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Display refrigeration units play a crucial role in commercial settings where perishable items need to be showcased while maintaining cold storage conditions. These units not only provide easy visibility and access for customers but also help preserve the freshness and visual appeal of the products. In this blog post, we will explore the various types of display refrigeration units commonly used in commercial establishments, shedding light on their features and applications to help you when it comes to choosing your commercial refrigeration solutions.

1. Reach-In Display Refrigerators

Reach-in display refrigerators are a staple in supermarkets, convenience stores, and grocery shops. These upright refrigerators come with transparent glass doors or open fronts, allowing customers to see the products inside. With adjustable shelving to accommodate different item sizes, they are perfect for displaying beverages, dairy products, pre-packaged foods, and more. Reach-in refrigerators strike a balance between visibility and storage capacity, making them an essential choice for retailers.

2. Open Display Cases

Ideal for delis, bakeries, and restaurants, open display cases create an interactive shopping experience for customers. These refrigerated units have open fronts, enabling shoppers to directly access and select their desired items. Commonly used to showcase fresh meats, seafood, salads, and desserts, open display cases provide maximum visibility and encourage customer engagement. The units are designed to maintain proper temperature levels while ensuring an attractive presentation.

3. Deli Cases

Deli cases are specifically designed for delis, sandwich shops, and cafeterias. Featuring curved glass fronts, these refrigerated display cases offer a panoramic view of deli products such as cold cuts, cheeses, salads, and more. The adjustable shelving in deli cases accommodates a variety of product shapes and sizes. With precise temperature and humidity controls, deli cases preserve the freshness and quality of the items, enticing customers with their appealing displays.

4. Bakery Display Cases

Bakery display cases are a must-have for bakeries, pastry shops, and cafes. These units are tailored to showcase baked goods, including cakes, pastries, bread, and desserts. With adjustable shelving, lighting, and humidity controls, bakery display cases enhance the visual appeal and preserve the freshness of baked items. The transparent glass front allows customers to admire the delectable treats while maintaining ideal storage conditions.

5. Wine Coolers

Wine coolers are specifically designed for wine shops, liquor stores, restaurants, and bars. These units maintain specific temperature and humidity levels critical for preserving the quality of wine. Wine coolers often feature adjustable shelving or specialised racks to accommodate different bottle sizes. With tinted glass doors or internal lighting, they create an attractive display while protecting the wine from harmful UV rays. Wine enthusiasts appreciate the careful attention these units provide to their beloved collections.

6. Ice Cream Freezers

Ice cream freezers are a delightful addition to ice cream shops, grocery stores, and restaurants. These units are tailored to store and display frozen desserts. Typically featuring transparent glass tops or sliding lids, ice cream freezers allow customers to see the available flavours. These freezers maintain extremely low temperatures to keep the ice cream frozen and may include adjustable shelving or compartments for efficient organisation. The combination of visibility and preservation helps businesses attract ice cream lovers.

7. Countertop Display Fridges

Countertop display fridges are compact refrigeration units commonly found in cafes, coffee shops, and retail establishments. Placed on countertops, these fridges provide easy access to chilled beverages, sandwiches, salads, and other grab-and-go items. With transparent glass doors or open fronts, they maximise visibility, enticing customers with enticing displays. Countertop display fridges are compact and space-saving, making them perfect for businesses with limited counter space.

8. Undercounter Refrigerators

Undercounter refrigerators are compact units that fit seamlessly beneath countertops or work surfaces. Popular in bars, restaurants, and food service areas, these refrigerators store chilled beverages, garnishes, and frequently accessed items. Undercounter refrigerators prioritise accessibility while conserving valuable floor space. Equipped with transparent glass or solid doors and adjustable shelving, they blend functionality with convenience.

When it comes to display refrigeration, businesses have a wide range of options to choose from. Each type of unit serves a specific purpose, catering to the needs of different industries. Whether it’s reach-in display refrigerators, open display cases, deli cases, bakery display cases, wine coolers, ice cream freezers, countertop display fridges, or undercounter refrigerators, businesses can select the right units to showcase their perishable items while ensuring optimal storage conditions. By investing in these display refrigeration units, you can attract customers with visually appealing displays and maintain the quality of products. Not sure which commercial refrigeration system is right for your business?

Get in touch with JR Cooling. Our leading experts in commercial refrigeration will be able to guide you to the right refrigeration solution for your needs.
At JR Cooling, we have over 30+ 5 star reviews on Google! We’ve committed to offering the best refrigeration products and commercial refrigeration services throughout the Midlands.

Commercial refrigeration has many uses across a range of industries, meaning there are now a wide range of commercial fridge and freezer products on the market which all have their own unique advantages. With businesses such as supermarkets, warehouses, restaurants, office buildings, restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and many more requiring their own commercial fridge and freezer systems, it can be difficult to determine which product is right for you.

