Performance Optimization of Industrial Refrigeration Systems

Abstract

Industrial refrigeration systems can be found in applications ranging from ice making to food processing and preservation to industrial chemical processes. These systems typically consist of many different components, each component may be produced by a different manufacturer. The operational data provided by the different manufacturers for each component is used by system designers to specify installation and operational procedures of the system. Often times, the optimum control of an individual piece of equipment results in sub-optimal system performance due to unforeseen interactions between the different system components. It is important to identify and monitor key parameters of the system, such as power consumption and refrigeration effect, in order to optimize the performance. The efforts of this research focused on modeling an operating, ammonia vapor compression, refrigeration system serving a two-temperature food storage and distribution facility located near Milwaukee, WI. This system utilized a combination of both single-screw and reciprocating compressors operating under single-stage