s stores and distribution centres. challenges facing the food industry The supermarket uses Alfa Laval CDEW Solution: are greater than ever. Consumers are desuperheaters in the central cooling 100-150 Alfa Laval CDEW desuperheaters demanding lower prices and a greater systems of its stores and distribution per year installed in central cooling systems. The supermarket chain has reduced its variety of fresh produce requiring refrig- centres, recovering the heat generated energy costs and carbon footprint, and eration, and supermarkets are looking to heat tap water, and to provide radi- payback time is less than a year. to reduce energy bills and their environ- ant floor heating and comfort heating. mental impact. By doing so, it has reduced its energy costs and its carbon footprint – and its investment has paid for itself in less than a year.

Recovered heat cuts bills Normally S&T condensers are used for condensing the refrigerant, typi- cally R404 or R134a, using water. The refrigerant discharge temperature at the compressor is higher than 70°C and normally condensing temperature is on the range of 40-45°C. The superheated Alfa Laval CDEW shell and tube water-cooled condenser vapour leaves the compressor at a fairly high temperature. This vapour repre- sents energy that is too valuable to waste, and it can be desuperheated in could exceed their expectations. “We a heat exchanger and the heat can be all paid a visit to Alfa Laval’s factory About the used for hot water production or room in Alonte, Italy, because we wanted Alfa Laval solution heating. to show them our quality and manu- facturing processes, and to prove to Alfa Laval CDEW shell and tube water-cooled condenser Alfa Laval’s S&T units are also used as them that we are a first-class supplier • Special water gasket configuration to desuperheaters. The design of an S&T of these critical components,” says resist high water pressure (up to 10 bar) desuperheater is similar to the S&T Ricardo Roma, Channel Manager at • Standard range includes different models for all HFC refrigerants with capacity condenser design. The difference is that Alfa Laval Iberia. range from 60 to 2000 kW while the condenser is condensing the • Square tube sheet can be used as sup- refrigerant from its gaseous phase to Javier Atencia, Technical Manager of port for the condenser the liquid phase, the desuperheater is Zanotti Smart Solutions, was impressed • The CDEW-E version has been opti- mized for R134a high performance using the hot gas to heat up the water by what he saw in Italy. “We found a applications. temperature, typically from 30°C to highly-automated factory where the pri- • For smaller capacities (from 5 to 150 40°C. orities are quality and customer service, kW) CXP condensers and desuperheat- ers are also available. with a large product range able to cover It is important to keep the refrigerant all our needs.” pressure drop limited, typically lower than 25 kPa, in order not to affect the High quality standards condensing pressure – otherwise the Following the visit, the system builder, Working in partnership COP of the system would be penalized. distributor and the end customers But beyond the nuts and bolts of the In this respect the S&T desuperheaters decided to switch to Alfa Laval shell- total solution, all the players are also are highly beneficial since they keep and-tube heat exchangers for their enthusiastic about the partnership the pressure drop limited as the gas is central cooling systems. Alfonso Olcina, that has developed. “Tewis is a very flowing within a large shell. The purpose Chief Commercial Officer of distributor demanding distributor and is always of this heat exchanger is to increase the Tewis Smart Systems, explains: “Alfa looking for excellence in product and energy efficiency of the whole system. Laval is a prestigious, well-recognized service, but we like that – it pushes us brand which is competitive and has to be better,” says Roma at Alfa Laval. Energy efficient solution high quality standards.” Zanotti Smart Solutions had previ- “We are very pleased with the relation- ously been using heat exchangers from Atencia at Zanotti Smart Solutions is ship with Alfa Laval,” adds Olcina at a competitor to Alfa Laval, and was more than happy with the solution. “It Tewis. “It is not just a supplier/distribu- satisfied with that solution. But the Alfa is a robust, reliable and easy-to-use tor relationship but a real partnership. Laval Iberia’s team showed both Tewis shell-and-tube product.” Today 80% We work together to look for new – its largest refrigeration distributor in of Zanotti’s installations feature heat technical solutions and new ways to the Iberia – and the supermarkets that they recovery systems. market.”

ERC00486EN 1306 Alfa Laval reserves the right to change specifications without prior notification.

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