At JR Cooling we want to help you find the perfect industrial refrigeration solution for your business, find out about the range of commercial cooling systems on the market today, as well as which one best fits your specific needs, specifications and ventilation requirements.

Cold Rooms

One of the most popular commercial refrigeration services, cold rooms are walk-in refrigerated storage spaces that are generally smaller than 3,000 square feet, making them the largest refrigerator on this list. They can either function as walk-in freezers or refrigerators and can even be specialised for different industries based on its temperature range, meat cold rooms for example.

Cold rooms have a much greater capacity than most other types of refrigerator due to their large size, making them ideal for larger kitchens, food production and storage facilities who need to store more produce. Most cold rooms also use an electromechanical thermostat which keep it at the customer’s desired temperature. Having such an accurate level of temperature control can be beneficial for seasonal businesses, who need to store things at different temperatures throughout the year.

Walk-in coolers are also more convenient than standard reach-in refrigerators as you can keep food organised and in its place, making it easier to get what you need from the fridge faster than if you had to move objects around in a smaller fridge, which is great for fast-paced kitchen and service environments. Larger companies can also organise products more efficiently by having multiple cold rooms to store each category of products, having one cooler for meat, one for fresh produce and one for drinks all set at their ideal temperatures for example.

Finally, commercial cold rooms can save floor space as they come in a range of shapes and sizes, and can even be custom-built to fit the dimensions you require. They can also be modified internally to feature your desired layout of shelving units, giving you more valuable use out of your space. This makes them ideal for businesses who need a lot of fridge space but don’t have room for lots of chunky, less efficient reach-in commercial fridges.

Blast Chillers

Similar to a cold room, except blast chillers are specifically designed to quickly reduce the temperature of already hot or warm food, preserving its quality. This can significantly optimise the preparation process and cooking timescales of a busy kitchen by allowing food to be pre-prepared at less busy times and served later, saving businesses both time and money.

It can also help to reduce unnecessary food waste. The quick cooling process reduces deterioration from bacteria and preserves vitamins and flavour in compliance with government Food Safety Standards. As larger quantities of ingredients can be purchased, prepared and chilled for storage the business will be able to sell more of its produce and waste less food overtime. 

The fast chilling process can also prevent food shrinkage, retaining a food product’s moisture by reducing the natural evaporation that takes place when food is left to cool in a natural environment.

Blast Freezers

Blast freezers are the same as blast chillers, except instead of cooling they are designed to freeze food in a very short amount of time to maintain its cellular structure. This allows businesses to cool and freeze larger volumes of food at a much faster rate than a conventional commercial freezer.

It’s reliable temperature control ensures your goods stay at a temperature of at least -18°C or below. It’s safe and dependable temperature control system means that it’s contents can be stored for a period of 3 to 18 months depending on the product. This means seasonal fruits and vegetables, fish and meat products, and even tissue and cell cultures, vaccines and other medicine can be effectively preserved for extended periods of time.

Due to the speed at which it freezes its contents, the crystallisation process which occurs when food is frozen in conventional freezers is bypassed, maintaining the product quality and taste more accurately than a standard commercial freezer system can.

Display Fridges

A display fridge is a commercial refrigerator with a glass door designed to display food to customers and give them access to chilled products. You commonly see them in sandwich shops and convenience stores to display fresh bakery products and drinks.

Displaying items in a fridge with a glass door shields the products from physical contact with customers, keeping fresh produce hygienic and safe for consumption. Allowing customers to see the products in front of them also acts as a good marketing technique, encouraging impulse sales and advertising your products to customers while they are in your store to increase sales. The internal lighting also helps to make food look more appetising to customers, encouraging them to purchase it.

The design is also more energy efficient, as the refrigerator doesn’t need to be opened to see what’s inside which can let cold air out. This reduces the strain on the compressor and maintains a steady internal temperature inside the refrigerator, making your display fridge last longer.

Undercounter Refrigerators

Like it says in the name, under counter refrigerators are small-sized, compact appliances designed to fit under a kitchen counter or desk. They are ideal for office settings and small kitchens who don’t have a lot of room for a large commercial refrigerating system.

They come in a range of designs and finishes to compliment any style of kitchen, and can even be designed to blend in with surrounding counters and cupboards. Perfect for small businesses who need the same intense, commercial-grade cooling power of a standard size reach-in refrigerator.

Bar Fridges

Bar fridges are compact, portable, commonly cuboid in shape and come with a glass door to allow customers to see their contents – think of a mix between an undercounter refrigerator and a display fridge.

