Preventative and Reactive Maintenance Provider for Lidl's Ballyhay RDC

Project Scope

Streamline Refrigeration are the  appointed by as the maintenance Contractor for the multiple temperature Lidl GmbH Regional Distribution Centre (RDC) at Pike Cross, Ballyhay, Charleville, County Cork, Ireland.

The RDC integrates a medium and low temperature refrigeration plant that utilizes both ammonia and CO2 refrigerants. This unit is responsible for supplying cooling to multiple refrigerated chambers with Approximately 7,463m² of the total 32,000m² footprint being refrigerated

Ammonia Refrigeration Cycle

The refrigeration plant is a centralised ammonia/pumped C02 cascade system, comprising of a single saturated suction pressure on the ammonia side of circa -8°C.3No. Grasso V700 variable speed air-cooled reciprocating compressors using ammonia refrigerant discharge to2No. evaporative condensers (2No. BAC-CXVE-19) located on the roof adjacent to the 1st floor refrigeration plantroom.

Condensed refrigerant from both condenser circuits falls to a single high-pressure float, which expands the incorporates two ammonia recirculation pumps (one run, one standby).The evaporative condensers incorporate a remote sump which is housed within the ammonia plantroom.

The ammonia spray chiller has a thermosyphon plate heat exchanger connected onto it, which refrigerates a secondary propylene glycol solution to +4/+8°C. This refrigerated glycol is pumped to and provides refrigeration to the +14°C Fruit & Vegetable Chamber.A plate heat exchanger is installed in parallel with the evaporative condensers (discharging to an HP float) and heats a secondary 55% propylene glycol solution to +8/+20°C. This warm glycol is pumped to the various room coolers for defrost.

CO2 Refrigeration Cycle

An LT CO2 pack with 4No. variable speed Bitzer reciprocating compressors discharges to the ammonia spray chiller where the discharged refrigerant is condensed (cooled by the ammonia plant) and flows into a  5°C surge vessel (located immediately below the spray chilled). The -5oC surge vessel has 2No. liquid pumps (one run, one standby), which pump liquid on a 2:1 overfeed ratio to the various positive temperature refrigerated chambers. The -5°C surge vessel also supplies liquid CO2 to a -36°C surge vessel. The -36°C surge vessel has 2No. liquid pumps (one run, one standby), which pump liquid on a 2:1 overfeed ratio to the various negative temperature refrigerated chambers (freezers & blast freezer).

The pumped -5°C refrigeration system also services a number of evaporators located within the roof void above the refrigerated chambers.