XPO / Albert Heijn Shared Fresh Center orders 98,000 l of Temper heat transfer fluid

The Albert Heijn Shared Fresh Center at Nieuwegein, in the Netherlands, was a major undertaking. New, innovative, and very big.

Background

Netherland’s largest fresh product distribution centre sprawls over 42,000 m² . This project was a titanic task for all parties involved . The construction company Pleijsier Bouw first contacted Voets & Donkers in January 2014 looking for a solution to maintain air temperature at the Shared Fresh Center within a constant range of 0–2 °C. Considering the large volume of logistic operations conducted at the site on a daily basis, it was not an easy task . The movements of personnel and forklifts, and the presence of parked lorries, are just a few factors that can affect air conditions at the site. The very limited ceiling space posed another challenge and meant that standard cooing systems could not be installed.

Voets & Donkers and Climalife partner up

Voets & Donkers—a dynamic, innovative, thriving company that specialise in the development, design, and production of refrigeration and HVAC facilities—decided to take on the project and draw up the 3D technical plans.
Early on in the design phase, director Marc Voets contacted Climalife Sales Director John Fischer for information on possible solutions. After studying the problem, Climalife recommended an indirect cooling system using NH3 as its refrigerant and Temper −20 heat transfer fluid to distribute cooling capacity.

The client chose Climalife because of the productive relationship between the two companies over the years and the generous guidance Climalife offered for the  new project. While other suppliers offered products alone, Climalife acted as a true partner providing the client with assistance and advice throughout the project.

Settling on an environmental solution

A cooling installation must of course be not only efficient but sustainable. To achieve this, EC variable-speed fans were installed: they slow down for spring, autumn, and winter temperatures, but speed up when the mercury rises. This equates to a major reduction in energy consumption. Over 1,000 such fans were installed. This project also opted to exclusively use natural products. We thus decided on NH3—that is, ammonia—as the refrigerant and Temper—Climalife’s saline solution—as the heat transfer fluid. Temper is a ready-to-use, non toxic heat transfer fluid made with potassium acetate and formate that has a low viscosity and biodegrades well.

Temper also contains innovative corrosion inhibitors that durably protect circuits. All told, 98,000 l of Temper offering protection down to −20 °C were used for the site’s cooling system.

A durable solution for a large project

The brand-new distribution centre has already opened its doors, and Voets & Donkers and Climalife are proud of their contribution. The teamwork and sustainable choices that characterised this vast, demanding, and instructive project are sources of great satisfaction for both companies.

“We proved that with the full commitment of all parties involved it is possible to tackle projects of this size,” said Voets & Donkers director Marc Voets.