Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 106 views

    R&T 2001 - Cold Storage Warehouse Dock Study - Jekel

    Uploaded by

    PRKrause
    This document summarizes a study on modeling the refrigeration loads of cold storage warehouse docks. It investigates the effects of infiltration, defrost, and dock temperature setpoint on energy use with and without a desiccant dehumidifier. Key findings include: 1) Infiltration has a large impact on dock and freezer loads, with ambient infiltration affecting dock loads most and freezer infiltration affecting both dock and freezer loads. 2) For mechanical refrigeration only, a dock setpoint of 33-35°F is near optimal for minimizing energy costs. 3) Adding a properly sized desiccant dehumidifier can benefit from a higher dock setpoint and provides energy savings compared to mechanical

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    R&T 2001 - Cold Storage Warehouse Dock Study - Jekel

    Uploaded by

    PRKrause
    106 views12 pages
    This document summarizes a study on modeling the refrigeration loads of cold storage warehouse docks. It investigates the effects of infiltration, defrost, and dock temperature setpoint on energy use with and without a desiccant dehumidifier. Key findings include: 1) Infiltration has a large impact on dock and freezer loads, with ambient infiltration affecting dock loads most and freezer infiltration affecting both dock and freezer loads. 2) For mechanical refrigeration only, a dock setpoint of 33-35°F is near optimal for minimizing energy costs. 3) Adding a properly sized desiccant dehumidifier can benefit from a higher dock setpoint and provides energy savings compared to mechanical

    Original Description:

    Cold Storage Warehouse Dock Study

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    This document summarizes a study on modeling the refrigeration loads of cold storage warehouse docks. It investigates the effects of infiltration, defrost, and dock temperature setpoint on energy use with and without a desiccant dehumidifier. Key findings include: 1) Infiltration has a large impact on dock and freezer loads, with ambient infiltration affecting dock loads most and freezer infiltration affecting both dock and freezer loads. 2) For mechanical refrigeration only, a dock setpoint of 33-35°F is near optimal for minimizing energy costs. 3) Adding a properly sized desiccant dehumidifier can benefit from a higher dock setpoint and provides energy savings compared to mechanical

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    106 views12 pages

    R&T 2001 - Cold Storage Warehouse Dock Study - Jekel

    Uploaded by

    PRKrause
    This document summarizes a study on modeling the refrigeration loads of cold storage warehouse docks. It investigates the effects of infiltration, defrost, and dock temperature setpoint on energy use with and without a desiccant dehumidifier. Key findings include: 1) Infiltration has a large impact on dock and freezer loads, with ambient infiltration affecting dock loads most and freezer infiltration affecting both dock and freezer loads. 2) For mechanical refrigeration only, a dock setpoint of 33-35°F is near optimal for minimizing energy costs. 3) Adding a properly sized desiccant dehumidifier can benefit from a higher dock setpoint and provides energy savings compared to mechanical

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    You are on page 1of 12

    Cold Storage Warehouse Dock

    Parametric Study
    Todd B. Jekel, Ph.D.
    Industrial Refrigeration Consortium

    Topics
    Objective
    Modeling loads

    Infiltration
    Desiccant operation

    Effects of dock temperature setpoint


    and addition of desiccant dehumidifier
    Effects of infiltration and defrost
    Conclusions

    Objective
    Develop a modeling tool for freezer and
    dock loads associated with dock
    operation
    Investigate effect of infiltration, defrost
    and dock setpoint on total refrigeration
    system energy use
    Investigate effect of adding a desiccant
    dehumidifier to the dock

    Refrigerated dock function


    The most obvious function is to facilitate the
    staging and transfer of stored goods
    What about from the refrigeration
    perspective?

