US first: Texas supermarket opts for R290 store refrigeration system

As part of the redevelopment of the Austin airport site the H.E. Butt Grocery Company (H-E-B), a supermarket chain with more 350 stores throughout Texas, has invested in the first US store using an R290 hydrocarbon refrigeration system. Tecumseh Products Company worked with Hussmann Corporation to provide the propane refrigerated display cases and walk-in coolers, designing a system architecture that overcomes the 150g charge limit.

According to Charlie Wernette, Director of Engineering H-E-B, hydrocarbons were selected because the retailer wanted to use an efficient, natural refrigerant, but did not want to invest in CO₂.

Compared to an R404a store, we are projecting a 70% reduction in energy reduction,” said Norm Street, Hussmann’s director of new technology development.

Hussmann and Tecumseh collaborate to provide first R290 supermarket refrigeration solution in the US

H-E-B worked closely with Hussmann to identify the design criteria and specifications to use propane for a majority of the refrigerated display cases in the The 83,000-square-foot (7710m²) store. In turn, Hussmann collaborated with Tecumseh Products Company, who equipped the majority of the display cases and walk-in coolers with Tecumseh condensing units, just under half of which are equipped with the AE² series high efficiency compressor.

To ensure equipment designs met EPA limitations of 150 grams per system, several U.S. government and safety agencies were involved in the project to enable the safe use of propane in a supermarket application.

We have designed the system to ensure the propane charge remains under 150g, by using a water cooled condenser unit and evaporator”, explains Norm Street.

System testing performed at Tecumseh Global Technology Centre

Tecumseh extended the use of its Global Technology Center, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to validate refrigeration system performance for several display case types. Hussmann design and application engineers were able to remotely monitor the performance tests and work hand-in-hand with Tecumseh refrigeration engineers and technicians to make the appropriate system adjustments and condensing unit design changes.

“We are fully supportive of Hussmann and H-E-B Grocery Stores in their move to environmentally-friendly hydrocarbon refrigerants,” said Jeff Fordeck, Tecumseh North America vice president, sales and marketing.

Tecumseh expanding production of AE² commercial refrigeration compressor to US

In July 2013 Tecumseh Products Company officials announced that the company is expanding operations at its facility in Verona, Mississippi to meet the increased global demand for their AE² compressor, currently only manufactured in Brazil and France. Since its launch in January 2011, the AE² has seen rapid adoption in beverage coolers, commercial refrigerators and freezers, and most recently in H-E-B’s R290 refrigeration system.

The AE² compressor has several benefits: