By Derek Gosselin Hillphoenix Systems Product Manager Using carbon dioxide as a refrigerant seems like a new solution to today’s challenge of lowering the global warming potential of commercial refrigeration systems. But, as industry researcher James M. Calm has documented, the use of CO2 as a refrigerant actually stretches back to 1866. In subsequent decades CO2, ammonia and other early [...]
The trend toward smaller stores is getting bigger. Small-format dollar stores and drug stores now claim about half of consumers’ short shopping trips, according to market researcher IRI. Meanwhile, traditional supermarkets are netting just 25 percent of those in-and-out sprees, IRI reports. These statistics reflect a shift in consumers’ definition of convenience. The all-in-one big box is losing its allure. [...]
To understand how conduction heat transfer preserves the natural moisture content of meat and seafood, it helps to understand the alternative: traditional convection-cooled cases. Most convection-cooled meat and seafood display cases work in one of two ways. The most common way uses fans to drive the circulated air; this method is called forced convection. A second approach relies on the [...]
Retailers can future-proof their business now by assessing alternative refrigerants before they hit the market Now’s the time for supermarkets and convenience stores to assess whether soon-to-be-released sustainable refrigerants will be a good fit for their businesses — and Hillphoenix experts can help. Major manufacturers plan to release refrigerants with lower global-warming potential in mid-2015. The new products will hit the [...]
If your job involves showcasing meat and seafood in ways that are attractive to the customer and maintain the integrity of the product, conductive heat transfer can dramatically expand your window of opportunity. Moist and even cooling – the kind that actually extends the life of meat and seafood – are hallmarks of the conduction approach to refrigerated display case [...]