COLD STORAGE LOAD ESTIMATING

By
Ramesh Paranjpey
Fellow Life Member ASHRAE
ASHRAE Distinguished fifty year service award-2020
Chairman ISHRAE Technical group –Refrigeration
Chairman AAR standards committee
28th October 2021
 COMMON UNDERSTANDING

Most of the designers , when requirement is received,
open their computers and stat calculating cooling
loads with the help of the software. The software is
mixed in the sense that some units are in FPS and
some are in SI system.

I strongly suggest that the designer discusses many
aspects, which even customer may not be aware and
educate him and both the parties come to common
understanding which is signed by both the parties,
before the load calculations are made. This would
avoid future disputes if they arise

The points to be discussed are given in next slides
 Design Basis Review
Location of Installation City, Place of installation, distance
from main communication like roads,
airports & available transportation
facilities
Weather data information Dry Bulb, Wet Bulb data for the year,
altitude of place, since air properties
change as per altitude
Adequate utilities availability Water, it’s quality, whether tube well or
corporation and availability of adequate
electric power.
Waste disposal and affluent treatment How customer is going to address this
facility issue without polluting water and
atmosphere
Type of product to be stored Its characteristics, season-months when
product is to be harvested and loaded in
cold rooms
Through knowledge of product to be Temperature/Humidity/and expected shelf
stored life
 Design Basis Review
Expected duration of storage Weather transit, short tem or long
term and duration of each type

Facility Type Whether multi product or single product

and whether same temperature or
different temperatures.
If multi product storage Compatibility with other products for
temperature, humidity, shelf life

Quantity of product to be stored per room Total weight, weight of each package,
number of packages, density of product

Storage system Rack system , or bulk storage, trolly

movement, room height, rack height, bar
coding, first in ,first out
External and internal dimension of cold calculated on the basis of above with
room enough room for air circulation so that
each box or product is fully enveloped
with cold air
 Design Basis Review
Temperature Product incoming and expected
storage as well as expected product
core temperature
Loading /removal rate Loading per hour and per day as well as
removal rate peer hour , per day
Expected temperature pull down rate Temperature to be achieved in how many
hours from incoming temperature to
final/storage temperature
Product packaging method Open type preferred or with perforated
boxes. Completely sealed product will take
very long time
Insulation Type of insulation panels, thickness, and
type , whether continuous or cam lock

Door Details Number , size, frequency of opening.

Duration, door protection –weather air
curtain or plastic curtain
Ante room Whether provided or not
 COMPONENTS CONTRIBUTING HEAT LOAD
1. Transmission Load- Through walls, roof, Floor
2. Product Load

Sensible Heat load –Before & After Freezing

Latent Heat Load-during Freezing

Respiration load

3. Air Change Load- Infiltration & Ventilation

4. Fan Motor Load
5. Lighting Load
6. Occupancy Load
7. Base Load-Trolleys, Fork lifts etc.
 THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO HEAT LOAD ARE:

1. Transmission load:

Heat inflow from outside the building surfaces like walls,

roof and floor due to higher ambient temperature than
the temperature requirements inside the cold rooms.
 1. TRANSMISSION LOAD

Type of Construction

Type of Insulation & Thickness

Exposed Surface Area

Temperature Difference

Building shape

Direction of East ,West and longitudinal walls

Roof protection
 TRANSMISSION LOAD

q = k/x .A . (t1-t2)
q= rate of heat transfer, W (Btu/hr)
k= conductivity of material, W/m.K
(Btu/hr.ft Deg F)
A= cross-sectional area of wall,
m2(ft2)
x= thickness of wall, m (ft)

A t1 & t2 = temperatures on opposite

surfaces of wall, Deg C (F)
q
t1
t2

x
 TRANSMISSION LOAD

Q= U X A X Δ T

Q= Total Heat Transfer-kW

U= Over all Heat Transfer Coefficient-
W/m2.K=K/x

A= External Area of walls. Roof, Floors in Sq. m.
 2. PRODUCT LOAD:
• Product load comprises of Sensible Load above freezing

• Latent load of freezing

• Then again sensible heat load below freezing

temperatures.

