Refrigerated Warehouses are essential to the cold chain. With an increasing demand for cold storage products, the need for large, refrigerated warehouse space has increased. Refrigerated warehouses are meant to store a variety of products which typically require different temperature zones. Which makes maintaining temperature requirements a difficult and (expensive task). This blog serves as a guide to creating an efficient and low-cost refrigerated warehouse.
The Key Challenge
Operating a refrigerated warehouse is not an easy task. Such a large facility requires a lot of energy to maintain various temperature requirements. The main challenge involves keeping the energy requirements low and the efficiency high. To tackle this challenge, here are some key recommendations from the cold storage experts at KPS Global.
Design For Cold Conditions
Designing a large, refrigerated warehouse is a difficult and expensive process. A typical refrigerated warehouse must be designed to maintain different temperature requirements for different types of products. The most important consideration for maintaining temperature consistency involves investing in high-quality HVAC systems and insulated panels. Incorrectly installed insulated panel systems or faulty HVAC systems pose a huge threat to the entire system as they can affect the conditions of the stored products. Additionally, as demands change, the capacity levels for various temperature zones may also change. Investing in modular panels that can easily be assembled and reassembled for different temperature and size requirements is a great way to tackle changing demands.
Use Temperature Sensors
Temperature sensors provide an efficient solution to help maintain temperature consistency throughout the entire refrigerated warehouse. Implementing high-tech temperature sensors can automatically track temperature through each zone. Additionally, temperature sensors trigger alarms if the temperature varies from the pre-set levels. Using temperature sensors reduces the risk of temperature uncertainty and provides an efficient way to manage the various temperature levels in a single system.
Optimize With Automation
A refrigerated warehouse must be designed in a way that allows products to be easily stored, picked, and packaged. Investing in automation systems is a great way to reduce operational costs and energy requirements while improving efficiency. For example, implementing automatic doors can easily allow pallets through while automatically shutting the door afterward to reduce the risk of increasing temperature. Another automation system involves an Automated Storage and Retrieval system that can help store and track products in a more efficient way.
Use LED Lighting to Reduce Energy Usage
A major concern for refrigerated warehouses involves generating enough energy to power such a large facility. The energy requirements can be very expensive, so it is important to look for energy-efficient solutions when designing a facility. One way to be more energy efficient is to opt for LED lighting to power the warehouse. LEDs use up to 90% less energy and can last up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Although the cost upfront may be more expensive, choosing LEDs will save you more money in the long run and reduce total energy usage.
Contact KPS Global to get started on a refrigerated warehouse solution today, or visit our website for more information on cold storage solutions.
