The beer cave walk-in cooler unit is a large-scale commercial refrigeration equipment specially designed for convenience sores, liquor stores, bars, restaurants, supermarkets, craft beer shops. It combines a large storage space with a transparent display function, which can not only meet the frequent turnover of large quantities of beverages but also attract customers intuitively.
Generally speaking, a typical beer cave walk-in cooler is mainly composed of the following four parts.
Storage structure
It is the basic framework of the cold storage, and its main function is to isolate external heat and maintain a low-temperature environment inside.
The insulation board usually consists of a 100 mm thick B ONE-grade flame-retardant polyurethane (PU) core board. The core board is covered on both the inside and outside with colored steel plates or stainless steel plates. The boards are assembled by using snap fasteners.
The glass door of the cold storage is the core component. The door frame is made of high-strength aluminum alloy or stainless steel. To effectively prevent outside hot air from entering and internal cold air from escaping, the middle part of the glass door is double-layer (or triple-layer) of tempered Low-E glass with air pockets. At the same time, an excellent glass door not only has a heating and dehumidification function, but also comes with automatic rebound hinges and a door stopper.
The floor of the cold storage is covered with extruded polystyrene foam board or high-density polyurethane foam board. The upper layer of the ground is hardened with reinforced concrete and treated for anti-slip properties. The slope and drainage outlets are also designed reasonably.
The refrigeration system
Generally speaking, wine cellars and cold storage rooms mostly use fully enclosed scroll or piston compressors, which operate smoothly and have low noise levels.
Among them, the condenser is responsible for dissipating heat to the outside. The evaporator (usually a ceiling-mounted air-cooled chiller) causes the refrigerant to evaporate and absorb heat.
The circulation system of the cold storage is air-cooled circulation, that is, it adopts a duct design with air entering from the bottom and exiting from the top. This ensures that the temperature in all corners of the storage room is uniform, avoiding local temperature differences that may affect the taste of the wine.
Electrical control system
The control system is akin to the brain of a wine cellar, coordinating the automated operation of all components.
It includes microcomputer controllers, electrical control boxes, sensors, etc.
Auxiliary supporting facilities
Auxiliary supporting facilities are used to enhance energy-saving efficiency and safety.
They include air curtains, explosion-proof lighting fixtures and shelves.
Now, let’s introduce the key design elements of the walk-in wine cooler.
Temperature zone selection and insulation board thickness
For beer and other beverages, a storage temperature of 2 to 6 degrees Celsius is ideal. If you want to store craft beer for a long time, the recommended storage temperature should be set at 0 to 4 degrees Celsius, with a temperature fluctuation of no more than ±1 degree Celsius.
If there is a need to store draft beer, the designers should consider adding small compartments to create a separate and exclusive space.
The thickness of the insulation board is generally no less than 100 millimeters. For hot regions or countries with long summers, the thickness of the board should be selected to be greater than 120 millimeters. Sealing glue should be applied at the connection points to prevent cold bridges.
Glass door
The glass selected should be considered in terms of its properties and cost. Insulated glass should have a heating function.
At the same time, the number of glass doors should be determined according to the shopping habits of local customers and the shape and layout of the store’s refrigeration unit.
The LED lights in the glass doors should serve the display effect to the greatest extent. Designers also need to consider avoiding the heating phenomenon of ordinary lamps and preventing strong light from causing “sun odor” in the beer.
Refrigeration System and Precise Automatic Control
The refrigeration unit is reserved with a 20% margin based on the load. We prefer to choose variable-frequency air-cooled units combined with ceiling-mounted cooling fans, and equip them with a non-regularly timed electric heating defrosting function. The fans are installed at a high position, with a distance from the goods stack greater than 50 centimeters.
The position of the evaporator should be selected reasonably to avoid affecting its efficiency.
The temperature control accuracy should be within ±0.5℃.
We can install dual temperature probes at the entrance and the center of the cold storage room, along with high/low temperature alarms and power-off memory functions. If conditions permit, remote monitoring can also be considered.
The insulated door is equipped with an automatic door closer and a door magnetic alarm.
When staff frequently pick up goods, a fan curtain machine can be installed above the door opening. When the door is opened, it will automatically blow out high-speed air to form an invisible wind barrier to prevent the exchange of air inside and outside the warehouse.
The shelves should be arranged in a way that is conducive to the classified storage of different-sized beverages to improve the utilization rate of the warehouse space.
Electrical Safety
For various electrical components, the installation personnel should install separate wiring and be equipped with dedicated air switches and leakage protection devices. Install flame-retardant pipes for the pipelines and ensure proper insulation.
The condensing unit should be placed externally (for noise reduction and better heat dissipation). The connection pipe between the indoor and outdoor units should not exceed 5 meters, and the height difference should be less than 3 meters.
Install safety internal-opening locks and emergency call buttons in the cold storage. The quality of these components must meet relevant requirements.
Key points for the daily operation of the beer refrigeration warehouse
In summary, a well-designed walk-in beer cooler not only serves as a refrigeration room, but also integrates insulation and heat preservation, refrigeration engineering, product display, and daily operation management.
By choosing the appropriate insulation boards, glass doors, refrigeration equipment and control systems, and following the correct maintenance procedures, we can achieve better product display, lower energy consumption and a better shopping experience.
If you are planning a beer cellar project, please feel free to contact us at any time to discuss solutions that are suitable for your store.
https://www.artrefrigeration.com/art-supermarket-refrigeration
