Introduction to R717 and CO₂ Cascade Refrigerant Cold Storage
The R717 (Ammonia) and CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) cascade refrigerant cold storage developed and manufactured by our company takes environmental protection, high efficiency, and stability as its core. Relying on the synergistic advantages of the cascade refrigeration system, combined with polyurethane insulation panels suitable for different storage temperatures, it integrates an intelligent monitoring platform and an AI intelligent defrosting system. It can meet the full-temperature storage needs of various types of goods and provide full-process customized solutions to adapt to various industrial scenarios, balancing storage safety, operational economy, and management convenience, making it the preferred choice for the green upgrading of the cold chain industry.
Core Refrigerant
Core Advantages of R717 and CO₂ Cascade System
The R717 and CO₂ cascade refrigeration system combines the excellent characteristics of two natural refrigerants, complements each other's shortcomings, and achieves synergistic efficiency. It is a high-efficiency and environmentally friendly solution for medium and low-temperature cold storage, especially suitable for various cold storage, commercial cold chains, and precision low-temperature storage scenarios with high requirements for refrigeration stability, environmental protection, and safety. It is an optimal solution for replacing traditional high-GWP refrigerants. Its core advantages are in line with industry practices, as follows: First, excellent refrigeration efficiency. The cascade system adopts a "CO₂ low-temperature stage + R717 high-temperature stage" synergistic structure, where CO₂ is responsible for low-temperature section heat exchange and R717 is responsible for high-temperature section condensation. It boasts outstanding heat exchange performance and stable condensing pressure, enabling it to quickly reach the set storage temperature and maintain precise control, thus effectively reducing operational energy consumption. It is suitable for full-temperature refrigeration needs ranging from -60℃ to +15℃, with optimal refrigeration efficiency especially in the range of -40℃~-18℃, covering both conventional cold storage and deep-low-temperature storage requirements.
Second, excellent environmental performance. Both R717 and CO₂ have an ODP (Ozone Depletion Potential) of 0; among them, the GWP (Global Warming Potential) of CO₂ is only 1, and R717 is also a natural refrigerant with low environmental impact. It fully complies with the current green and low-carbon development trend and strict environmental compliance requirements, making it a natural and environmentally friendly refrigerant vigorously promoted by the state. Third, stable and reliable operation. R717 features moderate condensing pressure and large cooling capacity, while CO₂ has stable chemical properties, no corrosiveness, and no flammability or explosion risks (belonging to Class A1 non-flammable refrigerant), ensuring high safety in use. The cascade system has smooth oil return and low maintenance costs, which can significantly reduce customers' comprehensive costs during long-term operation, aligning with the core demand for long-term stable operation of cold storage. Fourth, mature and extensive application. The application technology of the R717 and CO₂ cascade system in cold chain logistics, food processing, pharmaceutical storage, commercial cold chain, and other fields is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Operators can easily get started without additional investment in extensive technical training. Meanwhile, we have optimized the system design according to the characteristics of the cascade system, matched it with special compressors and heat exchange components, and further improved refrigeration efficiency and operational stability to ensure the long-term safe and efficient operation of the cold storage.
key feature
Multi-Temperature Zone Customization: Adapting to Storage Needs of Different Goods
Relying on the full-temperature adaptability of the R717 and CO₂ cascade refrigeration system, we divide the cold storage into three core temperature zones. Each temperature zone is equipped with polyurethane insulation panels of exclusive specifications to ensure stable and accurate storage temperature, maximize the shelf life of goods, guarantee product quality, and align with the actual storage scenarios of the industry:
Standard Freezing Storage (-18℃~-25℃)
• [Applicable Goods]
This is the most widely used temperature zone, mainly used for storing frozen meat, quick-frozen pasta, seafood, frozen prepared food, and other frozen goods. Among them, the maximum shelf life of frozen meat can reach 12-24 months, and that of seafood can reach 9-12 months. The energy consumption benchmark is ≤ 0.8 kWh/m³·day (a conventional benchmark value for medium-sized cold storage in the industry). The R717 and CO₂ cascade refrigeration system can further reduce energy consumption by 8%~15%, which is in line with the industry's energy-saving needs.
• [Specifications of Polyurethane Insulation Panels]
150mm~200mm thick polyurethane insulation panels are adopted (the lower the storage temperature, the thicker the panel required). The closed-cell rate is ≥ 90%, and the thermal conductivity is ≤ 0.024W/(m·K). The panels have passed the -30℃ low-temperature test without deformation or cracking, effectively maintaining the stability of the storage temperature, reducing cold loss, and possessing good sound insulation and moisture resistance to prevent goods from getting damp and developing odors, thus meeting the actual operational needs of freezers.
Refrigerated Storage (Divided into Low-Temperature Refrigeration and High-Temperature Refrigeration)
• Low-Temperature Refrigeration (-2℃~+4℃)
Suitable for chilled meat, pasteurized milk, pharmaceutical reagents (2~8℃, which need to be stored in independent storage units), and other goods. The humidity is controlled at 85%~95% RH to prevent goods from dehydration and deterioration; the storage of pharmaceutical reagents requires an additional uninterrupted temperature and humidity monitoring and backup system. The R717 and CO₂ cascade refrigeration system can achieve precise temperature control in this temperature zone, meeting the compliant storage requirements of the pharmaceutical industry.