    Protects the freezer from infiltration by allowing


    for removal of humidity at a higher temperature
    level
    Protects the employees from dangerous snow
    and ice at the freezer/dock door
    Assisted by a well designed and operated freezer door

    Simulation of the Loads


    100

    Dry-bulb

    NOAA surface observations


    of temperature and wetbulb

    Dock

    Weather

    Temperature, [ F]

    95
    90

    Wet-bulb
    ASHRAE 0.4% Design
    Drybulb Temperature

    85
    80
    75
    ASHRAE 0.4% Design Mean Coincident Wetbulb Temperature

    70
    People
    0
    5
    Equipment (fans, forks, lights)
    Infiltration (ambient load and freezer credit)
    Transmission
    Defrost

    10

    15

    20

    25

    Hour Number

    Freezer (incremental)

    Load from dock plus door heat (to avoid snow/frost)


    Defrost associated with latent load from dock

    Infiltration
    Ambient air that enters the conditioned
    space

    Uncontrolled
    Unconditioned

    Importance in refrigerated spaces

    Largest source of humidity (i.e. frost)


    Not as much of a problem now in WI

    Infiltration through an
    unprotected door
    The amount of air flow through a doorway as
    a function of only temperature difference is
    impressive

    Truck bay door 10 wide x 9 high


    Dock 35F/86%, Ambient 91F/73F1 wetbulb
    Results in:2
    equivalent of 80 ft/min velocity through the door
    36 tons sensible, 32 tons latent
    In other words, 1.1 ton-hrs per minute of open door

    ASHRAE 0.4% Design conditions for Minneapolis

    No influence of pressure difference from wind, etc.

    Freezer infiltration
    10 wide x 14 high
    Usually have a protective device

    Strip curtain, air curtain, or both

    Doorway effectiveness,

    Fraction of unprotected doorway air exchange that


    is protected from exchange
    In other words, multiply the unprotected doorway
    exchange by (1 ) to determine the estimated
    protected doorway air exchange

    Freezer doorway effectiveness


    Strip curtain

    82-94%

    Vertical air curtain

    49-80%

    Dual horizontal
    air curtain
    Fast sliding doors

    65-78%
    78-93%

    Values taken from:


    Downing, C.C., W.A. Meffert, 1993, Effectiveness of cold-storage door infiltration protective
    devices, ASHRAE Transactions, vol. 99, part 2, pp. 356-366.

    Freezer loads
    Plots of sensible and latent load on freezer as
    a function of door effectiveness and dock
    conditions
    10

    = 80%
    = 85%

    10

    = 90%

    0
    20

    = 95%

    25

    30

    35

    50 F DB = 80%

    W arehouse: -20 F, 90% RH

    Latent Load [tons]

    Sensible Load [tons]

    15

    40

    45
    o

    Dock Temperature [ F]

    50

    100

    W arehouse: -20 F, 90% RH

    80

    40 F DB
    = 85%

    60

    30 F DB

    6
    o

    20 F Dry Bulb

    4
    2
    0
    5

    = 90%

    40

    = 95%

    20

    m w [lb/hr]

    20

    0
    10

    15

    20

    25

    30

    35

    40

    45

    50

    Dock Dew point [ F]

    How do desiccants dehumidify?


    Adsorption of water vapor from humid air on
    the surface of the desiccant (solid type)
    A heat-activated water pump

    Use heat source to regenerate (drive-off moisture)


    the desiccant
    Adsorbs water vapor from humid air on the
    surface of the desiccant (gives off heat similar to
    condensation)

    Humid air is dehumidified and heated

    Schematic and Psychrometric


    Representation of Desiccant
    0.04
    120 F / 0.038 lb/lb

    74 F / 0.0008 lb/lb

    9,000 scfm
    42 F / 0.005 lb/lb

    Hum idity Ratio

    2,300 scfm
    256 F / 0.022 lb/lb

    0.03

    0.5

    0.02

    0.2

    0.01

    0.05
    Pressure = 14.7 [psia]

    0.00
    50

    100

    150

    200

    250

    T [F]

    Desiccant System Schematic


    Intake
    from
    ambient

    Exhaust to
    ambient

    Intake air
    from Dock

    > 40 F

    Desiccant
    wheel
    operational

    35 F

    Freezer

    Conditioned
    Supply Air

    Dock Details
    Located in Minneapolis, MN
    Dock setpoint of 35F
    Attached to a 20F warehouse
    8,000 ft2 of dock per
    freezer door ( = 85%)
    900 ft2 of dock per truck
    bay door (open 2 minutes
    per hour)