The small size, front ventilation and easy to move design makes it perfect for use behind a bar area. They usually have quite a large capacity, so they are able to store various drinks and supplies that a standard bar needs. Like display fridges, the glass door is also an effective way of advertising the products inside to customers at the bar.

Refrigerated Prep Tables

The final commercial refrigeration system on this list is a refrigerated prep table. This fridge system is contained within a kitchen prep table, equipped with casters for easy manoeuvrability; it is an ideal solution for a busy kitchen with limited space.

These fridges commonly have large temperature ranges, making them suitable for the storage of many types of produce, one of the key reasons why this option is favoured by most restaurant and food service businesses. This is the perfect solution for companies who don’t want to compromise food preparation surfaces with large floor to ceiling refrigerators.
Now you should hopefully have some sort of idea of the commercial fridge system best suited to your businesses, but if not don’t worry! Simply get in touch with a member of the team here at JR Cooling for expert advice, guidance and a free quote for your business’s bespoke commercial refrigeration solution today!

Commercial Air Conditioning systems are widely used in a range of commercial properties to control the levels of heat and humidity in the building, and often playing an essential role in ensuring the environment is comfortable for both workers and customers alike.

JR Cooling have been specialists in air conditioning design and installation for over 30 years, so we understand how important it is to choose the most effective air conditioning installation for your property – which is why we’ve created this helpful guide to help you understand the differences between each type of commercial air conditioning, so you can select the best option for your various needs and business requirements.

The Basics of Commercial Air Conditioning

All commercial air conditioning units work by circulating a refrigerant which cools and dehumidifies the warm air that enters the unit, before releasing it back into the space it originally came from.

Understanding the key components that make up commercial air conditioning units help us to understand the key differences between each type:

Evaporator coil – The evaporator coil holds the chilled refrigerant which removes the heat and moisture from the air through the process of evaporation.

Condenser coil – The condenser coil removes and releases the heat from the refrigerant into the outdoor air as it condenses.

Compressor – The compressor is the part of the system which circulates the refrigerant between the two coils.

Fans – The fans are placed on the outside of the unit and pull the air through the coils so that the heat can be dispersed.

Air Filters – Air filters trap dust, pollen and other airborne particles as the air moves though the system.

Monoblock Air Conditioners

Monoblock air conditioning units are the most basic type of commercial air conditioning available, containing both sets of coils in a single unit. They are commonly installed indoors with a simple exhaust pipe attached through the wall to move the heat outside.

As all the components of a monoblock air conditioner are combined into a single unit, they are relatively cheap and easier to install than other types of commercial air conditioning systems available.

These models can also be portable if the exhaust pipe is not attached through the wall, allowing them to be moved into different rooms depending on which areas need cooling. However, this can make monoblock air conditioners less efficient than other types of air conditioners because heat that is not effectively dispersed through a portable ac unit can leak back into the room.

Monoblock air conditioners can either be portable, wall mounted, floor mounted or spot coolers. While portable monoblock units don’t require any mounting, which can make them cheaper and easier to install, they are often noisy and have limited cooling capacities.

Wall mounted monoblock air conditioners, as the name suggests, can be installed on the wall with two pipes attached to transfer the heat to the outside, perfect for buildings with planning restrictions who can’t install more complex air conditioning models. Floor mounted air conditioners are installed similarly to wall mounted air conditioners except, as you probably guessed, are installed on the ground level.

Spot Coolers have many applications. They are designed for heavy-duty industrial processes, such as on aircraft and ships, but can also be used in classrooms and medical centres where a certain spot or room needs to be targeted for cooling – hence the name “Spot Cooler.” By using snout pipes to transport cool air, these monoblock air conditioners can also provide cooling to rooms they are not physically in. 

Single Split Air Conditioner Systems

Single split air conditioning systems are one of the most common types of commercial air conditioning systems due to its simplicity and low cost. It consists of two units, one indoors and one outside the building.

The outdoor unit contains the compressor, the condenser coil and the expansion valve, while the indoor unit contains the evaporator coil, the fans and the air filters. As all of the components which make noise are stored in the external unit, the indoor unit of a split system is quieter and less distracting than a monoblock air conditioner.

The outdoor unit is usually installed directly onto the exterior wall of the room it cools and is connected to the indoor unit using electrical wires and copper tubing, meaning no ductwork is required. This makes single-split air conditioners cheaper and easier to install than a central heating system, perfect for small commercial buildings such as cafés, restaurants and small offices who only require heating and cooling in individual rooms.

As every indoor unit requires an outdoor unit, you need to make sure you have enough external wall space to contain as many outdoor units as needed for your indoor units. This makes single split systems more suited for smaller applications, as it may be impractical for larger commercial properties to strap loads of industrial air conditioning units to the outside of their building, and can also affect the appearance of the building’s exterior.

