In the supermarket sector, people who make decisions on what kind of mechanical refrigeration systems to use have a variety of options. They are able to spec out every component and control, every piece and part.

The trick is, how to do it so that it results in a cost-effective, energy-efficient system.

Part of the answer comes with a new tool that helps decision makers fine-tune the art of compressor selection. The Energy Calculatorâ„¢ has been designed by Copeland Corp., part of Emerson Climate Technologies. The software provides "the ability to quickly and accurately select the correct Copeland compressor for specific commercial refrigeration applications," according to the company.

The software lets decision makers "design a rack of compressors and calculate information about those compressors based on specific criteria that they enter into the program. Using such factors as the desired evaporator temperature and rack load design, the Energy Calculator can help select the proper compressor and analyze designs with modulated compressors for maximum load matching and optimized energy efficiency," the company said.

"The Energy Calculator is a great tool for supermarket design," said Kurt Gobreski, director of marketing for Copeland's Refrigeration Division. "The tool allows the pinpointing of systems that really work best. The program takes all aspects of the refrigeration system into account, which results in a complete solution."

In addition, he said the software can generate reports that provide operating cost estimates and engineering design data. It is also possible to run bin energy analyses to calculate annual energy costs for more than 500 cities around the world.

"One of the most-effective aspects of the [program] is the ability to give precise data specific to certain areas of the country or the world," Gobreski said. "An engineer can design a system, pick a city where it will be used, then run a detailed simulation of the system for that city."

The calculator is linked to Copeland's Compressor Performance Calculatorâ„¢.

Both programs can be downloaded for free. Users will need to register for Copeland's Online Product Information to have access to the download. According to the company, both calculators can be downloaded directly to a user's local PC, so users do not have to be connected to the Internet to use the tools. Users are notified when updates are available online. The Web site is www.copeland-corp.com/energycalculator.

Publication date: 06/07/2004