Revolutionizing Refrigeration: The AI-Powered Solution For Grocery Retailers
All grocery retailers rely on their refrigerated display cases to keep product fresh around the clock. But what happens when condensation interferes with the performance of those cases that hold dairy products, prepared foods, beverages and more?
Progressive Grocer reached out to Craig Elliott, Global Products Manager for Hartell (a company with more than 60 years in the condensate pump market), to learn how the company’s AI-powered condensate pump — an option for grocers and OEMs alike — can prevent water damage and asset loss, reduce equipment downtime, and minimize or eliminate slip and fall hazards by managing the condensate cooling systems produce.
Progressive Grocer: Why did Hartell decide to create an AI-powered pump? And as the pump’s designer, what challenges facing grocery retailers were you striving to solve?
Craig Elliott: AI helps us go from reactive to predictive. Instead of waiting for problems to occur, we can identify issues before they become critical problems. A pro-active alarm system monitors the pump’s performance, discharge line, filter system, the installation, and the amount of condensate produced. A built-in maintenance monitor provides an audible-visual indicator for instant fault diagnosis, and a fail-to-safe BMS interface. An optional remote LED indicator also can be installed on the refrigeration equipment to provide instant diagnostics to the site/maintenance manager.
PG: What are some of the features that make this pump so special?
CE: The built-in tank has a specially designed filter system that keeps all the debris in one secure area, reducing the cost of clearing the debris, which is more expensive with gravity drain systems. Eliminating blockages caused by debris prevents flooding, potential safety issues and down time. By collecting all the debris in one easy to remove location, we eliminate the need for annual drainage clearance.
PG: What are some benefits stores can realize by installing the HDP condensate pump?
CE: The overarching benefit is that the technology identifies problems and alerts store personnel before the pump stops. For example, the system can tell if a discharge hose is restricted or disconnects, if there is more condensation than the case pump can handle, or if the electricity fails. Because the problem is reported instantaneously, the pump keeps working — and that reduces the downtime and potentially prevents slip and fall accidents.
Retailers also can move floor-based refrigerated display cases to new locations without having to install new and expensive drains. And the installation costs are lower than those of standard drain or vacuum systems, with a much lower ROI payback period.
PG: Does this pump work in any store?
CE: Every installation is different, but thanks to the AI technology, the system learns the environment within the first 10 cycles, no matter the footprint or existing equipment. The pumps can be used in both new installations and retrofitted to existing equipment.
We’ve designed it to work with newer refrigeration equipment and older equipment, such as those using trays to evaporate condensation; the latter will realize astronomical in savings in energy costs because our smart condensate pump can reduce energy consumption by as much as 79 percent when compared to electric evaporator trays! The smart pump uses substantially less power than an electric evaporator pan and generates minimal heat. That prevents an increase in humidity and the hidden energy costs that can result from increased heat generation from the evaporator heater source and increased humidity from the condensate being evaporated.
BOTTOM LINE: Grocery stores that use our smart AI-powered, low-profile HDP-AI-X condensate pump will realize flexibility to move floor-based islands around, lower maintenance costs, and lower energy costs when replacing energy evaporation systems, too.
To learn more, visit hartell.com.