Consistent cooling and longer-lasting refrigeration units

20.06.2023

by Matthias Groß

There is more to cooling food and beverages than just ensuring cold temperatures, says Philipp Draß, responsible for business development at CNT Technology: The process is a bit more complex. The company has developed a filter to improve cooling performance and protect refrigerated cabinets.

We paid a visit to the exhibitor at EuroShop 2023 and had Philipp Draß explain the effect of the solution, for example in the food trade.

Philipp Draß at the CNT Technology booth at EuroShop 2023 in Düsseldorf; copyright: CNT Technology GmbH

Philipp, refrigeration is your topic at EuroShop. What should retailers know about this?

CNT Technology GmbH focuses on optimizing cooling processes in retail. The cooling process consists of two parts: 50% lowering the temperature and 50% dehumidifying the air. However, most supermarkets only have a display for temperature in their refrigeration units. The aspect of dehumidification has received little attention so far.

And how do you handle the dehumidification aspect?

We produce a filter, a passive element that requires no electricity and is simply hung inside the refrigerated cabinet or cold room. The molecular filter balances the peaks of humidity levels. A pressure difference inside the refrigerated cabinet or room allows the filter to absorb or release water molecules. This regulates the cooling process. This not only results in more stable cooling, but also means that various elements do not have to run at the limit as often and do not wear out as quickly. We can thus generate many benefits with a single solution.

What is the installation process for retailers?

We take care of the one-time installation. Since we work with many manufacturers of refrigerated cabinets, we quickly know which filters are suitable for retailers. There is usually no need for time-consuming measurement. Since the channels inside the filters can become clogged over time, annual maintenance – known as regeneration – has to be carried out as well. This ensures that the filters always achieve maximum performance.

Energy and sustainability – two highly relevant topics for the future that are inextricably linked. Whether you want to refrigerate food, heat your store, illuminate your floor space, or keep an eye on your energy consumption: You will find solutions and know-how for this – how cool! – in the Dimension Refrigeration & Energy Management at EuroShop.

Product photo of the refrigerator filters in different sizes; Copyright: CNT Technology.

Are the filters adapted to the refrigerated cabinets?

Depending on the size of a refrigerated cabinet or whether it is a whole cold room, you need a larger or smaller number of filters. Again, we work with manufacturers to find the right fitting for each size.

How do the filters affect the goods?

The goods keep longer. Refrigerated counters are opened again and again, and refrigerated rooms can be left open for longer periods when large deliveries are made. This allows moisture to escape or penetrate and the temperature to rise. The faster you can get back to the appropriate target values, the better for the goods. Ice formation due to excessive moisture is also visually unattractive for customers in the store.

How can the technology be further optimized in the future?

We see the potential here to produce a perfect environment for special product groups. After all, different products have different requirements in terms of ambient temperature and humidity. For example, the quality of chocolate suffers if the humidity is too low. Our goal is therefore to optimize the filters for different product groups as well.