Under control

Cold storage and distribution company, ACS&T Logistics, is reported to have cut running costs in one of its modern frozen food stores by 15% after investing £6500 in improving its building and energy management systems and controls with Next Control Systems. ACS&T spent the money on the stage four cold store at its Wolverhampton site and in doing so has generated a saving of £22,000 in year one.

The upgrade of the controls of the ammonia based refrigeration system took account of the fact that electricity which powered five compressors and nine evaporators was bought at varying tariffs depending on the time of day.

Controls were changed so the store now runs at its lowest set point (-4°C) at night when power is cheap and at a higher set point in daytime when electricity is more expensive.

ACS&T area facilities manager, Steve Pratt, is now able to monitor and manage the system via a mobile telephone link to a dedicated live web site.