Founded in 1895 by master baker Feihl in Pölling, the family business « Der Bäcker Feihl » employs 250 people between production, logistics and marketing of its products in 33 shops in the Neumarkt and Nuremberg region.
The love of craftsmanship and the in-depth knowledge of their fellow workers and master bakers make it possible to offer customers high quality gourmet products. 90% of these products are manufactured in their own shops.
More than 20 varieties of bread are available as well as a selection of pastries such as the famous sweet pastry from the Danube.
IceCool International BV was founded in 2008 in Hückelhoven, Germany, and then established in Echt, the Netherlands, a few years later. Today, IceCool International BV is the world leader in bakery equipment for the cooling and freezing of unpackaged dough. IceCool has built its reputation with the world’s best bakers by constantly innovating to improve the quality of its products.
Moisture manage
ment in IceCool installations ensures success and baking quality ; « Bread is therefore more digestible for consumers, especially those with gluten intolerance, » says Peter Wehrens, Export Manager R&D at IceCool.
From 2012, the manufacturer IceCool changed course in response to F-Gas and integrated the following three criteria to select the most ecological refrigerant :
– Global Warming Potential (GWP).
– Total Equivalent Warming Impact (TEWI).
– Life Cycle Climate Performance (LCCP).
The first R-1234ze / CO2 cascade refrigeration system was created in 2013 for the Maurer bakery and was funded by the German government agency (BAFA*) because of its low environmental impact.
In 2015, the development of Honeywell’s Solstice® L40X fluid was of particular interest to Peter Wehrens for future freezing installations.
Feihl opts for R-455A
When Feihl Bakery decided, in 2016, to build a new facility in Neumarkt to expand their production site, it turned to IceCool to develop and install an eco-efficient refrigeration system. Several alternatives were presented to the customer.
Feihl very quickly decided to use a Solstice® L40X system, whose installation and operating costs are lower than CO2 solutions. The excellent thermodynamic characteristics of this new, very low GWP refrigerant, and the proposed technology, were in perfect harmony with their specifications.
Due to the A2L (low flammability) classification of R-455A, IceCool was in contact with local authorities and worked closely with the certification body TÜV and Energie Consult Holland to carry out the project and meet the requirements of the regulations in force.
Ultimately, IceCool recommended a system with 16 independent condensing units installed outside the building with a total cooling capacity of 320 kW, which limits the risks.
In total, 480 kg of Solstice® L40X was charged into the different units that supply two freezers with an evaporation temperature at -42°C, three freezers at – 28°C and 11 cooling at -8 °C / -10 °C.
The installation is equipped with evaporators and condensers specially selected by the manufacturer Güntner, which allows for the temperature glide of R-455A to be managed without any difficulty. The cooling process ensures the dough rises within 24 hours. This process is carried out at a temperature of +/-0°C and is fully automated.
Der Backer Feihl is known on the market for its unique production process and low gluten content in all its breads.
The choice of R-455A has the added advantage of reducing the number of leakage tests to once a year for both freezers and is not necessary for other refrigeration installations with a charge of less than 5 CO2 tonne equivalent.
Six months after commissioning, the installation is working perfectly, and all stakeholders are satisfied with the result and warmly thank Climalife and Honeywell for their support throughout this project.
Solstice® L40X : the standard fluid as of 1 January 2019 at IceCool
With a GWP of 148, R-455A meets the requirements of F-Gas and offers a long-term solution for new installations. Its low flammability, high energy efficiency, high critical temperature and low critical pressure are significant advantages for freezing and refrigeration applications.
« In 2018, we completed several projects with R-455A and chose to use this fluid, next to the «natural», refrigerants, the standard for future installations based on lower energy consumption and end customer satisfaction » says Peter Wehrens.