    Design Day Energy Use


    Mechanical-refrigeration only

    Freezer load: 4.7 ton-hr/ft2 of door/SHR = 0.85


    Peak dock load 200 ft2/ton
    0.33 kWh/ft2 per design day
    $0.016/ft2 per design day1

    With desiccant (flow rate 0.56 cfm/ft2 of


    dock)

    Freezer load: 4 ton-hr/ft2 of door/SHR = 0.98


    Peak dock load 175 ft2/ton
    0.35 kWh/ft2 and 0.007 therms/ft2 per design day
    $0.019/ft2 per design day1

    Assume $0.05/kWh and $0.25/therm

    Mechanical-only Load
    Breakdown
    Ambient infiltration
    38%

    Dock setpoint 35F


    Gross Load 140 ft2/ton

    Lights
    7%
    Credit
    29%

    Net load
    72%

    Occupants
    0%

    Forks
    5%
    Evaporator fans
    3%
    Defrost
    8%

    Transmission
    10%

    Desiccant Load Breakdown


    Ambient infiltration
    37%

    Dock setpoint 35F

    Lights
    7%

    Gross Load 130 ft2/ton

    Forks
    5%

    Net load
    74%

    Credit
    26%

    Evaporator fans
    4%

    Desiccant
    5% Occupants
    0%

    Defrost
    6%

    Transmission
    10%

    Effect of Dock Setpoint


    0.035
    Cost per Design Day ($/sqft)

    Mechanical only/Hot Gas

    0.03

    No Defrost
    Required

    Mechanical only/Electric
    Desiccant, 0.56 cfm/sqft

    0.025

    Desiccant, 0.38 cfm/sqft

    0.02
    0.015
    0.01
    0.005
    0
    25

    30

    35

    40

    45

    50

    Dock Dry-bulb Setpoint (F)

    Note: Hot Gas and Electric refer to the method of applying dock/freezer door heat
    to avoid frost, etc.

    Effects of Ambient Infiltration


    50% decrease in ambient infiltration

    Mechanical Refrigeration-only
    Nearly 50% reduction in dock load
    Only 10% reduction in freezer load
    25% reduction in design day energy use and cost

    With 0.56 cfm/ft2 desiccant


    Approximately 40% reduction in dock load
    Negligible change in freezer load
    17% reduction in design day energy use and cost

    Note: all parametric reductions are for 35F dock setpoint.

    Effects of Freezer Infiltration


    67% decrease in freezer infiltration

    Mechanical Refrigeration-only
    40% increase in dock load
    60% reduction in freezer load
    25% reduction in design day energy use and cost

    With 0.56 cfm/ft2 desiccant


    40% increase in dock load
    60% reduction in freezer load
    16% reduction in design day energy use and cost

    10

    Effects of Defrost Load


    Double the energy associated with defrost

    Mechanical Refrigeration-only
    16% increase in dock load
    Negligible effect on freezer load
    9% increase in design day energy use and cost

    With 0.56 cfm/ft2 desiccant


    10% increase in dock load
    Negligible effect on freezer load
    6% reduction in design day energy use and cost

    Conclusions
    Infiltration

    Ambient

    Dock/freezer

    Large effect on dock load


    Large effect on both dock and freezer load

    Mechanical refrigeration-only

    33-35F dock setpoint is near optimum

    Desiccant opportunities

    Benefits from higher setpoint in the dock


    Proper sizing important

    11

    Future work
    General

    Optimum dock temperature determination as a function of


    ambient conditions.

    Freezer door

    Dock/freezer air exchange conditions that result in no frost


    condition in the freezer.
    Methods for control of door heat addition to prevent freezer
    frost.

    Desiccant

    Investigate sizing of desiccant system.


    Investigate siting of desiccant system inlets and outlets.
    Investigate alternative control of desiccant system.

    12

    You might also like