Ralph’s Supermercado y Mayorista (Supermarket and Wholesaler) has opened the “first-ever” CO2 (R744)-based supermarket in Puerto Rico, according to Chris Dion, Regional Sales Manager at Hillphoenix.
The store, which was built inside of a decommissioned K-Mart in the San Juan suburbs, opened in December 2024. The retailer operates 12 stores on the eastern side of Puerto Rico.
“The initial energy consumption numbers [of the new store] are promising compared to a separate location of similar size in Puerto Rico with an R404A system,” Dion told Natural Refrigerants. “We are seeing a 30% drop in overall KWh consumption.”
System specifications: Two mechanical CO2 systems service the store.
- Rack A provides 48.8TR (171.6kW) of medium-temperature (MT) capacity.
- Rack B provides low-temperature and MT capabilities with a capacity of 53.8TR (189.2kW).
Regional issues: High year-round temperatures and humidity create refrigeration challenges on the island, with summer highs averaging 88°F (31.1°C) with over 90% humidity. In addition, Dion reports that the instability of the electrical system makes power outages and brownouts common.
- “The CO2 system uses heat reclaim to address operational concerns,” Dion said, with rack A providing potable hot water using double-wall heat exchangers and rack B equipped with a hydronic pump skid to supply warm fluid for dehumidification.
- Adiabatic gas coolers, supplied by U.S.-based manufacturer Baltimore Aircoil Company, cut compressor operation.
- According to Dion, Hillphoenix also provided a centralized “Power Wall” with building automation and multiple redundant safety mechanisms to protect the refrigerant system and charge.
Other applications: Several companies report successful applications of CO2 systems in similar situations in Latin America.
- The energy models simulated by Italian OEM Dorin in seven Latin American cities show that systems using natural refrigerants, including CO2, are more efficient than those with R449A.
- According to Güntner, a German heat exchanger manufacturer, transcritical CO2 refrigeration systems are up to 18.6% more efficient than R404A in hot climates like Monterrey, Mexico.
- As of December 2023, Italian OEM Arneg has installed roughly 68 transcritical CO2 systems in Latin America. An integrated HVAC&R system installed in La Chorrera, Panama, provides a 12% energy savings over a similar store functioning with independent CO2 refrigeration and a packaged HVAC system.
Quotable: “We see considerable interest in this location and the associated CO2 equipment due to the high electrical costs in Puerto Rico,” said Dion. “The impressive operational data has the end user looking toward future expansions and retrofits/remodels.”