• Product may be entering at ambient conditions or

precooled condition or in frozen temperature condition.
 FREEZING CURVE OF FOODS-
TAKES LONGER TIME FOR FREEZING
 3. RESPITATION LOAD-ONLY FOR
FRUITS/VEGETABLES
During growth in fields, fruits and vegetables are supplied with sugar
from leaves through photosynthesis and with water and minerals
through roots.
Once harvested, this supply is cut off, but plants continue to respire
and mature. They have to depend on their own internal resources to
generate energy required for metabolism.
Even in refrigerated storage of live products, they generate heat, which
is called heat of respiration. They continuously undergo a change in
which energy is released in the form of heat,. Respiration load
therefore needs be considered while calculating heat load.
Respiration load is highest when products are loaded and gradually
diminishes as the product gets cooled.
 4. INFILTRATION LOAD (BY DEFAULT):
Ambient or outside air leaking in, having higher temperature
and moisture content, whenever the doors of cold rooms are
opened for movement of goods or air leaking in through
cracks, openings in the insulated walls/ceiling and flooring.

Calculation of this load need many details such as door

sizes, number of doors, duration of door opening, air
velocity etc. For simplicity, there is also a table published by
ASHRE Handbook -Fundamental 1972, where based on
room volume approximate air changes are given.

Also, it should be kept in mind that many cold storages have

Ante rooms, pre-cooling rooms and hence air leaking inside
the cold room may not be entirely ambient air.
 AIR CIRCULATION
Please also remember the difference between air changes
and air circulation rate.

Air changes is outside air contributing to load

calculations

Air circulation rate is how many times the air passes

over the cooling coil. The air circulation rate is important
to ensure that the temperature variation inside the cold
room is minimum and the air pockets are not formed. If
air quantity is inadequate and circulation is not uniform, it
can lead to aging of air. Air circulation rate depends on
the quantity of air circulated by the fans
 VENTILATION LOAD (BY DESIGN):
Certain vegetables and fruits like potatoes, bananas produce
gases like Ethylene, Carbon dioxide etc. .
one need to control the concentration of them by removing
them and substituting with fresh air.
This ventilation load is by design. For this purpose, fans are
provided this is known as force ventilation whereas
infiltration is by default.
There is heat recovery equipment installed which cools
outside air entering by air which is expelled out
We are considering only infiltration load for this particular
document.
 OTHER MISCELLANEOUS LOADS
1. Equipment load: Fans-motors of the air coolers, fan ring
heaters, defrost heaters if any, Electrical equipment if any like
forklifts / electrical hoists or lifts for handling the products or belt
motor loads, cranes motor loads etc.

2. Occupancy load: People entering the cold room for

loading/unloading the goods

3. Lighting load: Lighting fixtures inside the cold rooms, if the

lights remaining on during storage

4. Base Load: Metal trolleys, racks, baskets, trays, heaters in the

flooring etc., contributing heat load.

5. Defrost heat load: When air coolers are defrosted for low
temperature storages, certain heat gets added and needs to be
considered in the overall heat load for offsetting the same.
 ASSUMPTIONS:
1. Product-Potatoes
2. Location- Uttar Pradesh
3. Outside temperature -+450C max Db/+300C Wb (page 38 sr. No. ii
&iii)
4. Product loading temperature 200C-250C-max (sr. no. vii)
5. Each bag weighing -50 kg. (sr.no. viii)
6. Total storage Capacity-5000 Metric Ton (sr. no. ix)
7. Loading Density- 3.4 m3/Metric Ton - NHB Standard-Page 44
8. Each Room storage-1250 Ton- (1250x3.4=4250m3) (sr. no. x)
9. Chamber Size each -21mLx16mWx13.7mH -Volume 4603 m3,
floor Area=226 m2 (sr. no. xi)
10.Loading rate- 4% of total capacity/day= 1250x0.4=50 Ton or 50000
kg/day (sr.no. xii)
11. Pulldown Time: 150C in 24 hrs. (sr. no. xiii)
12. Compressor running hours -20 hrs./day during pull down (sr. no. xiv)
13. Ventilation requirements- 2 to 6 air changes per day to maintain CO2
concentration below 4000PPM-(Page 4- 2-h)
14. Insulation PUF -32 kg/m3 density, 0.023 W/m.k –K value ( page-10)
( ASHRAE Refrigeration Hand Book Page 24.1 Table-1) Although NHB
standard indicates 32kg/cm2 density, normal practice is to use minimum
38kg/cm2 which is standard
15. Thickness of insulation-walls, roof, floor- 100 mm (NHB standard Page -
10)
16. Specific heat of potato above freezing-3.433 kJ/kg.k (NHB standard Page-
51)
17. Heat Of Respiration 0.018W/kg at 30C (ASHRAE Refrigeration hand Book
2014-page 19.22) or 18kW/ton- Also NHB standard - Page 51
18. Safety factor 0f 10% considered (NHB standard Page 39 Point 4) whereas
19. Diversity factor not considered since it is load calculation for one room
only.
POSITIVE TEMPERATURE LOAD CALCULATIONS

