PROFESSIONAL STORAGE CABINETS

An Ecodesign Regulation and an Energy Labelling Delegated Regulation are proposed to set mandatory energy efficiency requirements for professional storage cabinets, and to help purchasers to make an informed and rational choice. It will be based on a new way of calculating the energy efficiency for these products.

The Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) of a professional storage cabinet is calculated as the ratio (multiplied by a factor 100) between the Annual Energy Consumption of the cabinet (AEC) and the Standard Annual Energy Consumption (SAEC).

To help manufacturers, in particular SMEs, to calculate the EEI of their products, EFCEM (the European Federation of Catering Equipment Manufacturers) has supported the Commission in developing a draft transitional document which specifies requirements for the construction, characteristics and performance of professional storage cabinets. In particular, the document gives key information for what concerns the “door opening protocol” and the “net storage volume” calculation.

Refrigerated storage cabinets for professional use

The details are included in the documents above, which are made available for the purpose of the future Regulations until adequate harmonised standards are adopted.

To this extent, for professional storage cabinets, a new standard is currently under development by the CEN TC 44 WG 2. This continuing activity at standardization level, together with testing activities at manufacturers/laboratory level, may require future potential modifications or integrations to the draft document.

PROCESS CHILLERS AND CONDENSING UNITS

An Ecodesign Regulation is proposed to set mandatory energy efficiency requirements for refrigeration process chillers and condensing units. It will be based on a new way of calculating the energy performance for these products.

The Seasonal Energy Performance Ratio (SEPR) of a process chiller or a condensing unit is calculated from the COP of the product at 4 different ambient temperatures and cooling loads, called rating points A, B, C and D, which are deemed representative of the variations in ambient temperature and cooling load during the year. The SEPR will therefore provide an efficiency ratio closer tothe real use than the COP.

The SEPR will be applicable to condensing units with a cooling capacity higher than 2kW at low temperature (evaporating temperature -35°C) and 5kW at medium temperature (evaporating temperature -10°C). The SEPR will be applicable to all process chillers (but not to air-conditioning chillers, which are subject to separate work

To help manufacturers, in particular SMEs, to calculate the SEPR of their products, several industry associations (ASERCOM, EUROVENT and EPEE) have supported the Commission in creating an Excel tool which isavailable for free. Manufacturers only need to insert the coolingcapacity and COP of the product at the 4 rating points A, B,C and D. The spreadsheet calculates the SEPR value automatically using linear interpolation between the 4 rating points (assuming constant capacity fortemperatures above A and below D).

Chillers: 

Explanatory document

Calculator 1.xls

Air-cooled Condensing Units:

Explanatory document

Calculator 2.xls

The details of the calculation methodology, including rating conditions, are included in the documents above, which are made available for the purpose of the future Regulations until adequate harmonised standards are adopted.

For the purpose of the future Regulations, existing standards require update to take into account the new SEPR formula. For condensing units, this is expected to be done as an update of EN13215. For chillers, this is expected be done asan update of EN14511, an addendum to EN14825, or a new separate standard.

Stakeholder consultation on possible ecodesign and energy labelling requirements for nonhousehold refrigeration 

[ΠΗΓΗ:http://ec.europa.eu/]