Smartcool success at Israeli supermarket

CANADA: A compressor optimisation technology offering energy savings of 15% to 20% per year is said to have achieved a 12-month payback for Israel’s largest supermarket chain.

The technology, developed by Canadian-based Smartcool Systems, retrofitted its ESM advanced energy efficiency product at Shufersal, the largest supermarket chain in Israel with 248 stores and 12,400 employees. The savings achieved at the first site were said to be 332,260kWh per year.

Smartcool’s ESM is installed between the thermostat or primary controller and the compressor in any system and is designed to overcome inherent system inefficiencies by optimising compressor cycling to suit the existing controls and equipment.

By actively monitoring and analysing the conditions of the system, the ESM dynamically adjusts the length of each cooling cycle in order to help the compressor operate more often under its most energy efficient conditions. The ESM intercepts the signal from the controller and calculate when the compressor should start and how long it should run for maximum energy savings while still achieving temperature requirements.

The installation was performed on both high temperature and low temperature refrigeration racks which produced savings resulting in a 12-month payback. In addition an ESM was installed on the air conditioning which produced an 18-month payback.

Danni Maoz Zur, Shufersal’s engineer in charge of refrigeration and ac systems, said: “The results from the Smartcool technology are very impressive, providing significant reduction in our operating costs for both refrigeration and air conditioning. The reduced run time of our compressors should result in a longer life expectancy of our equipment. We saw no impact on temperature at the site. The additional benefit of the reduction in our carbon footprint is very important to our goal of making our company greener.”

Itzchak Fuchs, president of Smartcool Israel, stated: “Since embracing the Smartcool technology we have seen very good results across many applications. This is first time we have had the opportunity to work with a national company with its brand recognition. As we more forward with a roll-out to more facilitates it will help strengthen our marketing efforts in the territory.”