Frost or ice buildup is a normal part of any freezer operation, and is removed by using heated defrost cycles at timed intervals. During normal operation, the amount of this buildup should not get to the point that problems will occur. However, in some abnormal circumstances, it can lead to problems.

The most recent Food Marketing Institute Expo in Dallas and National Restaurant Association Restaurant-Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago brought out the very latest in ice-making equipment, storage bins, and walk-in freezers and coolers as well as reach-in versions. This roundup of the latest in equipment is culled from both shows.

The most important thing for me is to go to the trade shows where refrigeration is emphasized. The most recent examples were the Food Marketing Institute’s Food Retail Show in Dallas this past May, and then the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show a few days later in Chicago.

The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology Institute (AHRTI) has completed a research project on performance standards for walk-in refrigerator and freezer systems.

One of the basic components selected when installing a walk-in cooler/freezer or any field-assembled refrigeration system is the metering device, typically the thermostatic expansion valve (TXV). The TXV needs to be selected to match the Btu capacity of the system’s evaporator and compressor.

The International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration will hold its 2012 Industrial Refrigeration Conference & Exhibition, March 17-21 at the Frontier Airlines Center in Milwaukee.

Featuring a space-saving design, the Serenity Series Cubelet Ice Machine, FS-1500MLH-C, produces up to 830 pounds of chewable cubelet ice per 24 hours. The shallow depth provides easy access to the dispenser bin.

In many aspects the first part of a job is like detective work — not only does a technician need to identify the problem but he also must determine its root cause. A good initial step is to visually inspect the entire system.

The supermarket chain Hy-Vee Inc.’s 64,000-square-foot store in Fairfield, Iowa, opened on April 12 as the company’s second Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified store. It is one of the few supermarkets in the country that has achieved U.S. EPA GreenChill Gold-Level certification.

Empirical testing has shown that the optimum time to defrost is when the evaporator loses about 10 percent efficiency. Traditional methods of defrost, based on time, cannot ascertain this loss of efficiency and will either waste time and energy in excessive defrosting, or never fully defrost the evaporator.