The Technical Ice Showcase Guide - Part 2

After we have already first part of our big "ice cream showcase guide we have already dealt with the choice of circulating air, the question of the ice and the explanation of why two evaporators are always better than one, the second part deals with the right unit and the differences between high-quality and inexpensive ice showcases.

Internal or external aggregate?

The refrigeration unit of an ice showcase provides the cold, but generates noise and waste heat in return.

The most elegant variant is to installthe refrigeration unit of the showcase externally, e.g. in the cellar, outside or on the roof. Noise and waste heat from the unit are thus completely banished from the sales or guest area.

Technically , this is almost always possible - even the standard units allow a line length of up to 15 m, and significantly longer distances are also possible with special units.

However, the costs are higher: a ready-to-plug-in showcase - i.e. one with an internal power unit - only needs to be set up and the electricity plugged in. Installing an external unit is much more time-consuming, the cables have to be laid by hand , soldered and insulated - the working time and the material cost money.

Nevertheless, we usually recommend using an external unit if possible (more on this below), because the convenience for guests and operators is simply priceless - and since a showcase usually has a lifespan of between 10 and 20 years, the expense is also easily amortised .

So when does an internal unit make sense at all?

On the one hand, if the showcase has to remain mobile or is only temporarily in place (e.g. only in summer) - because while an external unit is permanently installed, a showcase with an internal unit can be dismantled and set up just as quickly.

Secondly, there must of course be a suitable place for an external unit - if there is no place for an external unit (e.g. because there is no cellar, for noise protection reasons or in the middle of a shopping centre), then there is no alternative to an internal unit.

And of course there is the case that the available budget is currently "only" sufficient for the showcase and no longer for relocating the external unit - how much that costs exactly is of course individual and depends on the local conditions.

A small consolation in this case: Often, however, a unit can be removed at a later date.

230 V luminous flux or 400 V heavy current?

Especially with internal units, two further questions arise: 230 V (luminous flux) or 400 V (heavy current) as well as air or water cooling.

Basically, a high-voltage unit has a higher output, but also generates more noise. For external units that require more power (because with every metre of cable you lose some cooling power - even if optimal insulation helps to minimise the loss), only the variant with 400 V heavy current is really an option.

With internal power units, it is a question of size (a 12-unit showcase requires less power than a 24-unit showcase), but also of the manufacturer's engineering skills - a cleverly designed showcase runs with a high-quality 230V power unit even in the 24-unit size, purrs comparatively quietly and requires less power. This can be compared well with the car market: Whereas in the past a 3-litre V6 with a consumption of 15l/100km was needed for 200 hp, today a 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder with a consumption of 6 l/100km easily manages this for premium manufacturers.

Air or water cooling? Or even both?

And finally, there is the question of Air or water cooling - for both internal and external units. A brief explanation: When a unit generates cold (for ice cooling), waste heat accumulates on the other side - and the unit must remove this heat . This is done either via the ambient air or via cooling water.

At first, air cooling is uncomplicated because no water is needed and, of course, no supply or waste water is required. Disadvantage: The fan is loud (because the corresponding amount of air needs to be moved), and the exhaust air heats the room. This may even be quite pleasant in spring and autumn (and actually save heating), but in summer at 35 °C it is rather annoying - apart from the fact that at ambient temperatures above 20 °C the cooling capacity decreases and the electricity consumption increases. External units are usually air-cooled - if, for example, a sufficiently dimensioned, cool cellar room is available, this solution is usually ideal.

Water cooling, on the other hand, transfers the waste heat to the cooling water - this is much quieter (even if you can still hear the unit itself, but the high-frequency fan is omitted) and ensures a high, even cooling capacity even in midsummer. For this you need a water supply and drain, the cost of the cooling water is higher than with air cooling, and from an environmental point of view the water consumption is certainly also questionable - because you are not allowed to use the cooling water for rinsing, for example. There are, however, special solutions here such as water recooling (which, however, only makes sense financially if there are several water-cooled units). Well water can also be used for cooling if it is available in sufficient quantity and filtered accordingly.

As a last option, there are combined units with air/water cooling. In this case, the unit cools with air as long as it is cool enough to ensure efficient cooling. If the ambient temperature is too warm - and only then - the unit switches to cooling water . This can be called the "king's solution" because water is only used when it is really necessary, but on the other hand the cooling capacity is always optimal. However, these units are considerably more expensive to purchase.

The differences between high-quality and inexpensive ice cream display cases

Finally, the crucial question: what distinguishes a high-quality ice cream display case from a cheap one, or more precisely: a good ice cream display case from a bad one?

We have already mentioned some of the points above.

Firstly, a high-quality display case always has two evaporators for maximum temperature stability, so that the ice cream has a uniform temperature and consistency everywhere in the display case. But it is not only the number of evaporators that is important - even distribution of the circulating air requires high-quality fans and clean development. In addition, high-quality display cases are individually certified for refrigeration - so any weak points are detected before the display case leaves the factory.

Secondly, high-quality showcases also have high-quality components - especially effective insulation and efficient aggregates. The effective insulation prevents excessive loss of cold (so there is less need for re-cooling), and the aggregates deliver the cold in the most energy-efficient way possible. In the interplay of these two points, a "good" showcase consumes much less energy than a "bad" showcase - and consequently has much lower operating costs.

The components used and the way they are manufactured also have a direct impact on the ease of maintenance and durability of the display case. High-quality showcases have durable components, and if something is defective, almost all components can be replaced quickly and easily. In the case of inexpensive models, components are often made in the Far East and various parts are often simply glued together - although this costs less than an elaborate screw connection, in the event of a defect it cannot be replaced or repaired, or only with a greatdeal of effort.

And last but not least, the quality of the external materials - cladding, glass, stainless steel, finish - is of course reflected in the price.

Your "shop window" should be worth it to you!

Wow, we can see for ourselves: this article has become quite long - so long that we even had to split it into two parts. And yet we were only able to touch on the topic.

What should that tell you? It's simple: choosing your ice cream display case - your "shop window" - is not trivial.

Single or double recirculation, internal or external unit, air or water cooling, plus the selection of the right design, the expert routing of the refrigeration lines and the choice of the optimum manufacturer: ice showcase consultation is a job for the specialist.

We would be happy to help you choose the optimal ice cream display case - and the optimal version - for your business. Simply make an appointment with us below - we look forward to meeting you!

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