POTATO COLD STORAGE LOAD CALCULATIONS

5000-TONS STORAGE-(4 ROOMS, EACH 1250TON)

BASIS NHB STANDARD-NHB-CS-TYPE 01-2010

 THE NHB STANDARD 01-2010 GIVES SUMMARY OF
COOLING LOAD CALCULATION ON PAGE 40 FOR

1. 5-A-Loading & pull down the temperature to 150C per chamber

2. 5-B During pull down to 30C @ 0.50C per day-Fully loaded per
chamber

3. 5-C During Holding period at +30C-with full load per chamber

Page 38 & 39 gives the assumptions for 5000MT Potato Cold storage
& suggested typical layout of Chambers

The maximum refrigeration load is during loading and pull down to

150C for 1000 Bags/day per chamber of potatoes each bag weighing 50
kg thus totaling to 50 Tons/day per chamber (4% of 1250 Tons) and the
cooling load indicated is 85.32 kW (24.37 TR) per chamber.
The detailed calculations how individual values have been
arrived at is not given in the standard.

This document is therefore prepared giving detailed load

calculations so that it would then become easier for the
consultant/contractor/end user to calculate the cooling load
if the conditions are different than indicated in the
standard.

The document gives basic equations and formulae and

would therefore also help to calculate refrigeration load for
any other commodity with different conditions and
parameters of room sizes, storage capacity, and insulation
type used etc. for positive temperature cold storages.
 1-TRANSMISSION LOAD WITH
STANDARD BRICK WALL CONSTRUCTION

The current practice is to use PUF panels for construction, however

the designer should know if the construction is different, then how to
calculate the transmission load.

If the old type of construction comprising of brick wall, insulation

and cement parameter is used then we need to calculate overall
resistance offered by each element for heat flow and then a reciprocal
of it to calculate overall heat transfer coefficient ‘U’ We shall
calculate resistance offered by each element and have illustrated
same in the table given below.
 1 2 3 4 5

Thickness - Resistance- Thickness- Resistance- R-

Item inch R-ft2. m m2. K/W
h.0F/Btu
Fo-outside 15mph- 1/6=0.166 25kmh- 1/11 = 0.0909
air velocity velocity
Cement ½” 0.5/5 = 0.1 20mm 0.017
plaster
18” 18/5 = 3.6 450mm 0.45/0.92 =
Brick wall (100lb/cu.ft 0.489
)
4Inch EPF 4/0.18 = 100mm 0.1/0.023=
Insulation
22.22 4.347
Cement ½” 0.5/5 = 0.1 20mm 0.017
Plaster
Still air 1/1.6 = 1/9.5 = 0.105
Fi-inside air
0.625
Total 26.8110 5.066
Resistance
The most important point to be noted is that the
resistance offered by insulating material indicated in
RED, is far greater compared with any other resistances
offered by the thick walls and air films and also by
cement plaster.
With modern construction of cold storages, using PUF
factory made panels it is therefore adequate to take only
resistance offered by insulation panels for the sake of
simplicity and neglect other resistances especially where
the insulation thickness is 100mm or more.
 1.TRANSMISSION LOAD
We shall now consider each factor for this typical NHB
presented data on page 40 (only PUF panel resistance is
considered)
Temperature pull-down from 450C to 150C in 24hrs.
Q= U x A x TD

=0.023/0.1 x 2 x (21x16+21x13.7+16x13.7) x (45-15) -

(100m=0.1m)

=0.23 x1685.8x30 =11632.02 W say 11.63 kW

(NHB standard 12.12 kW)

 2. PRODUCT LOAD
= 4% of 1250 Ton (1250x1000x4/100=50,000kg))x sp.ht. x ∆T

= 50,000 kg x 3.433 kJ/kg. K x (25-15)

