Biocoop is a leader in organic food distribution, with a network of over 500 organic stores. In 2017, a Biocoop franchisee with a number of shops and restaurants in the Aquitaine region, decided to open a new butchery and charcuterie processing laboratory at Boulazac in the Dordogne.
"We have always had great confidence in Daikin technologies. Their engineers are always able to find technological solutions capable of accommodating any environment."
- Sébastien Toulouse, Froid Cuisine 24
CO₂ system
As a long-standing customer of installer Froid Cuisine 24, the franchisee sought the company’s help in researching and installing a refrigeration solution for the 1,200 square metre laboratory. A Daikin partner since the installer company’s inception 20 years ago, Froid Cuisine 24 initially suggested Daikin’s ZEAS refrigeration solution. With several Daikin installations already in place, the franchisee was very satisfied with the company. Additionally, the ZEAS solution was one with which Froid Cuisine 24 had a lot of experience.
However, with increasingly strict regulations on the use of higher GWP refrigerants and wishing to follow the Biocoop philosophy on sustainable development, it was decided to opt for an alternative that used CO2, which as a natural refrigerant has no impact on global warming, despite the additional cost of the equipment and its installation compared to a traditional system.
Minimal changes compared to conventional installations
The managers of Froid Cuisine 24, new to Tewis transcritical technology, visited a similar installation and the Tewis factory itself, which gave them the confidence in opting for a Tewis system.
A second visit in advance of the installation process focused on critical points including piping for the transcritical CO2 technology. This offered additional reassurance, given the relatively minor changes needed in comparison to a traditional refrigeration solution.
Froid Cuisine 24 has additionally demonstrated its commitment to service support, by obtaining the necessary specialist qualifications and setting up an on-call system for weekends.
Safe, effective and energy efficient
Within the laboratory, there are varying requirements for temperature control, spread across eleven different areas. The Tewis/Daikin 78.3 kW transcritical system provides positive cooling (0 to +2°C in some rooms and +8 to +10°C in others) to meet a range of needs throughout. Thirteen 1.8 kW to 10.5 kW evaporators (one/two per room) are directly connected to the transcritical system, while a second, insulated R-452 system was chosen to provide refrigeration in a separate cool room. An air treatment system using a ducted network provides air conditioning to corridors in the laboratory.
In the casings preparation room, where corrosive products in use posed a potential risk to the CO2, an alternative system operating on R-134A refrigerant was installed.
Additionally, a water/CO2 exchanger was installed to provide the chilled water needed in the two dryer and oven areas, as well as a 25 kW CO2/glycoled water exchanger. A 50 kW, 20/45°C water desuperheater has also been integrated with the Tewis system to recover heat, providing domestic hot water and compensating for kitchen ventilation as required.
To ensure maximum safety, CO2 leak detectors have been fitted to all laboratory equipment. These are connected to an audible and visible alarm system which sends automatic alerts by email and SMS.
A communication gateway runs from the transcritical system to each evaporator, connected via a central management system from PC to laboratory, to Froid Cuisine and Tewis.
