Project Summary
Orwell Design Associates (ODA) was appointed by leading foodservice provider, Bidfood, to deliver the refrigeration design for a new regional distribution centre (RDC) in the Midlands. The facility was the largest of its kind developed by the client and required a robust, energy-efficient refrigeration solution aligned with their commitment to environmentally responsible operation.
The RDC comprises multiple temperature-controlled environments, including frozen storage, chilled storage and chilled marshalling areas, all operating under demanding throughput and reliability requirements.
Refrigeration Strategy
ODA developed a CO₂ (R-744) refrigeration strategy with integrated heat reclaim, delivering a balanced solution that met performance, sustainability and operational objectives.
The facility includes:
- A -25°C frozen cold store
- A +4°C chill store
- A +4°C chilled marshalling area
Two dual-temperature CO₂ booster systems were selected to provide both resilience and operational flexibility. Each system was designed to deliver 70% of the total cooling duty at each temperature level, ensuring continuity of operation under both normal and fault conditions.
The systems were engineered to operate efficiently at ambient temperatures of up to 36°C, incorporating:
- Adiabatic enhanced gas coolers with EC fans and advanced control strategies
- Optimised compressor selection and inverter-driven operation
- LT discharge de-superheating to protect system performance and stability
Integrated Systems and Controls
Each refrigeration pack incorporated a comprehensive heat reclaim arrangement, enabling recovery of waste heat from the refrigeration process. This provided 100% of the calculated heating requirement for the cold store underfloor glycol heater mat, with additional capacity supporting site hot water demand.
Supporting systems were carefully coordinated to ensure reliable, maintainable operation, including:
- Multi-evaporator layouts across all temperature zones with appropriate defrost strategies
- Redundant glycol pump sets and fully monitored distribution systems
- Dehumidification at loading docks to protect product integrity and reduce ice build-up
- Integrated leak detection, ventilation and pressure protection systems
A central control and monitoring platform was specified to provide remote access, system visibility and operational assurance.
Outcome and Value
- Low-GWP CO₂ refrigeration solution aligned with the client’s sustainability objectives
- Resilient system design supporting mission-critical distribution operations
- Energy-efficient performance through heat reclaim, EC fans and inverter-driven plant
- Integrated safety and compliance embedded within the system design
- Programme certainty, with successful delivery to a tight schedule and handover ready for immediate use
ODA’s Role
- Independent refrigeration consultancy
- System strategy and detailed refrigeration design
- Coordination of integrated mechanical and electrical elements
- Technical assurance through design and delivery