= 1,716,500 ÷ (24x3600) = 19.87 kW

Assuming remaining (1,250 – 50 = 1200 Ton) or 1,200,000 kg Potatoes

are already in store, & refrigeration load on the last day of loading is
considered then respiration load would be

Respiration load =1,200,000 x 0.018 = 21,600W = 21.6 kW

Total Product load would be 19.87+ 21.6= 41.47 kW say 42 kW

(NHB standard-43.16kW)
 3. INFILTRATION LOAD:
Based on 4 air changes/day (2 to 6 Indicated in NHB standard),
outside enthalpy h2 is 99.173kJ/kg at 450C Db &300C Wb and inside
enthalpy h1 at 30C 90% RH-13.62 kJ/kg, ∆h=85.553.

The values have been taken from Psychrometric property tables for
moist air.

Amount of ventilation air for

4603 (volume of room m3) x4 air changes ÷ (24x3.6) = 213 LPS

Using standard formula for total heat load as ==1.2 x l/s x (∆h)

= 1.2x 213 x85.53/1000=21.86 kW with 70% recovery it would be

15.3 kW- (NHB standard-16.14kW)

=
 OTHER LOADS
5. INTERNAL LOAD DUE TO FAN MOTORS- Assuming 4
coolers per room each with 2 fans of 0.75 kW= total motor power
is 6 kW. Power contributed to heat load 993W per motor
8x0.933=7.94 kW

6. LIGHTING DENSITY -at 10 W /m2. during loading =226m2

floor area x10 W/m2= 2.6 kW

7. OCCUPANCY LOAD: - Assuming 4 persons working inside

cold room during loading each person would be contributing 250
Wx4 = 1 kW

TOTAL INTERNAL LOAD= 7.94+ 2.6 + 1 =11.54kW

 Refrigeration Load summary - per Chamber each of
1250 Ton storage capacity
Sr. No. Description Refrigeration Load- Calculated as
kW/24 hrs As Per Above
NHB standard-Page
40
1 Transmission Load 12.12 11.63

2 Product Load 43.16 42

3 Internal Load 5.25 3.6
4 Infiltration & 16.14 15.3
Ventilation Air
Load
5 Equipment Load- 8.65 7.94
Fan motors
6 Total Load 85.32 (24.37 TR) 80.47x1.1 Safety
Factor-88.517 kW
Considering compressor running time of 20 hrs,
Total capacity required would be
89.517x24/20=106.22 kW per room. The standard
is for 5000 Tons having 4 rooms. Hence total plant
capacity required during loading is
106.22x4=424.88 kW

Refrigeration System Capacity Recommended in

NHB standard at +2 0C SST and +380C SCT is
469.7 kW-Page 42 - 6-ii
 LOAD CALCULATIONS FOR NEGATIVE
TEMPERATURE COLD ROOM
AT-200C AND FOR PROCESS FREEZING AT -400C

We shall combine both these designs in one

calculation program with the assumption that
the end user has installed freezing process
equipment to freeze at -400C,as well as the
facility for storing processed frozen product in
the same premises at -200C.
 THE PRODUCT HAS TO BE COOLED AS UNDER

1.first from ambient temperature to some lower temperature above

freezing point which is sensible heat removal, known as pre-cooling
Q1=m.Cp1 (t1-t2)

2.Cool product further to lower temperature to reach freezing point.

Q2=mCp1(t2-tf) or from t1 to tf again sensible heat process.