However, as each single split system is self-contained, if you do choose to install multiple units you don’t need to worry about large-scale breakdowns. If one of your systems break down the others won’t be affected as they function independently of each other, making it a safe choice for businesses who require a more reliable commercial air conditioning solution.

Multi-Split Air Conditioner Systems

These type of air conditioning systems work in the same way as single-split air conditioners, except each indoor unit doesn’t require its own outdoor unit. Multiple indoor units, typically up to about 9, can all be connected to one single, larger outdoor unit. This makes multi-split air conditioning systems perfect for larger office spaces, retail shops, doctors surgeries restaurants and other buildings with many rooms or multiple floors. 

Multi-split systems are also more technologically advanced than other types of air conditioning systems, with inverter technology allowing the compressor to operate at variable speeds depending on the different heating requirements throughout the day, as well as sensors which can detect changers in temperature to adjust the heating or cooling output, helping to cut down on how much energy is consumed.

However, due to the increased complexity of multi-split air conditioning systems and the increased amount of pipework it takes to connect multiple units, the cost and length of time it takes for the installation is higher than the systems we’ve previously talked about, which can make it less economical for smaller businesses to choose a multi-split system over a single-split system.

Although, for larger companies looking to invest in a more efficient air conditioning solution, a multi-split system can be cost-effective overtime thanks to the heat pumps within the system which can focus on cooling and heating separate areas at the same time, saving you money and energy in the long-run which would otherwise be wasted.

The need for fewer outdoor units also allows you to preserve the appearance your building’s exterior while still achieving a high-level of air conditioning inside. It also removes any limitations on the types of indoor units you can choose to install as you can have any combination of wall and ceiling mounted AC units all connected to the same external unit.

VRV/VRF Air Conditioner Systems

Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV) and Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems both refer to the same type of air conditioning system. Consisting of outdoor condenser units and indoor fan coil units the same way as traditional aircon units, VRF differentiates itself by incorporating several smaller air handlers which can be individually controlled and piped back to a single system.

This allows you to control the amount of refrigerant that flows to each of these smaller air handlers, where the name ‘Variable Refrigerant Flow’ comes from. This makes this air-cooled AC solution the most efficient choice for medium to larger-sized properties such as a mixed-use building or hotels where the temperature needs to be controlled across a number of individual rooms.

VRF systems can either be heat pump systems or heat recovery systems. Heat pump systems can provide heating and cooling but not both at the same time, ideal for more open-plan areas where all zones will be either cooled or heated. Heat recovery systems allow both heating and cooling to occur simultaneously, perfect for buildings with a number of individual rooms. It is called a heat recovery system as it operates by collecting waste heat from other areas of the building and using it to heat other rooms.

Due to the complex zonal cooling and heating control, which allows for complete temperature control of the local environment, VRF air conditioning systems are more expensive to purchase and install than other, more simple AC units. You may also need to consider investing in a back-up condenser, as if all of the internal units are connected to the same outside unit, a break-down in the external unit can lead to the whole VRF system failing.

CAV and VAV Air Conditioning Systems

Unlike the types of air conditioning systems mentioned previously, these type of AC systems refer to differences in the types of compressor used within each system, rather than the air handling units (AHU) or the layout of the system itself. This means that any of the previous systems can also be CAV or VAV, depending on your heating and cooling requirements.

Constant Air Volume Systems

Constant Air Volume (CAV) air conditioning systems keep a constant airflow by using a compressor which operates at full capacity until the temperature required in the building is achieved. CAV systems are better suited for single-zone applications where the environment experiences a minimal change over-time, such as in commercial buildings where single-split aircon units are used.

Their design makes them ideal for commercial spaces where temperatures are required to remain constant for longer periods of time, such as manufacturing and warehouse facilities.

Variable Air Volume Systems

While CAV systems supply a constant airflow at a variable temperature, Variable Air Volume (VAV) air conditioning systems vary the airflow depending on the temperature of the room by increasing or decreasing the fan speed and refrigerant flow to maintain consistent temperatures and increase energy efficiency. 

This makes VAV systems more suitable for spaces with varying heating and cooling needs and variable ventilation loads, and is used in a wider range of applications such as arenas, shopping centres, libraries, hospital and most other multi-zone applications. 

Commercial Air Conditioning Solutions with JR Cooling

You should now hopefully have a better understanding of the commercial air conditioning solutions available for your business and which one is best suited to your business’ size requirements and heating and cooling needs.
However, if you’re still unsure about which commercial air conditioning service is right for you don’t worry! JR Cooling’s heating and cooling engineers are on-hand to help with expert advice and guidance to ensure you get the best AC system for your business. Simply get in touch with a member of our team today and you can receive a free quote on any of our leading AC design and installation services today!