Refrigerated Buildings and Refrigeration Mechanical System Types.
All refrigerated warehouse buildings or refrigerated storage buildings or food production plants have to have a refrigeration mechanical system. When most prospective purchasers of buildings with freezer or cooler warehouse space start their existing property search, the subject of the refrigeration mechanical type is usually not considered. However this is a very important item when selecting a refrigerated food processing or a temperature controlled distribution facility. The very nature of the definition of temperature controlled real estate is that the industrial building has the capability of controlling the temperature inside that food processing or distribution/warehouse building or public refrigerated warehousing facility. Then the question is what the best type of refrigeration system?
There are only two types of refrigeration systems in an industrial warehouse that has storage space capable of cooler or freezer storage temperatures. Refrigerated or frozen food processing buildings, industrial refrigerated warehouse facilities or public refrigerated warehousing companies all occupy facilities that are dependent for their desired temperatures by either Freon refrigeration mechanicals or ammonia refrigeration mechanical systems. The decision on whether to select a Freon mechanical system or ammonia refrigeration system usually is dependent on the engineering and design calculations that are part of new refrigerated facility construction. Such items as the temperature of the inbound product being placed into the warehouse, the daily number of dock door openings and closings into the cooler or freezer warehouse areas and also the insulation values the walls and ceiling panels are part of the engineering calculations necessary to define the amount of heat load it will need to be removed during a certain given period of time. Once this is established then the refrigeration mechanical system type can be selected.
The decision whether to select a Freon system or an Ammonia refrigeration system for a new temperature controlled facility is driven primarily by that system’s lifetime operating costs and also the refrigeration components initial price and installation. Generally an ammonia refrigeration system is more expensive to purchase and install but may have up to 30% lower operating cost than a Freon refrigeration system. However, a Freon refrigeration system is generally very affordable for new equipment, but may well have higher operating costs.
Additionally one of the items that are considered in selecting a refrigeration system is the amount of time the company is willing to spend overseeing the operation of the system. Ammonia refrigeration systems, although being more affordable to operate, do require more personnel hours supervising their operation. Freon refrigeration systems require substantially less personnel hours involved in their operation.
Finally, Ammonia refrigeration systems sometimes are not able to be installed a new refrigerated food processing facility or industrial temperature controlled warehouse because of zoning regulations prohibiting the ammonia gas at the proposed new construction site. These regulations incorporate security, fire and residential proximity considerations into the decision on whether or not to allow ammonia refrigeration systems to be installed in the new building.
Jim Cronin of Hawk Distribution Services, LLC has extensive experience in real estate brokerage of freezer or cooler buildings. Jim Cronin is located in St. Louis County, Missouri. Jim can be reached at 314-994-0577 or e-mail of j.cronin@hawkds.com Also Phil Pisciotta of the Kansas City, Missouri office of Hawk Distribution Services, LLC has decades of experience and extensive involvement with temperature controlled facilities and in particular all cooler warehouse facilities used by produce distribution companies. Phil Pisciotta can be reached at 816-510-2060 or p.pisciotta@hawkds.com
All refrigerated warehouse buildings or refrigerated storage buildings or food production plants have to have a refrigeration mechanical system. When most prospective purchasers of buildings with freezer or cooler warehouse space start their existing property search, the subject of the refrigeration mechanical type is usually not considered. However this is a very important item when selecting a refrigerated food processing or a temperature controlled distribution facility. The very nature of the definition of temperature controlled real estate is that the industrial building has the capability of controlling the temperature inside that food processing or distribution/warehouse building or public refrigerated warehousing facility. Then the question is what the best type of refrigeration system?
There are only two types of refrigeration systems in an industrial warehouse that has storage space capable of cooler or freezer storage temperatures. Refrigerated or frozen food processing buildings, industrial refrigerated warehouse facilities or public refrigerated warehousing companies all occupy facilities that are dependent for their desired temperatures by either Freon refrigeration mechanicals or ammonia refrigeration mechanical systems. The decision on whether to select a Freon mechanical system or ammonia refrigeration system usually is dependent on the engineering and design calculations that are part of new refrigerated facility construction. Such items as the temperature of the inbound product being placed into the warehouse, the daily number of dock door openings and closings into the cooler or freezer warehouse areas and also the insulation values the walls and ceiling panels are part of the engineering calculations necessary to define the amount of heat load it will need to be removed during a certain given period of time. Once this is established then the refrigeration mechanical system type can be selected.
The decision whether to select a Freon system or an Ammonia refrigeration system for a new temperature controlled facility is driven primarily by that system’s lifetime operating costs and also the refrigeration components initial price and installation. Generally an ammonia refrigeration system is more expensive to purchase and install but may have up to 30% lower operating cost than a Freon refrigeration system. However, a Freon refrigeration system is generally very affordable for new equipment, but may well have higher operating costs.
Additionally one of the items that are considered in selecting a refrigeration system is the amount of time the company is willing to spend overseeing the operation of the system. Ammonia refrigeration systems, although being more affordable to operate, do require more personnel hours supervising their operation. Freon refrigeration systems require substantially less personnel hours involved in their operation.
Finally, Ammonia refrigeration systems sometimes are not able to be installed a new refrigerated food processing facility or industrial temperature controlled warehouse because of zoning regulations prohibiting the ammonia gas at the proposed new construction site. These regulations incorporate security, fire and residential proximity considerations into the decision on whether or not to allow ammonia refrigeration systems to be installed in the new building.
Jim Cronin of Hawk Distribution Services, LLC has extensive experience in real estate brokerage of freezer or cooler buildings. Jim Cronin is located in St. Louis County, Missouri. Jim can be reached at 314-994-0577 or e-mail of j.cronin@hawkds.com Also Phil Pisciotta of the Kansas City, Missouri office of Hawk Distribution Services, LLC has decades of experience and extensive involvement with temperature controlled facilities and in particular all cooler warehouse facilities used by produce distribution companies. Phil Pisciotta can be reached at 816-510-2060 or p.pisciotta@hawkds.com
Jim Cronin, Broker
Phil Pisciotta, Agent - Kansas City Operations
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