The CoilPod dust containment bag is said to be “an environmentally friendly solution for the indoor cleaning of self-contained condenser coil units in refrigerated or freezer display cases.”

Two manufacturers recently released literature guiding food service decision makers to helpful data regarding the purchase of commercial-grade refrigerators and self-contained condenser coil cleaning units.

Picking the Right One

A white paper from Traulsen, titled, “Fresh Thinking: Buying the Right Refrigerator,” is geared for business owners in the food service industry who need commercial-quality refrigeration. The paper was designed to assist merchandisers in their interactions with refrigeration contractors, both about equipment purchases and service issues.

“Refrigerators (freezers and hot-food cabinets) help maintain your food’s freshness, reduce unnecessary food loss, and work hard to keep your customers safe,” states the report. “They’re required to consistently keep their cool in often hot, humid conditions, and they must seamlessly support your kitchen’s workflow.”

The paper also cautions about the dangers of food contamination, specifically for products that don’t have to be cooked, such as vegetables, that aren’t stored at proper cooling temperatures. There is a tutorial aspect including references to refrigerants as “your unit’s lifeblood.”

The document also explains metering devices, temperature controls, the need for durability of equipment, types of doors, adaptability, ease of maintenance, and efficiencies including Energy Star ratings in regard to the latter.

The need to hold temperature was applied to a situation important to store owners. As the white paper said, “To emphasize the impact of increased food cost due to improper refrigeration, consider what happens to milk at varying temperatures. A global leader in refrigeration science indicates that milk held below 41˚F will last up to seven days. However, at 45˚, milk remains safe for only three days. In terms of dollars and cents, $25 of recurring weekly food loss due to improper refrigeration works out to $1,300 over the course of a year. Of course, that number increases dramatically if even more than that dollar amount of food spoils prematurely each week.”

Coil Cleaning

The coil cleaning issue was addressed by Polaris Vending Inc., which has a patent-pending CoilPod™ dust containment bag. The bag was said to be “an environmentally friendly solution for the indoor cleaning of self-contained condenser coil units in refrigerated or freezer display cases containing food, beverages, drugs, or other items.”

These units are contained in retail food and beverage outlets, hospitals, and pharmacies, according to the company.

Part of the statement issued by the company said, “A person desiring to clean the condenser coils contained in such appliances first places the bag (which is 28-by-13-by-18-inches in size) over the coil structure and then simultaneously supplies exhaust air and vacuum from a shop vac through two ports in the bag’s surface to remove debris from the coils. The bag entraps the removed debris during the cleaning operation, protecting the environment outside the bag from undesired contamination.

On the manufacturer’s website, it stated, “We believe that the regular cleaning of the condenser coils in such merchandiser units, utilizing this bag, will result in a substantial savings in energy costs and will also prolong the life of such equipment.”

Publication date: 7/8/2013 

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