Refrigeration Controls
- Published on Monday, September 01, 2008
Types: Refrigeration controls range from small electro-mechanical defrost time clocks to the more sophisticated multiple compressor rack controllers. These include electronic thermometers, thermostats, defrost controls, anti-sweat heater controls, electronic expansion valves and drivers, compressor rack controls, monitoring systems, data loggers, and sensors.
Materials: Refrigeration control construction consists of many types of materials. Most consist of a plastic enclosure, printed circuit board and electronic components such as microprocessors, memory chips and connectors.
Standard Features: Refrigeration controls regulate temperature, defrosting, evaporator fans, superheat, compressors, alarm management, remote communication and data logging.
One manufacturer offers a kit that includes all of the necessary components required for field installation, including the temperature and pressure sensors as well as mounting screws.
New Features/Options/Innovations: Newer systems utilize proprietary control algorithms that allow the system to operate at its most efficient level. One type uses an optimized algorithm for controlling the electronic expansion valve, increasing the overall performance of the system.
Other features offering additional efficiency include embedded intelligent defrost management; smart evaporator fan management; light control; energy-conscious, anti-sweat heater control; night/set-back operations; electric load shedding; and integration with electronic expansion valve and variable.
Key Kitchen Applications: Refrigeration controls are used in self-contained equipment, such as commercial refrigerators, commercial freezers, reach-ins, walk-in coolers, compressor racks, blast chillers and refrigerating cases.
Maintenance Requirements: In general, today's refrigeration controls are self-diagnostic and do not require specific maintenance.
Food Safety Essentials: By utilizing refrigeration control algorithms, the integrity of the space temperature is increased, reducing the risk of food safety issues related to space conditions.
HACCP-certified controls can log temperature values to demonstrate that food was properly stored at all times. Refrigeration controls also are NSF-certified.
