Advancements in supermarket refrigeration, 37^th Informatory Note on refrigeration technologies.

Conventional supermarket refrigeration systems are responsible for considerable CO2 emissions due to the direct effect of refrigerant leakage and the indirect effect of high energy consumption. Energy consumption reductions can be obtained with advancements in refrigeration technologies that modify the refrigeration plant layout and components. The new systems not only operate at higher efficiency, but also reduce refrigerant charge and refrigerant leakage. In an attempt to reduce refrigerant emissions, modified systems with a lower refrigerant charge and groups of compressor racks located in fixtures throughout the supermarket have been introduced. Other systems incorporate a secondary fluid, which is chilled by refrigeration machinery in a plant room separate from the retail area. Systems where each cabinet is equipped with its own compressor and a water-cooled condensing unit were recently developed. This Informatory Note considers the advantages and disadvantages of possible alternatives to the traditional solutions.