Energy demand 31% lower in new distribution center Nature's Pride

Importer of exotic fruit, Nature's Pride in Maasdijk, is building a new distribution center. Compared to the conventional distribution centers, the demand for energy by Nature's Pride is 31 percent lower. Van Kempen Koudetechniek is responsible for conditioning the business areas at Nature's Pride. In November of this year the premises are to be handed over and be ready for business. The premises should qualify for a Breeam-NL Excellent certificate, which is normally not granted for this type of building.

The building consists of two floors. Downstairs is the reception and transfer of fruit area. Upstairs there's the storage cells, ripening cells and the processing areas. Distributing exotic fruit to many end-users is a complex process, where sometimes unripe fruit is ripened during the last weeks before delivery. With the addition of a small quantity of special ripening gas to start the process and by carefully monitoring the temperature in the conditioning cells, the fruit is then ready for the market.

Director Jan Vliet van Zante of Van Kempen Koudetechniek says, "the team has been successful in decreasing the demand for electricity by 31,1%." First of all, we chose the optimum pressure ratio for the system, because the smaller the degree of pressure the less energy one needs. Furthermore, we have chosen to apply high quality components and ventilate in the best possible way. All of this is controlled by intelligence, in-house developed controls by Van Kempen Koudetechniek."

 

Wind turbine
In order to make the business energy neutral, 3 MW electric power is generated. As part of the high investment required and because of the limited space on the roof we decided not to use the pv-panels. Instead we place a wind turbine next to the premises as a good alternative. At the moment we are in discussion with the municipality and other interested parties about the building.

 

The development makes provision for an indirectly working cooling installation primarily working with ammonia and secondarily with CO2 and the cold carrier Thermera (juice of beetroot). For an energy efficient working of the compressors, provision has been made on two separate levels. From each temperature level, one of the compressors is controlled by its own frequency regulators. We are trying to stop as much liquid as possible, from entering through the dockboards. At the most vulnerable spots, floor heating has been installed, which is fed with waste heat.

 

Energy requirement
DWA have made a calculation on the basis of the use of energy in the reference stadium. After that, the real energy requirement was calculated. The total demand for electricity amounts to 7,600 MWh/annum. In the realized situation the demand will be 5,200 MWh/annum. The big savings are achieved in various parts of the process. For instance with ripening cells there will be a considerable decrease of the internal heat. As a result, the demand for heat increases and the demand for cold and electricity decreases. As the demand for heat is no longer satisfied by electricity, the demand for electricity decreases as well. In the cool cells the reduction of the heat load causes a slight decrease to the demand for cold and electricity. All measures together give a reduction to the demand for electricity of 31.1 percent. 

For more information:
Van Kempen Koudetechniek
Frank Boeijen
14, Spoorstraat
4001 CN Tiel
Tel.: (0344) 63 48 84
Fax: (0344) 61 56 17
www.vankempen-tiel.nl