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Steel halls - cold stores and freezers

Steel halls – cold stores and freezers

A steel hall is often erected for use as a warehouse. In many cases, investors want to build a mezzanine floor in the warehouse of the steel hall to better utilize the volume of the hall and equip the facility with professional pallet racks for storing goods. HalMod modular halls provide many opportunities to design the space inside the hall using standard elements and structures available on the market or created to individual order.

Table of Contents:

Design of steel halls for cold stores and freezers

Designing steel halls for cold and freezer rooms requires the cooperation of many specialists and consideration of aspects such as specific technological requirements or industry regulations.

Cold storage

Usually designed for storing vegetables, fruits, fresh meat and refrigerated products, as well as some medicines – temperature from 0 to 4 degrees C.

Freezer warehouse

Designed for storing deep-frozen products – temperatures below zero are used, often even below – 25 degrees C.

Key elements to consider already in the initial design of a cold storage or freezer warehouse in steel construction:

Steel structure of the cooling hall

– The choice of appropriate steel profiles and connection systems, which ensure the strength and stability of the structure even at very low temperatures. Cold-formed steel structures, reinforced with additional ribbing, which are used in HalMod modular halls are a very good solution due to the high strength and quality of the raw materials used. We offer modular steel structures for warehouses for both smaller developments and large industrial warehouses.

Thermal insulation of the cooling hall

– Effective thermal insulation is essential to maintain stable temperatures inside the hall. Sandwich panels with PUR or PIR core are the best solution as cladding for refrigerated warehouses. They have excellent thermal insulation properties and a low thermal conductivity coefficient (λ). Also important is the tightness of the joints between the panels and the professional sealing of the doors, which prevents heat transfer and cold loss. At HalMod, we can use modern sandwich panels for cold storage with excellent thermal insulation properties and tight joints, which eliminates the risk of thermal bridges.

Refrigeration systems in refrigerated warehouses

– Depending on the area of the cold storage room and temperature requirements, it is possible to choose different refrigeration systems that ensure effective maintenance of low temperatures. For many investors, an important consideration is the use of energy-efficient solutions to reduce the cost of operating a cold storage facility.

Cooling systems in halls with cold or freezer rooms

Various refrigeration systems and refrigerants are used in industrial cold storage depending on the specific needs and requirements of the investment, the type of products stored, the area of the cold store, etc. It is worth noting that natural refrigerants are increasingly being used in refrigeration systems due to their low environmental impact, such as ammonia (NH3) or carbon dioxide (CO2). In addition, heat recovery systems are being introduced in some refrigeration plants, which use waste heat generated during the cooling process to heat other parts of the plant or for other purposes, thus increasing energy efficiency.

1. refrigeration compressors

Mechanical refrigeration works on the principle of a thermodynamic cycle, in which the refrigerant goes through a cycle of compression, condensation, expansion and evaporation. In direct cooling systems, the refrigerant flows directly through evaporators installed in the refrigeration space. In indirect systems, on the other hand, the refrigerant cools the liquid, which then flows through heat exchangers in the refrigeration space. Refrigeration compressors are available in different capacities and with different refrigerants, including environmentally friendly ones.

2. absorption refrigeration, absorption chillers

Absorption refrigeration uses heat instead of mechanical energy to drive the refrigeration cycle. Depending on the availability of thermal energy in the enterprise, for example, you can choose gas-powered absorption systems, which use the combustion of gas to drive the refrigeration cycle, or absorption systems powered by waste energy; they use waste heat from industrial processes, which can increase energy efficiency.

3. cryogenic cooling

Cryogenic refrigeration uses liquefied gases, such as liquid nitrogen or liquid carbon dioxide, to achieve extremely low temperatures. It is mainly used in the food industry to quickly freeze products.

Protecting the cold room from temperature fluctuations

Temperature fluctuations can negatively affect the efficiency of cold and freezer rooms, leading to increased energy costs and the risk of losing the quality of stored products. Therefore, when designing a steel hall for cold storage, it is necessary to take into account appropriate additional installations such as:

Temperature monitoring systems in the cold storage and freezing hall

– Temperature sensors – installing precision temperature sensors at key points in the hall allows you to monitor conditions inside the cold store or freezer in real time. – Alarm systems that respond to temperature deviations can quickly detect and report the problem.

Minimize the escape of cold air from the cold room

– Air curtains – the use of air curtains at the entrances and exits of the cooling zone minimizes the exchange of air with the environment and reduces the cost of cooling the room. – Ventilation systems – properly designed ventilation systems ensure even cooling throughout the space and reduce the risk of heat zones.

Automation in cold storage and freezing

– The integration of intelligent energy management systems makes it possible to optimize energy consumption according to current needs and external conditions. – Industrial automation – using modern automation to control refrigeration and ventilation systems helps improve their efficiency and reliability of operation. Properly designed and constructed steel halls for cold and freezer rooms ensure that the required cooling conditions are met. Suitable thermal insulation materials, advanced refrigeration systems, effective ventilation and temperature monitoring and management technologies are of key importance here. By using modern solutions, it is possible to achieve high energy efficiency and ensure safe storage of products under controlled conditions. HalMod steel structures can be used for both small refrigerated warehouses and large industrial cold storage facilities, and the modern sandwich panels we use eliminate thermal bridges and provide excellent thermal insulation.