Norwegian Retailer Remodels Store with Freor R290 Water-Loop System

For Joker, a Norwegian chain of more than 400 small convenience stores, saving space and energy is no joke.

The company recently installed propane (R290)-based self-contained refrigeration cabinets cooled by a water-loop system in a remodeled store in Oslo, Norway, seeking to maximize efficiency as well as store sales area.

This is the second Joker store in Oslo to use the Hydroloop Glycol R290 refrigeration system, designed by Freor, a Lithuanian commercial refrigeration equipment manufacturer.

Freor, which supplies top retailers and supermarket chains throughout Western Europe and the Nordic regions, has seen strong sales growth for its R290 water-loop systems, the company says.

Joker specializes in small shops with a floor space of less than 100m² (1,076ft²). This limit is what allows the chain to legally open on Sundays, according to Verdens Gang, a Norwegian newspaper.

Hence, Joker needs compact and efficient refrigeration equipment, and this is what made it choose the Hydroloop Glycol refrigeration system in the first shop, in April 2019, according to Freor’s website.

For the new location, the hydroloop system is combined with refrigeration cabinets to again offer “optimal sales area exploitation and flexible layout, in addition to the climate-friendly technology,” says Freor.

The Hydroloop Glycol refrigeration system works by removing excess condensation heat from the cabinets to the exterior of the shop in water-and- glycol-filled pipes.

The liquid circulation in the closed system is “supported by a pump station mounted on the wall, thus freeing up more sales area,” Freor said. Excess heat can be used for store needs, such as to heat water.

As well as using the Hydroloop Glycol refrigeration system, the Joker store switched to the ERIDA SLIM freezer cabinet, also made by Freor. The unit optimizes freezer capacity without compromising on a compact design, says Freor. The Joker store also installed Freor’s JUPITER multideck lines, featuring glass doors.

Installation was done by NordDisk, a refrigeration and service and equipment provider, based in Slitu, Norway. They are the main supplier of Freor refrigeration technology in Norway, according to their website.

During installation “all necessary measures were taken to ensure the safety of staff,” according to Freor.

Freor notes the model is “safe for customers, as it uses only 150 g of R290 refrigerant” per cooling cycle.