Formula 1 technology enhances the energy efficiency of supermarkets – Trends of the future

In Formula 1 air currents play an enormously important role. Because in order to develop as quickly as possible cars, it is important to keep the air resistance as low as possible. The developers of the Formula 1 team Williams therefore familiar with air currents and their effects. This knowledge they have now brought in a completely different area of ​​application: They developed a kind of plastic rail which should ensure that open refrigerators in supermarkets lose less heat. These simple measures can cut energy consumption by up to 32 percent lower. The first customer is the British supermarket chain Sainsbury’s.

interaction between warm and cold air supplies energy loss

Sainsbury’s is also a good example of the enormous amounts of energy that are consumed in modern supermarkets. Because the stores of the chain are responsible for a total of around one per cent of UK electricity consumption. A lot of it is needed for the refrigerators. Particularly problematic are the open refrigerated shelves, where, for example, sausage or cheese can be found. Because the cooled-air interacts with the significantly warmer air passages clean. This is the reason why it is usually quite cold before the refrigerated. At the same time these exchanges but also ensure that refrigerant is lost on the shelf makes -. This must then be renewed by energy consumption

Altered airflows save electricity

The idea of ​​Williams experts is now actually quite simple: you alter the air flows so that the interaction is minimized between warm and cold air. The charm of its invention lies in the fact that no new devices need to be purchased. Instead, almost all existing refrigerated shelves can be retrofitted by installing the newly developed plastic strip. Sainsbury’s, for example, already is considering to equip all stores with the new technology. Williams is by no means the only Formula 1 team, which also marketed inventions outside of motorsport. So McLaren for example is working on technologies to support surgeons

Via:. Geek.com