What are the challenges posed by supermarket chiller cabinets? 

When it comes to draining condensation liquids, the display cabinets in the chiller and freezer aisles pose a number of major challenges for condensate pumps: 

• These display cases have to maintain the cold chain at all times to ensure that food is preserved without any risk. The slightest malfunction could have a serious impact on consumer health, and one of the most common causes of failure is condensate... 

• These shelves are placed on the floor, often in the middle of a supermarket. They therefore require a powerful pump to evacuate their condensate over long distances. 

• Condensate leaks require numerous interventions by HVACR professionals, which can represent a substantial budget for the operator if the reliability of the condensate evacuation is not up to standard. 

• These leaks also pose a risk of injury to customers: they may slip on a puddle of condensate spilt in the aisle of the fresh or frozen food area. Compensation can be very costly for the store responsible. 

• The quantity of condensate released by this type of display is particularly high. Often open and sometimes in permanent contact with the warmer ambient air (fortunately less and less!), these shelves produce abundant condensation that has to be evacuated without fail. 

• These shelves operate continuously, whether the establishment is open or closed: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Their condensate pumps must therefore withstand prolonged and often intensive strain. 

• These shelves are in contact with organic matter and customers, so they drain a lot of particles and organic products into their condensation liquids. It is therefore common to see accumulations of biofilm, algae or other types of muddy or viscous matter in their condensate drainage circuits, which further increases the risk of clogging, and therefore of overflow, leakage and breakdown. 

This is a major challenge: these pumps have to combine power, robustness and resilience in the face of abundant, polluted condensates, while ensuring intensive operation over long periods without ever breaking down! 
 

What are the different types of condensate pumps for cold stores? 

It all depends on the space available within the structure of the refrigerated display case. Some can accommodate the classic format of a tank pump, but most require a condensate pump with an ultra-flat casing: it needs to be as thin as possible to fit under the display case, on the floor or in a dedicated compartment. 

These pumps use a variety of technologies for their pump cores, the most common being centrifugal technology, which is both powerful and robust. Some showcase pumps use different technologies, such as the rotary diaphragm, which is reputed to be robust when it comes to dealing with condensate containing algae, particles or biofilm, but is less powerful in terms of delivery head and flow rate. 
 

Pumps for refrigerated and frozen foods operate in an aggressive environment, so they need to be extremely durable and robust. While some models are fitted with plastic casings, others use 100% stainless steel casings, which are much more reliable over time. 
 

How to tackle condensate leaks in supermarkets? 

It's not unusual to see puddles of water in the aisles of supermarket chiller cabinets. They are most often caused by a condensate leak from the refrigerated display cabinets. In most cases, these leaks are overflows from the condensate drainage system, which has been blocked by pollution (accumulated particles, algae, biofilm, sludge, etc.). The most common cause is biofilm, as explained in this article on our INsights blog. This biofilm will often clog the condensate drainage tubes upstream of the condensate pump, which is why a pump that is resistant to biofilm and viscous liquids is not enough: you also need to make sure that the condensate reaches the pump reservoir so that it can be drained away! 

To prevent the invasive formation of biofilm in condensate drainage channels, there are several non-aggressive chemical solutions, such as Gel Clear tablets, which can drastically reduce the number of leaks, or even eliminate them altogether. As indicated in our blog article, a field study by a major Australian retailer demonstrates the effectiveness of this type of anti-biofilm solution, which enables significant savings to be made on annual maintenance costs. 

These pumps must be easy and quick to maintain 

Condensate pumps for refrigerated display cases are very common in supermarkets. They must therefore require infrequent maintenance, and above all be ergonomically designed to facilitate and speed up the work of HVACR technicians working on refrigerated displays. 

The junctions with the evacuation ducts must be easy to disconnect, and the pump must open quickly, preferably without tools. What's more, the inside of the pump must be designed for easy cleaning: everything around the pump core, the filter and the tank must be easily accessible. 

The eco-sustainability of these pumps must also be a major concern for their designers. They must be developed along eco-design standards to ensure easy and complete dismantling, so that certain components can be replaced without having to replace the whole pump, especially if its case is made of high-end stainless steel.