3. Heat removed to freeze product-latent heat process Q3=m x hif

4.The cool the product from freezing point to storage temperature

which is again sensible cooling process Q4=mCp3(tif-t3)
 Where:
1. Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 are =Heat removed- kJ
2. q=average cooling load in kW=kJ/second
3. Cp1 =Specific heat of product above freezing-kJ/kg.K
4. t1= initial temperature of product above freezing0C
5. t2= Lower temperature below ambient temperature
after pre-cooling but above freezing temperature
6. tf=Freezing temperature0C
7. hif=latent heat of freezing-kJ/kg
8. Cp2= Specific heat below freezing-kJ/kg.K
9. t3= Final temperature of product below freezing0C
10.Cp3-Specific heat below freezing-kJ/kg.K
11.m=mass of product -kg
n=allocated time in hours for processing
For the purpose of load calculations, we shall consider fish
as a product to be frozen at -400C, and preserved at -200C
temperature in a cold storage.
There are 3 freezing processes which are normally used
1. IQF/Spiral Freezer- Individual quick freezing-continuous
process- for identical product like shrimps
2. Blast freezing-Batch production for mix size & type of
fish-Normally 6 hrs. freezing time for each cycle
including loading and unloading time.
3. Plate freezers- Batch production for fish of small size
and uniform variety or fish paste or any other slabs etc.-
Normally 2 hours per batch including loading/unloading
time
For load calculations, we shall consider blast freezer batch
production for freezing fish
Assumptions: We shall maintain the same assumptions mentioned
for positive temperature for this calculation as regards ambient
conditions, room size for cold room etc. except wherever there is a
different requirement.

1. Quantity of fish per batch-5 tons

2. Room size of blast freezer room-7.6mLx3.7mWx2.4m high
3. Pre-cooling is done with ice before loading and loading
temperature in blast freezer would be say +100C
4. Normally there is ante room and fish is loaded in trolleys with
perforated trays open to air, from anteroom which is maintained
below +200C
5. Quantity to be frozen per batch -5 tons of assorted fish-(5000kg)
6. Specific heat of fish above freezing-3.78kJ/kg.K
7. Freezing point of fish -Minus 2.20C
8.Latent heat -271kJ/kg
9.Specific heat below freezing-2.14kJ/kg.K
10. Product freezing temperature maintained in
refrigeration system-minus 400C, to circulate air at minus 37
to minus 350C, with the air cooler in blast freezer room
11. Insulation thickness -200mm for blast freezer room
(more since lower temperature of -400C)
12. Core temperature of product at the end of freezing
cycle-minus 180C
13. Insulation Thickness for cold room -150mm-increased
as temperature is lower at -200C
14. Batch time -6 hrs. (5 hours for freeing and one hour for
loading unloading, and defrosting)
Compressor running time -18hrs -3batches per day
 LOAD CALCULATIONS FOR FREEZING IN BLAST FREEZER

Transmission load 0.115x2x(7.6x3.7+7.6x2.4+3.7x 0.952kW

for blast freezer 2.4) x40-(-35) ÷1000
room
Product load- 5000x3.78x10- (-2.2)/5x3600 12.81kW
Sensible before
freezing
Product freezing 5000/5x271÷3600 75.27kW
load-latent heat
load
Product load 5000/x2.14x17.8(20- 10.58kW
below freezing- 2.2)/5x3600
sensible load
Total product load 99.2kW

Fan motor load 3 fan each of 5kW-(Require large 15.0 kW

quantity of air for quick freezing-
40 to 80 air changes as per
ASHRAE)
Total load 114.13kW
Add 10% safety 125,54kW
Refrigeration plant with compressor running time 18 167.4kW
capacity hours 107.11x24/18
 We now need to calculate load requirement for storing this product
at -200C in a cold room.

For the purpose of cold room calculations, we shall use the same
parameters as positive room cold room design except wherever
there is deviation due to lower temperature.

1. Normally product is loaded after packaging and arranging on racks

and in the process some temperature rise takes place. Let us assume
product is loaded at -120C
2. There would insulation thickness of 150mm since it is low
temperature -200C storage room
3. The air leaking in will be from process hall at say +200C instead at
ambient conditions-Enthalpy to be taken accordingly
4. Air changes -2/day=0.125l/sec
5. Product storage capcity-500Tons
6. Hourly loading-3 batches of production will produce 18 tons/day-
18000/24=750kg
 LOAD CALCULATIONS FOR -200C ROOM
Transmission .023/0.150=0.15 11.85kW
load 33x1932x40

Product load 750x2.14x(20- 3.57kW

12)/3600
Air infiltration 1.204x0.125x(51. 10.50kW
81+18)
Other loads -fans 13kW
trolleys etc. -say

Total load 38.92kW

Adding 10% 42.81kW
safety factor
Refrigeration 42.81x24/18 57kW
capacity based on
18hrs running
 Thank you

Any Questions ?

Ramesh Paranjpey

Fellow Life member ASHRAE

President Elect-AAR

Contact: + 91 98223 98220

[email protected]
http://ramesh-paranjpey.com