Case study
Guinness Brewery
Refrigeration system for Guinness beer production increase
Key information
Client:
Guinness Brewery
Supplier:
Star Refrigeration Ltd.
Type of facility:
Central refrigeration system
System start-up:
2005
The Guinness Brewery in Dublin planned to increase the production volume of its world-famous Guinness Stout beer to twelve million barrels per year. The necessary extension of its refrigeration system was handled by Star Refrigeration.
Requirements
The objective was to expand the existing ammonia-glycol refrigeration system within six months, minimising any impact on production.
Solution
Star Refrigeration extended the 5 megawatts system up to 8.9 megawatts, which complements the existing facilities perfectly. A new suction side collector and two plate heat exchangers work with gravity feed alongside the four existing shell-and-tube evaporators. The refrigeration specialists installed six additional variable speed drive glycol pumps and increased the condenser capacity. The modernized system now has a refrigeration capacity of 8.9 megawatts at an evaporating temperature of -4.5 degrees Celsius, without noticeably increasing the ammonia refrigerant charge in the system.
Technical data
Cooling capacity:
8.9 MW
Refrigerant volume:
8,000 kg
Secondary refrigerant:
Glycol
Evaporating temperature:
-4.5 C°
Main components:
Two new compressor units with one screw compressor each, four existing screw compressor packs, suction side collector, plate heat exchangers, condenser, three other variable speed drive glycol pumps.
Special features:
A computer-based monitoring system optimises all processes and handles the temperature controls. Its efficiency and environmental friendliness earned the project the RAC Cooling Industry Award 2005 for “Installation of the Year.”
