If the cooling system fails, it gets expensive
What may initially appear to be a minor irregularity can lead to significant quality losses and financial damage in a very short time. For you as an operator, this means far more than just a technical malfunction. In the worst-case scenario, entire inventories are at risk, which comes with significant financial and regulatory consequences.
Whether it’s food, pharmaceuticals, or sensitive industrial products, a well-functioning cold chain determines quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness every day.
Cold chains are more vulnerable than many people realize
Studies show that about 12% of the food produced is lost due to inadequate or interrupted refrigeration. Losses of up to 25% can occur along the cold chain, particularly during transport. In addition to human error, it is primarily mechanical temperature fluctuations that lead to these results.
This becomes particularly critical with high-priced products such as pharmaceuticals: in addition to energy and resource losses, it results in significant economic damage. Even if there is no total loss, even the slightest temperature deviations often make it impossible to comply with legal requirements and quality standards.
Operating Beyond the Ideal State
Anyone who operates a refrigeration system knows that even the most reliable technology does not operate in ideal conditions all the time. Even minor deviations can have far-reaching consequences.
That is why it is not enough to consider optimal operation. Components wear out, pumps can fail, valves can become stuck, or controllers can malfunction. The crucial question is rather:
What happens in the event of an incident? How can operations be maintained? And how can the loss of valuable goods be prevented?
Choosing the Right Refrigerant
In addition to reliability, the choice of refrigerant plays a crucial role today.
Rivacold CI GmbH focuses on natural refrigerants:
- R290 (propane) has a very low global warming potential, is highly efficient from a thermodynamic standpoint, and is considered a more environmentally friendly solution in the long term
- R744 (CO₂) is particularly well-suited for high-performance commercial and industrial applications that require long-term regulatory certainty
Natural refrigerants not only offer environmental benefits, but also provide investment security with regard to the F-Gas Regulation. This results in solutions that not only work today, but also meet the requirements of tomorrow.
Case Study: Maximum Reliability at MPA Pharma
MPA Pharma, a manufacturer of high-quality, high-priced pharmaceuticals, faced precisely these challenges. The goal was clear: a system that offers maximum reliability without compromising energy efficiency and sustainability.
In collaboration with Hummel Systemlösungen and Rivacold, a concept was developed that was consistently designed with redundancy in mind. At the heart of the system are three identical RIVACOLD CH19 liquid cooling units. Connecting them in parallel allows for flexible capacity adjustment and ensures that cooling capacity is maintained even if two machines fail.
The central RIVACOLD hydraulic station is equipped with two variable-speed hydraulic pumps, so that if one pump fails, the second one automatically takes over.
Inside the cold storage room, three recirculating air coolers ensure uniform air distribution. If a controller or valve becomes blocked, the remaining two units take over temperature control immediately.
All operating data is continuously monitored and documented by the Copeland XWEB remote monitoring system. This ensures that the system remains transparent at all times and meets the high standards for quality assurance as well as GAMP- and GDP-compliant processes.
All of these components prevent a total failure in the event of a malfunction, thereby ensuring a constant temperature.
Even during ongoing operation, the planning and implementation of the system by Hummel Systemlösungen and RIVACOLD CI GmbH have proven successful:
“From the initial consultation through planning to installation and commissioning, the collaboration was extremely professional and went off without a hitch. Particularly noteworthy are the high level of technical expertise, the personalized consultation, and the reliable implementation by both companies. Thanks to this close and constructive collaboration, we were able to implement a future-proof, redundant, sustainable, and securely monitored cooling solution that fully meets the high standards required for the storage of pharmaceuticals.”
~ Jens Thomas, Shipping Manager, MPA Pharma
Conclusion: Reliability is not a luxury, but a necessity. What matters, therefore, is not only performance during normal operation, but also how well the system is prepared for exceptional circumstances. With well-thought-out redundancy concepts, intelligent control technology, and the use of natural refrigerants, Rivacold CI GmbH and CI GmbH Control Instruments demonstrate that they offer a customized solution for every requirement.
After all, what really matters is this: It is not the ideal conditions that determine a system’s success, but how it performs in an emergency.
