“Our remit with Hotelympia 2012 was to put on a show befitting of the foodservice and hospitality industry's determination and strength of character to innovate through potentially tough times - a celebration of all that is best about our business,” said Toby Wand, group exhibition director at show organiser Fresh Montgomery.

 

 

One of the key hydrocarbon products launched at this year’s Hotelympia was the Williams Prep Well, a mobile unit designed to help caterers with the makeup of pizzas, salads and sandwiches. The new Prep Well uses R290 hydrocarbon refrigerant (below the 150g threshold) and high-density polyurethane foam insulation, both of which has minimal Global Warming Potential and zero Ozone Depletion Potential. 

 

The mobile Prep Well is highly flexible and compact, ideally suited for sites that have to replenish ingredients from the cold-room but that have no room for a conventional prep counter with wells. All components are ethically sourced and the unit is 98% recyclable.

 

 

Compared to traditional systems the Prep Well energy consumption is reduced by up to 15%, thanks to the combination of the hydrocarbon refrigerant and the Prep Well’s highly efficient EC fans. The Prep Well’s CoolSmart controller also minimises energy consumption, by up to a further 15%, through processes such as fan and heater pulsing, intelligent defrost and the independent management of evaporator and condenser fans.

 

Hoshizaki, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of ice machines, showcased their FM 481 AGE-HC hydrocarbon icemaker at this year’s Hotelympia. Using a total charge of only 156gr of R290 within a dual system whereas the equivalent R404a version utilises a charge of 770gr, the icemaker’s energy consumption is lowered by up to 20% in one unit, which also reduces carbon emissions from energy suppliers and saves on operators running costs.

 

LIEBHERR, the first manufacturer to use hydrocarbon refrigerants as standard throughout their commercial range of refrigeration, displayed their selection of commercial refrigeration and wine storage cabinets, which thanks to the use of hydrocarbons also function more efficiently than other systems. In addition, number of LIEBHERR models are now listed with the Carbon Trust / Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme (ECA), through which end users can claim up to 100% of their capital outlay against taxable profits within the first year of purchasing a listed models. 

 

 

Among the finalists battling it out in this year’s Hotelpympia Innovation Award were natural refrigerant specialists Adande Refrigeration and Iglu Cold Systems Ltd, both nominated in the Equipment category. After pitching their ideas to a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style industry panel, Adande Refrigeration emerged as the winner, impressing dragon’s with their Compact under-counter refrigeration unit, designed to also use hydrocarbon R600. 

 

Adande also launched their new Mark II VCS2CWR2, which in like for like tests in restaurant usage has shown 19% in energy savings, using R600a hydrocarbon refrigerant in freezer mode. The VCS2CWR2 uses just 80gr of R600a per unit, less than the charge of a gas lighter.