The operation and components of our Semi Plug-in (SPI) System explained

With the SPI system from AHT, you receive a complete system for your food cooling and freezing needs, offering the option to couple the waste heat with heating or hot water processing. With this one-stop solution, AHT provides an efficient and compatible system for your market—it doesn’t get any simpler than this. Step by step, we guide you through the modules, components, and functions of our innovative system, which is based on the natural refrigerant R290.We start with the plug-in cooling and freezing cabinets as well as ice cream units from AHT. These devices can be individually placed in the market and only need to be connected to the power supply. The diverse placement options ensure maximum flexibility and can be changed at any time as needed.AHT offers a comprehensive selection of cooling and freezing chests—exactly to your specifications.

Cooling & Freezing Cabinets

We start with the plug-in cooling and freezing cabinets as well as ice cream units from AHT. These devices can be individually placed in the market and only need to be connected to the power supply. The diverse placement options ensure maximum flexibility and can be changed at any time as needed.

AHT offers a comprehensive selection of cooling and freezing chests—exactly to your specifications.

Cooling & freezing units

In the next step, the AHT cooling and freezing devices are integrated and connected to the waste heat unit. AHT offers an extensive selection of cooling and freezing shelves, service counters, and other compatible devices. The waste heat generated during the cooling process is released into the ambient air.

All AHT cooling and freezing devices use the natural refrigerant R290. Within the circuit of the SPI system, a water-propylene glycol mixture is used.

Cold room aggregates

AHT offers a wide range of cold room units for your storage rooms. These are also integrated into the SPI system and operate in the same circuit as the cooling and freezing devices on your sales floor.

In the cooling cells, both compact and split units for cooling or freezing can be installed. The number of refrigeration units can be expanded as needed.

Hydraulic station & OSSM

With AHT, there is the possibility to use the waste heat from the cooling process wisely. For this purpose, a hydraulic station is installed, and the AHT OSSM (One Stop Solution Manager) is integrated. The OSSM acts as a control unit between the hydraulic station and the existing heating system and its components (fan coils, AHU, underfloor heating, backup heating systems) in your market. In addition to heating, hot water processing can also be integrated into the system.

When installing a split waste heat unit with an external pump station, the hydraulic station is usually installed next to the pump station, eliminating the need for a separate machine room. For compact waste heat units with an integrated pump station, the hydraulic station can be placed anywhere indoors. Optionally, there is also the possibility to mount the hydraulic station on a wall.

Heat Recovery

The heat generated by the cooling system is now supplied to the premises through the heating system. If the heating demand is higher than the supplied recovered heat, the brine temperature can be increased to cover a greater heat demand. This functionality comes into play during the colder seasons, reducing the heating load of the heating system and your costs.

Heat Pump

If raising the brine temperature is not sufficient to meet the heating demand, heat pumps can be integrated into the system. AHT offers air-to-water heat pumps as a backup system, which can also be used for cooling the commercial areas during the summer.

Alternatively, a water-to-water heat pump can be integrated into the ventilation system or the Air Handling Units to cover the additional heating demand.

A controller automatically decides which function (raising the brine temperature or activating the heat pump) is more efficient and controls the system accordingly.

The heat pump is integrated into the SPI system and is started only when needed. This reduces the heat pump’s utilization and effectively lowers your costs.

Operation mode summer

During the summer months, the reversible air-to-water heat pump functions for space cooling. In this process, the cooled air is directly fed into the heating system to cool the premises. The heat generated by the cooling and freezing system is discharged into the surroundings via the waste heat unit.

Active Monitoring System

With the Active Monitoring Ticketing System various data (Alarms, Data, Functionality, etc.) is reported to AHT to ensure the best possible operation of the units. The AMS can be setup or connected to an existing system if an interface is provided. With this essential add-on you are on the safe side and AHT supports you in its best possible way.

Summary

As you have now learned, our SPI system represents an energy-efficient solution that is designed with foresight. Our SPI system already meets all current and future FGAS regulations of the EU. AHT offers you individual consultation and professional project management to make your future-proof as well.