Off the back of unseasonably high spring temperatures[1], food and beverage manufacturers are being encouraged to prepare for summer heat by working with specialist partners to supplement cooling in emergencies, maintenance and upgrades.
The callout comes from global leader in energy solutions Aggreko, which has warned that the combination of rising temperatures and ageing infrastructure could significantly impact uptime on sites across the UK.
Temperatures exceeding 25°C are now becoming increasingly common throughout the nation, placing older generations of equipment, which aren’t designed to operate in these ranges, at risk of overheating and subsequently failing.
The chances of breakdowns are drastically raised if equipment hasn’t been properly maintained, with blocked condenser coils potentially forcing a system to overwork to the point of compressor failure.
In the food and beverage manufacturing sector, for instance, pasteurisation equipment overheating could lead to production halts, spoilage of raw milk and a host of contamination risks, resulting in significant financial losses and reputational damage.
As temperatures this year have already reached over 29°c, Chris Smith, head of temperature control for UK and Ireland at Aggreko, has called upon food and beverage manufacturers to assess their cooling capacity to ensure that critical operations remain uninterrupted.
Chris said:
“If recent temperatures are anything to go by, then this summer is set to bring even more extreme conditions capable of driving equipment to the point of failure. If facilities rely on ageing HVAC systems to keep processes ticking, then the risk of breakdowns during heatwaves only increases.
“Working with a specialist in both HVAC and power can be the real difference maker. Doing so provides contractors with the opportunity to leverage specialist expertise and tailored solutions that address immediate cooling needs and safeguard operations against the risks posed by extreme temperatures.”
With a thorough understanding of the challenges of critical temperature applications, Aggreko’s team of technical experts can help determine the temporary and supplementary cooling, heating and dehumidification solutions required based on a project, location and temperature requirements.
Its cooling provision spans industrial chillers ranging from 50kW to 1500 kW, air conditioners in sizes from 50kW to 200kW, and cooling towers with single units from 2500kW or combined units for multi-megawatt projects.
Aggreko’s unique position enables it to support decisionmakers by leveraging its Energising Change™ framework, which has been designed to facilitate a commercially viable energy transition. This includes turnkey solutions that bridge the gap between power provision, fuel management and transportation and developing renewable infrastructure for the future.
Discover more about Aggreko’s temperature control solutions.
