When we think of a thermal imaging survey, we usually think of controlling heat loss from a building during the winter. However, it is worth considering that heat production is much cheaper than cold production.
This is particularly noticeable in summer, when air conditioners work more intensively due to high temperatures. Therefore, it is worthwhile to determine the potential benefits of improving the insulation and airtightness not only of refrigeration halls, but also of air-conditioned buildings.
Thermal imaging survey of cold and freezer rooms
Temperature standards for cold and freezer rooms are very strict, which is due to the need to ensure the proper properties of raw materials, goods and products stored in these rooms. A distinction is therefore made between:
- refrigerated rooms with a temperature of 0°C to 5°C (e.g., warehouses for most fresh fruits and vegetables),
- Freezers with temperatures of -12°С to -18°С (e.g., warehouses for dairy products and some meats),
- Freezers, i.e. deep-freezing warehouses, where there is an obligation to maintain the temperature from -26 °С to -30 °С (fish, among others, are stored here, but also products from previous categories, cooled to extend the shelf life).
Artificially generating such temperatures – from 0°C to as low as -30 °С – requires large energy inputs and is already a rather expensive process in itself. All the more undesirable are any energy losses resulting from non-ergonomic cooling. A thermal imaging survey of freezer and cold storage facilities makes it possible to verify the level of leakage in the system and to propose effective countermeasures, if necessary.
Thermal imaging of cold storage facilities – what does it consist of?
Thermal imaging testing of cubic objects, including cold stores and freezers, proceeds similarly to that of public buildings or residential houses. First, an analysis of the volume and rooms is necessary, giving those conducting the survey a preliminary picture of the object to be tested. Technicians there then perform an inspection using a thermal imaging camera, which captures infrared images and records them in the form of freeze-frames – thermograms.
You can clearly see the cooler and warmer areas on them – but the specialists’ work doesn’t end there. The time comes to calculate the level of cold loss and verify whether it is at the level of the acceptable standard (even vacuum rooms do not function on the principle of a perfect vacuum, which means that losses will always occur). However, if more coolness is escaping than the technical assumptions of the building and the economic calculation, appropriate action must be taken.
Thermal imaging of cold storage and air-conditioned buildings – why is it worth it?
All the necessary information can be obtained through technical advice on the basis ofa thermal imaging survey and air leakage test of cold storage, freezer or air-conditioned buildings.
Excessive cold production is caused by the presence of defects in thermal insulation. Thermal imaging examination allows you to take measures to eliminate them, allowing you to reduce the costs associated with the operation of equipment. Comprehensive inspection using a thermal imaging camera allows you to accurately locate areas where leaks occur.
How to prepare a cold or freezer room for a thermal imaging survey?
A thermal imaging company announces its arrival under any conditions of time of day and temperature? You’d better thank them for the service right away. For TERMOCENT, what matters is not only the number of measurements taken, but, above all, their quality. Otherwise the results are unreliable and do not translate into real benefits for the customer.
First of all, the time of year is important and closely follow the weather forecasts – for the test to return meaningful data, the temperature difference between the room and the environment must be 15-20°C. It is carried out on a cloudy day, so that the sun warming the walls of the cold room does not skew the test (unless the room is located inside the building structures and this factor is irrelevant). During the test, all equipment should be operating normally.
Bridging cold loss in cold storage and freezer rooms
Most often, excess cold loss occurs at the junction of the panels that make up the rooms of industrial cold rooms. Nowadays, these are usually sandwich panels, the core of which is polyurethane foam. Its characteristic feature, which is the reason for using it for similar applications, is its very low heat transfer coefficient, but also its non-shrinkage and service life of several decades. The panels themselves are therefore an almost ideal material – so where do the cold losses come from?
Most often, the human factor is simply involved, i.e. the imprecise connection between them. Through the gaps, cold can escape into the environment, or vice versa – warm air from the outside enters the freezer or cold room. To maintain the desired temperature, refrigeration equipment has to work more intensively, consuming more energy. For the environment, this means faster fuel consumption and pollution, for the company – higher electricity bills. Thermal imaging is an indispensable test for verifying that excessive losses are actually occurring, locating their source and making necessary repairs or improvements.
Leakage test of air-conditioned and cold storage buildings
In large-scale buildings such as cold storage and air-conditioned halls, high airtightness is particularly important. The best solution for detecting leaks is to perform a blower door test (building leakage test), during which a vacuum or positive pressure is generated. By forcing the desired pressure difference, we are sure to detect all air leaks in the building, regardless of the current weather conditions!
By performing an air leakage test of the building with a supply door while using a thermal imaging camera, we will point out and advise how to repair any defects. As a result, the excessive loss of generated cooling will be reduced.
The correct way to perform the test is defined by the PN-EN 13187 standard. We also offer technical advice on the need for repair after the test.
Call 530 105 398 or email kontakt@termocent.com
