Control and monitoring company Resource Data Management (RDM) has won a major international award for its contribution to a pioneering refrigeration project in New Zealand.
The ground-breaking installation, in a supermarket at Devonport, Auckland, is the first transcritical carbon dioxide-based refrigeration system in New Zealand.

RDM controls have been used to create a “total energy” control system for the store, ensuring the smooth running of the CO2 plant and optimising energy use across the supermarket’s integrated cooling and heating system.

Matthew Darby, managing director of EcoChill, which designed and installed the project, said: “The key to delivering an energy efficient solution is, first, to ensure effective control of the transcritical refrigeration system. Then, to fully integrate this with the heat recovery, heating and air conditioning systems – to manage it as one seamless, integrated system.”

He added: “The RDM controls are doing an outstanding job, and the system is delivering fantastic results for the client.”

The EcoChill solution is based on RDM’s Data Manager, Mercury 2 case controllers, an Intuitive controller for the pack, and hubs for remote pressure control.

A heat recovery circuit draws energy from two refrigeration packs to heat the retail area of the store, as well as providing hot water to meet the store’s hot water requirements. The air conditioning system has also been integrated into the store’s refrigeration and heating system, to create “a single store energy system”.

Andrew Chandler, RDM’s managing director, said: “The EcoChill New Zealand project is a superb example of how to deliver exceptional efficiency using integrated, intelligent controls. Using RDM’s platform enables you to manage the store as a single energy system, to deliver significant savings in energy use and running costs.”

He added: “We are delighted to received this award, which reflects RDM’s growing contribution on the international scene. It also highlights the huge potential for developing promising alternative cooling technologies, such as carbon dioxide, for the future.

“The world is searching for new ways of cooling that safeguard the environment and are safe and efficient to use. It is clear that advanced controls are key to realising the full potential of the new technologies now coming onstream.”

RDM was presented with the award for International Project of the Year in the finals of The Cooling Industry Awards, held at The Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London, earlier this week. The company was shortlisted for four awards in total, including an outstanding energy saving project at Kerry Foods plant at Hyde, Greater Manchester.