The Impact of Indoor Relative Humidity on Performance of Four Different Types of Refrigerated Display Cases

This project investigates the effects of decreasing indoor ambient relative humidity on the performance and energy use of four different types of refrigerated display cases. The four tested cases represent fixtures commonly found in supermarkets for storage and merchandising of medium and low temperature products. The test results established a correlation between decreasing indoor relative humidity and the following key parameters: Mass of frost formed on the evaporator coil during refrigeration period Defrost length and power Anti-sweat heaters power Discharge air velocity Product temperature Test compressor power Display case cooling load and its components Refrigerant mass flow rate Discharge air temperature Frost formation pattern and uniformity Reach-in case door fog refresh rate

The performance of these fixtures was evaluated under equal indoor conditions. Southern California Edisons (SCEs) Refrigeration and Thermal Test Center (RTTC) conducted the tests. The controlled environment chamber of the RTTC was maintained at fixed dry bulb temperature of 75oF, while its relative humidity was changed from 55% to 35% in 5% segments, for all tests. The results of this study indicate a direct correlation between the indoor relative humidity and: 1. The weight of moisture removed from the air during the process of refrigeration 2. The fog removal time on freezer glass case doors with equal anti-sweat heater power (refresh rate) Figure 1 shows the weight of moisture in the form of condensate collected at the end of each defrost cycle. Clearly, open vertical meat and dairy fixtures demonstrated more vulnerability to humidity variations, and removed more moisture from the air than the coffin and reach-in units. The lowering of indoor humidity from 55% to 35% reduced the weight of condensate collected from the meat and dairy cases by 61.7% and 73.2%, respectively.

THE IMPACT OF INDOOR RELATIVE HUMIDITY ON PERFORMANCE OF FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASES

REFRIGERATION AND THERMAL TEST CENTER

90 80 Condensate Mass (lbs) 70 60 50 40

3 0 .4 3 9 .3 3 6 .6 2 1 .6 9 .7 1 1 .4 3 .0 4 .0 1 1 .9 4 .5 4 .9 1 4 .3 6 .3 5 2 .8 5 2 .9 6 7 .1 6 7 .1 7 9 .4 8 0 .4

30 20 10 0

35%

40%

45%

50%

55%

Test Scenarios Meat Case Dairy/Deli Case Frozen Food Case (Reach-In) Frozen Food Case (Coffin)

Figure 1 - Comparison of Total Collected Condensate vs. Relative Humidity (All Four Tested Display Cases)

The decrease in indoor relative humidity had an immediate impact on the latent load of all fixtures. Infiltration accounted for approximately 80% of the cooling load of open vertical cases. This factor brought about a considerable latent load penalty for open vertical display cases (Figure 2). Lowering the indoor humidity from 55% to 35% resulted in 62% and 74% reduction in latent loads of the meat and dairy cases, respectively.
4,500 Total Latent Load (Btu/hr) 4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500
2 ,0 5 7 2 ,7 8 6 2 ,6 3 6 3 ,5 8 7 3 ,3 7 6 4 ,1 9 8

4 ,0 4 1

2,000
1 ,5 9 4

1 ,8 0 7

1,500 1,000 500 0 35% 40% 45% Test Scenarios Meat Case Frozen Food Case (Reach-In) Dairy/Deli Case Frozen Food Case (Coffin) 50% 55%
1 ,0 5 0 510 159 599 211 621 234 748 257 328

Figure 2 - Comparison of Total Latent Load vs. Relative Humidity (All Four Tested Display Cases)

The effect of decreasing latent load, as a result of lowering indoor humidity, was reflected directly on the power consumption of the test compressor1 (Figure 3). As expected, open vertical meat and
1

The test compressor and its rack system were not designed specifically for the subject casework and therefore will have certain inefficiencies that would not appear in actual system design. Therefore, refrigerant cooling load is a preferred measure of system performance.

THE IMPACT OF INDOOR RELATIVE HUMIDITY ON PERFORMANCE OF FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASES

REFRIGERATION AND THERMAL TEST CENTER

dairy cases showed the highest increase in their compressor power demand as indoor relative humidity increased. Lowering of relative humidity from 55% to 35% for these two fixtures resulted in 17.7% and 19.6% reduction in compressor power, respectively.
1.6 1.4 Normalized Compressor Power (kW) 1.23 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 35% 40% 45% Test Scenarios 50% 55% 1.13 1.30 1.30 1.19 1.30 1.18 0.93 1.26 1.38 1.31 1.29 1.45 1.37 1.53

0.77

0.79

0.85

0.87

Meat Case

Dairy/Deli Case

Frozen Food Case (Reach-In)

Frozen Food Case (Coffin)

Figure 3 - Comparison of Normalized Compressor Power Consumption vs. Relative Humidity (All Four Tested Display Cases)

Figure 4 shows that lowering of relative humidity from 55% to 35% for the open vertical meat and dairy cases resulted in 20.7% and 20.8% reduction in cooling loads, respectively.
2,000 1,800 Total Cooling Load (Btu/hr-ft) 1,600 1,400 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 0 35% 40% 45% Test Scenarios Meat Case Dairy/Deli Case 50% 55%
1 ,2 9 3 1 ,4 0 9 1 ,3 6 8 1 ,4 9 3 1 ,4 5 3 1 ,5 9 4 1 ,5 2 7 1 ,6 7 5 1 ,6 3 1 1 ,7 7 9

Figure 4 - Comparison of Total Cooling Load vs. Relative Humidity (Meat and Dairy/Deli Cases)

THE IMPACT OF INDOOR RELATIVE HUMIDITY ON PERFORMANCE OF FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASES

REFRIGERATION AND THERMAL TEST CENTER

Fogging of the reach-in glass doors has an adverse impact on the merchandising capability of the display case, and its quick recovery may require additional power consumption for anti-sweat heater. Figures 5 and 6 clearly illustrate the visual effect of fogging before and after the middle glass door was opened for 16 seconds in the test environment of 75oF/50%RH.

Before Opening After Opening and Closing Figures 5 and 6 - Comparison of Visibility Due to Fogging Effect on the Middle Glass Door of Reach-in Freezer Case at 75oF/50%RH

Quantification of the impact of reduced indoor relative humidity on the length of time required for the fogging to be cleared was determined using a time calibrated analog video camera. Figure 7 compares the fog recovery time requirements under various indoor relative humidity conditions. Clearly the fog recovery time increased as a function of indoor relative humidity. Lowering the relative humidity from 50% to 35% resulted in 69.2% reduction in fog recovery time. Additionally, operating the fixture at 35%RH with anti-sweat heaters off yielded equivalent results to running the display case with anti-sweat heaters on, under indoor relative humidity conditions between 45% and 50%RH.

90 80 70 Fog Recovery Time (seconds) 60 60 55 50 40 30 24 20 10 0 35% 40% 45% Test Scenarios 50% 35% w ithout ASH 78

69

Figure 7 - Fog Recovery Time and Actual Fog Image on Middle Glass Door for Each Test Scenario
THE IMPACT OF INDOOR RELATIVE HUMIDITY ON PERFORMANCE OF FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASES 4 REFRIGERATION AND THERMAL TEST CENTER