Hillphoenix installs ‘the first ejector in North America’
R744, June 28, 2017
A Sprouts Farmers Market store – opening today in Woodstock, Ga. – is the first place in North America to feature a transcritical CO2 system with ejector technology, according to Sprouts and systems manufacturer Hillphoenix.
The grocery store is estimated to save an average of 10% energy each year by using Hillphoenix’s Second Nature™ CO2 system with an ejector and parallel compression.
Originally announced at ATMOsphere America 2017 in San Diego, Calif., Jeff Newel, director of R&D in Hillphoenix’s systems division, explained how an ejector can yield more significant savings than parallel compression in warm ambient areas like Georgia in the southern United States.
Testing in Conyers, Ga. found that parallel compression increases the peak energy efficiency of a standard booster system by 8%. Using a Danfoss ejector increases peak savings by 11.3% in non-optimized conditions.
When the system has been optimized – as revealed in tests carried out by Hillphoenix’s partner in Europe, Advansor – savings with parallel compression can reach up 15% and 23% at their peak with an ejector.
“20+ Advansor systems with ejectors [have been installed so far] in Europe,” Newell said.
Sprouts committed to sustainability
The store has also qualified for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s GreenChill Platinum certification.
As part of Sprouts’ sustainability policies, the new Woodstock store will donate unsold and edible groceries to Atlanta Community Food Bank.
In 2016, Sprouts stores and distribution centers donated more than 19 million pounds of product through its Food Rescue program, which is equivalent to 15 million meals.
Other leftover food is taken to local composting facilities and cattle farms.