This year’s Dealer Design Awards gold winning product in the Refrigeration and Ice Machine category is the Quantum Air™ Remote Air Cooled Condenser from Heat Transfer Products Group Inc.

This remote refrigerant condenser is specifically designed to exceed the stringent requirements of commercial and industrial refrigeration applications.

According to Heat Transfer Products Group, Quantum Air Remote Air Cooled Condensers are targeted solutions for demanding refrigeration duty, remote condenser applications in supermarkets, industrial cooling, and commercial food warehousing. They have a heavy-duty design and wide fin spacing.

The units are also designed for outdoor, roof, or pad-mounted operation. They are available in models with one to 14 fans and as single- or double-fan-width models for use in either vertical or horizontal airflow configurations.

Quantum condensers are designed to be easy to set up and service. They include top-mounted, heavy-duty lifting eyes for fast offloading and placement of the equipment, and their innovative, hinged-leg design means there are no loose leg components to get misplaced or telescoping legs to set up. Installers simply unfold and lock the pre-installed hinged legs to quickly set the unit in place.

When it comes to service and maintenance, each individual fan panel on a Quantum unit includes a hinged top with a gas-charged support strut as a standard feature to provide fast access to the motor compartment. The motors are stud-mounted on rigid rails for increased stability and ease of service. 

Built-in LED lighting brightly illuminates the large electrical control panel(s) for a clear view of individually labeled wires, controls, and the door-mounted wiring diagram for service during nighttime or lowlight service calls. 

In addition, all Quantum Air Remote Air Cooled Condensers feature a patent pending floating coil design (not floating tube), which Heat Transfer Products Group says eliminates potential coil or tube damage.

The product evolution, from planning and design through initial manufacturing, spanned a two-year period, according to Paul Westbrook, director of sales and marketing, Heat Transfer Products Group.

“Our ‘voice of the customer’ survey process was utilized to identify the key features and enhancements most requested by our customers and their service personnel,” Westbrook said. “Further refinements were incorporated as we developed plans based upon feedback and commentary from industry partners throughout the two-year process.”

The results indicate that the effort was worth it.

“This features a few excellent design features that all equipment manufacturers are likely to emulate in future designs,” noted a Dealer Design Awards judge. “Two standout, commendable features of this condenser are the built-in LED lighting in the electrical controls panel and the hinged fan panels that incorporate the use of a gas strut. Both will clearly appeal to service or maintenance technicians.”

From a contractor’s point of view, what really stands out is their ease of installation and serviceability, said Richard Glowacki, director of energy management services, City Facilities Management North East, Burlington, Massachusetts.

“It’s very easy to install,” Glowacki told The NEWS. “The legs come already hinged, so all you have to do is secure them with brackets. And they really put some thought into serviceability. The veturis are on piston hinges, so they lift up easily, and there are lights in the interior panels that illuminate as soon as you open the door.”

Glowacki added that the system is user-friendly, too, with features, such as a backup controls system, that will keep the unit operating efficiently even if the building’s energy management system is down.

“We’re very happy with this product,” Glowacki said. “We tell our customers what will save them money and help reduce the carbon footprint, and this system does both very well, especially in low ambient conditions.”

SILVER

The silver award in the Refrigeration and Ice Machines category goes to Emerson for its Copeland Scroll™ Outdoor Refrigeration Unit – X-Line.

According to Emerson, the outdoor refrigeration unit is ideal for convenience stores, small-format stores, food service operations, and chiller and environmental chamber applications. Capacities range from 1.5-6 hp in two slim and lightweight chassis sizes. The units are designed to combine Emerson’s efficient and reliable Copeland scroll compressor and CoreSense™ diagnostic and protection technology with ultra-quiet, variable-speed fans and a corrosion-resistant condenser and chassis.

“The physical size and weight of the units along with their low sound levels make them ideal for space-constrained installation sites or areas where noise may be an issue,” said Ben Picker, Copeland product manager, Emerson.

Emerson said these units allow for up to 25 percent higher annual energy efficiency when compared to standard industry offerings. They also include multiple refrigerant options that ensure the units will maintain compatibility with both existing systems as well as systems utilizing new refrigerants. Serviceability is enhanced through a new removable hinged door and a two-way communication capability. The units are designed to operate in a wide range of environmental conditions.

“Thoughtful design and features,” said a Dealer Design Awards judge. “The cabinet design allows for multiple mounting and installation options that aren’t available from most competitive models.”

BRONZE

Walter Ellis, executive vice president and general manager, RGF Environmental Group Inc., has big plans for the company’s IMSB Ice Machine Sanitizer, this year’s bronze award winner in the Refrigeration and Ice Machines category.

“Our plans are for this unit to be installed in every ice machine in every restaurant, hospital, hotel, and school worldwide,” he said.

According to RGF Environmental Group, the IMSB sanitizer is all-natural and chemical-free.

The wall-mount unit is designed to pump RGF’s patented PHI-Cell® technology into a commercial ice machine bin and head, sanitizing the entire ice machine and reducing the risk of microbial contamination from pathogens, such as Listeria, Salmonella, E.Coli, and B. Cereus. The company says the IMSB’s PHI-Cell technology produces an advanced oxidation plasma consisting of hydroperoxides, super oxide ions, and hydroxide ions.

A wall-mount bracket system is designed for ease of installation, and an easy slide housing allows the PHI-Cell to be replaced without any tools.  

Publication date: 7/24/2016

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