3686 (RP-596) -- Effects of Store Relative Humidity on Refrigerated Display Case Performance PDF

Same as paper number CH-93-16-1.

A procedure has been developed that evaluates the effects of relative humidity on the energy performance of refrigerated display cases. The savings in display case energy requirements when operated at a store relative humidity of 35% rather than at 55% ranged from 5% for glass door reach-in cases to 29% for multi-shelf deli cases. The savings depended on the type of display case, with the majority of the cases saving 20% to 30% in operating energy. These numbers compared well with the limited amount of measured or experimental data that was located.

KEYWORDS: relative humidity, energy consumption, display equipment, food industry, shops, supermarkets, refrigeration, energy conservation.