[Specifications of Polyurethane Insulation Panels]: 120mm~150mm thick polyurethane insulation panels are adopted, with a closed-cell rate ≥ 90% and a thermal conductivity ≤ 0.024W/(m·K). It has excellent moisture resistance, which can effectively avoid condensation in the storage and ensure that the goods storage environment meets the standards, meeting the needs of low-temperature refrigeration scenarios.
• High-Temperature Refrigeration (+5℃~+12℃)
Suitable for tropical fruits (such as bananas at 11℃~13℃ and mangoes at 8℃~10℃), chocolate (10±1℃), red wine (11℃~13℃), and other goods that require medium and low-temperature storage. It is necessary to accurately control temperature and humidity to prevent goods from rotting, deteriorating, or changing taste; red wine storage requires additional vibration isolation and light-proof treatment, while fruit storage needs to be equipped with a ventilation system to inhibit ethylene accumulation. The R717 and CO₂ cascade refrigeration system can achieve linked control of temperature and humidity, reducing the impact of temperature fluctuations on goods.
[Specifications of Polyurethane Insulation Panels]: 75mm~100mm thick polyurethane insulation panels are adopted, with a closed-cell rate ≥ 88% and a thermal conductivity ≤ 0.025W/(m·K). It is light in weight and easy to install, with good thermal insulation performance, which can accurately maintain the stability of the storage temperature and reduce energy consumption, adapting to the operational needs of high-temperature refrigeration scenarios.
Special Temperature Zone Storage (Controlled Atmosphere Storage, Constant Temperature and Humidity Storage, Buffer Room, Deep-Low-Temperature Storage)
• Controlled Atmosphere (CA) Storage (-1℃~+15℃, adjusted according to products): Suitable for storing fruits and vegetables such as apples and blueberries. The shelf life of fruits and vegetables can be extended by adjusting the O₂ and CO₂ concentrations in the storage (for example, the O₂ concentration for apples is 1.5%~2%, and the CO₂ concentration is 1%~3%). It should be noted that the CO₂ concentration in the storage environment must be distinguished from the CO₂ refrigerant in the cascade system to avoid fruit and vegetable damage caused by excessive concentration; 100mm~150mm thick polyurethane insulation panels are equipped to ensure the stability of storage temperature and gas concentration. The controlled atmosphere storage needs to be linked with the R717 and CO₂ cascade refrigeration system to reduce the impact of gas concentration fluctuations on the refrigeration effect through precise temperature control, while preventing condensation in the storage from damaging fruits and vegetables, thus meeting the actual needs of the fruit and vegetable preservation industry.
• Constant Temperature and Humidity (CTH) Storage (temperature accuracy ±0.5℃, humidity accuracy ±3% RH): Suitable for film archives, Chinese medicinal materials, precision instruments, and other goods with high requirements for the storage environment. 100mm~120mm thick polyurethane insulation panels are adopted, combined with a dedicated temperature and humidity control system to ensure that the storage environment meets the standards, aligning with the actual requirements of precision storage scenarios.
• Corridor Buffer Room (freezer anteroom at -5℃~0℃, refrigerated storage anteroom at +8℃~+12℃): Used to reduce cold loss when opening doors, saving 15%~30% of energy. 100mm thick polyurethane insulation panels are adopted to adapt to the temperature fluctuation needs of the buffer room, avoid energy increase caused by cold loss, and comply with the energy-saving specifications for cold storage operation.
• Deep-Low-Temperature Storage (-40℃~-60℃): Relying on the low-temperature advantages of the R717 and CO₂ cascade system, it is suitable for deep-low-temperature storage needs such as tuna, special pharmaceutical reagents, and biological samples. 200mm~250mm thick polyurethane insulation panels are adopted, with a closed-cell rate ≥ 92% and a thermal conductivity ≤ 0.023W/(m·K). It is equipped with a dedicated low-temperature monitoring system to ensure the stable operation of the storage temperature, filling the gap in deep-low-temperature storage scenarios that cannot be covered by a single refrigerant system and meeting the special storage needs of the industry.
Summary of Overall Advantages
Our R717 and CO₂ cascade refrigerant cold storage takes the R717 and CO₂ cascade refrigeration system as its core, boasting the advantages of environmental protection, high efficiency, safety, and full-temperature adaptability, which aligns with the national green cold chain development orientation and the actual needs of the refrigeration industry. The multi-temperature zone design combined with suitable polyurethane insulation panels meets the storage needs of various goods and guarantees product quality. The integration of the intelligent monitoring platform and the AI intelligent defrosting system solves the pain points of traditional cold storage management and realizes management upgrading as well as energy saving and consumption reduction. The full-process customized services accurately adapt to the personalized needs of different customers and are widely used in food processing, cold chain logistics, pharmaceutical storage, fresh e-commerce, commercial cold chain, scientific research, biological sample storage, and other fields. We provide customers with safe, efficient, environmentally friendly, and worry-free full-temperature storage solutions that align with the development trend of the refrigeration industry and the actual operational needs of customers.