Dr Andy Pearson to present new research on refrigeration technology innovations and energy efficiency at the Herrick Conferences 2024

Dr Andy Pearson is set to play a significant role at the prestigious Herrick Conferences 2024, which will take place from 15th -18th July 2024 in West Lafayette, Indiana. The event encompasses the 27th International Compressor Engineering Conference, the 20th International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference, and the 8th International High Performance Buildings Conference.

Hosted by the Ray W. Herrick Laboratories at Purdue University and co-sponsored by The International Institute of Refrigeration, the conference promises to be a key event for industry professionals worldwide.

With over 800 industry experts from 30 countries meeting at Purdue University to present cutting-edge research, exchange ideas, and network, the conference offers an unparalleled opportunity for practitioners, government officials, educators, and industry researchers to find solutions to the global challenges facing society today.

Dr Andy Pearson, said, “I am delighted to be returning to Purdue to participate in this year's Herrick Conference. By presenting our latest research and developments and collaborating with leading experts in the field, we hope to share valuable insights and contribute to the advancement of sustainable cooling and heat pump technologies. Our focus will be on sharing technical research and presenting real-world examples of how our engineering work has significantly improved the efficiency and sustainability of cold stores and process refrigeration plants.”

Leveraging his extensive expertise and in-depth knowledge of the industrial refrigeration and heat pump market, Dr Pearson will facilitate discussions and share research findings with the global community through multiple roles, including presenter, session chair, and panellist.

On the first day of the conference, Monday 15th July at 2:00 pm (EDT), Dr Pearson will present the paper entitled ‘Validation of Performance for a Novel Compressor-Expander Concept’ during the session on Novel Compressors (C-02). This groundbreaking research introduces a dual-function mechanism that can be adapted for use as a compressor or as an expander. The novel concept combines the benefits of both reciprocating and screw compressors and expanders and offers significant advancements over traditional models. The paper is co-authored with engineers from FeTu Ltd, the developers of the FeTu Turbine.

The results of detailed modelling of performance in both modes will be presented in the form of graphs of isentropic and volumetric efficiency plotted against pressure ratio and pressure difference. These will also be compared and contrasted with equivalent graphs for conventional types of compressor.

Additionally, the validation of the model results against performance data measured on a test cell designed to enable rapid testing across a range of operating conditions will be discussed. The presentation will also cover how the comparison has been used to fine-tune the model, enabling other configurations of compressor and expander to be simulated.

Finally, the presentation will include proposals for future development plans and possible new applications for this innovative technology.

On the following day, Tuesday 16th July from 4pm - 6pm (EDT), Dr Pearson will chair the High-Temperature Heat Pump session (R-16), which will cover a range of topics, including maximum achievable temperatures, their role in decarbonising buildings and industry and performance outcomes of water-ammonia, R-1336mzz(Z) and butane heat pump systems.

On Wednesday 17th July, starting at 8:30 am (EDT) in the Loeb Theatre, Dr Pearson will participate as a panellist alongside Dr Brian Fricke, Dr Min Soo Kim, and Dr Jason Woods in the Refrigeration Conferences Plenary Panel. The panel will focus on the 'State of the Art and Global Outlook of Refrigeration, AC, and HP Compressors' which is set to offer an overview of current trends and innovations in refrigeration technology as well as valuable insights into the future of the industry.

Later that day, at 1:20 pm (EDT), Dr Pearson will reveal his findings from his six years of research on ‘Refrigeration system performance assessment for food processing and storage’ during the session on Commercial & Industrial Refrigeration (R-22).

His paper focuses on work conducted since 2018 and investigates the measurement and presentation of cold store and process refrigeration plant efficiency. It highlights the massive variation in cold store performance across notionally similar facilities, the significant amount of energy wastage, and the opportunities for improvement. His presentation will reflect on the stark contrast between best in class and worst performing facilities in terms of energy use, with discrepancies as high as a factor of 10. Moreover, the discrepancies appear to be even greater in process freezing and chilling equipment.

The objective of this research work is to provide facility owners and operators with a mechanism for assessing plant performance and benchmarking it against past performance and other facilities. Dr Pearson will introduce a method for forecasting the annualised effect of performance improvement interventions and provide case study examples of successful improvements.

Additionally, he will outline a roadmap for adopting these techniques and a method of expressing the results in financial terms in order to aid capital investment planning. He will also introduce a new business model, designed to overcome the barriers to the adoption of this methodology.

Star Refrigeration’s participation at the Purdue Refrigeration Conference, led by Dr Andy Pearson, is part of the company’s wider commitment to disseminating knowledge, fostering innovation and collaborating on international events to contribute to the sector's progress and sustainability.

The Herrick Conferences are a global gathering of the top minds in compressor engineering, refrigeration, air conditioning and high-performance buildings.

To find out more information about the Herrick Conferences 2024 and to register, visit 2024 Conferences - Ray W. Herrick Laboratories - Purdue University

To learn more about Star Refrigeration, visit www.star-ref.co.uk