Cranswick opts for green heat pumps

Pork processor Cranswick Country Foods has invested £4M in a new industrial refrigeration system at its pig abattoir in Watton, Norfolk, which to date has reduced its energy costs by £500,000 a year, increased productivity by 30% and decreased the weight loss of carcasses from 2.3% to 1.4%. The system will be fully commissioned next month (September).

Cranswick worked with Johnson Controls, which installed Sabroe industrial refrigeration heat pump reciprocating compressors. The use of heat pumps has also reduced the company's dependency on natural gas. The system provides cooling and heating capacities of 3MW and 650kW respectively.

In 2012, Cranswick decided to modernise the pig abattoir at Watton to replace the refrigeration equipment, which was nearly 30 years’ old and used refrigerants that damaged the environment. As part the group’s plans to reduce its carbon footprint by 30% by 2020, the abattoir planned a phase out of R22 refrigerants.

The project took 10 months, during which time Johnson Controls installed the industrial refrigeration heat pump reciprocating compressors and an industrial refrigeration system, consisting of a four-stage ammonia/glycol system for low temperature pallet blast and in line pre chill; medium temperature equalisation rooms, factory air conditioning and heat pumps for 65°C water.

Contact: Johnson Controls