Dr Andy Pearson will present his latest papers on industrial refrigeration systems for process plants, traditional cold storage facilities and high bay automated warehouses at the 16th IIR - Gustav Lorentzen Conference 2024.
LONDON, Aug. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Dr Andy Pearson, past-president of the Institute of Refrigeration and past-chairman of the British Standards Institute Committee on Refrigeration Safety is set to present his highly anticipated papers at the 16th IIR- Gustav Lorentzen Conference on Natural Refrigerants.
Taking place from 11th - 14th August 2024 at the University of Maryland, Group Managing Director of Star Refrigeration, Dr Andy Pearson, will discuss developments in low charge ammonia refrigeration for food processing and traditional and high bay automated temperature controlled storage facilities.
The biannual Gustav Lorentzen Conference serves as a global platform for industry experts and researchers to discuss the latest advancements and research in the use of natural working fluids for refrigeration, heating, air conditioning and heat engine applications. The conference covers various themes including thermophysical properties, transport phenomena, components, systems, system safety, controls, and life cycle analysis.
Dr Pearson's first presentation entitled, 'Developments in low charge ammonia refrigeration for food processing and storage', will provide an overview of the work conducted by Star Refrigeration over the last ten years to improve the efficiency, reliability and total cost of ownership of cold store and process refrigeration plants.
He will also discuss the challenges associated with the adoption of a low charge ammonia philosophy, compared to traditional system configurations. Using real case studies, he will explore potential improvements and risk mitigation strategies, while also outlining key factors for successful implementation.
Dr Pearson said, "Benefits of a low charge ammonia design include plant automation, operational flexibility and fixed asset regeneration, enabling a more sustainable approach to the provision of industrial refrigeration to be adopted. These benefits are closely aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations and can contribute to corporate social responsibility (CSR) objectives."
In 2023 the United Nations published its second progress report on the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, which set out a series of 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), noting that progress is inadequate to fulfil the 2030 Agenda and, in many of the 169 measures of sustainable development, the world is regressing.
In response to this, UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres called for the private sector to engage with governments to "reorient their economies towards low-carbon, resilient patterns of growth" and wrote "Unless we act now, the 2030 Agenda will become an epitaph for a world that might have been".
Focusing on this issue, Dr Pearson's study further examines ways in which stakeholders in the cold chain can contribute to that effort, as companies are under increasing pressure to apply the SGG goals as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility agenda.
Dr Pearson said, "After conducting Star Refrigeration's own assessment of how our actions can support the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), I then focused on linking these priorities to the deployment of low-charge ammonia packages from a client or end-user perspective. This strategy aligns low charge innovations with the practical and strategic needs of cold store and food processing businesses, supporting their efforts for improved sustainability."
Additionally, in a second presentation at the conference, Dr Pearson will present his paper entitled 'Performance assessment of low charge ammonia refrigeration in a high bay automated warehouse'. The study offers unprecedented insights into the efficiency and sustainability of a modern, state-of-the-art automated warehouse with an internal volume of 300,000 m3, which has been operational since April 2022.
The facility operates unmanned using a computer controlled 'deposit and retrieve' system. Dr Pearson's presentation will delve into the energy performance and temperature stability data collected over a 12 month period from January to December 2023.
Attendees can expect a detailed overview of the plant's unique arrangement, highlighting the differences between this installation and conventional low charge systems for cold storage. The presentation will also draw comparisons with traditional central plant pumped circulation systems of the type that would traditionally have been used for an automated high bay.
Dr Pearson's analysis of key risk indicators and total cost of ownership will be of particular interest to end-users. This analysis will provide a clear picture of the system's overall performance and financial implications.
Looking to the future, Dr Pearson will conclude his presentation with essential design guidance for upcoming installations, paving the way for more efficient and sustainable cold storage solutions in the temperature controlled storage sector.
The Gustav Lorentzen Conference has been held in various locations around the world since its inception in 1994, including Hanover, Aarhus, Oslo, Purdue, Guangzhou, Glasgow, Trondheim, Copenhagen, Sydney, Delft, Hangzhou, Edinburgh, Valencia, Kyoto and Trondheim. It has grown to become an essential meeting place for over 350 experts, featuring around 120 presentations and keynote speeches from leading figures in science and government.
For more information and to register, visit https://ceee.umd.edu/gl2024
Media Contact
Anna Flanagan, Star Refrigeration Ltd, 01416387916, annaflanagan@star-ref.co.uk, www.star-ref.co.uk
SOURCE Star Refrigeration Ltd
