A large Victorian dairy processing facility urgently required a temporary chiller for dairy plant cooling after a failure within its ammonia refrigeration system caused the loss of cooling to refrigerated storage areas.
The call came through on a Sunday, only days before Christmas. Temperature-sensitive dairy products were already being affected and the facility required temporary cooling as quickly as possible.
Aircon Rentals mobilised four air-cooled chillers with a combined installed capacity of 1,000kW. Equipment was dispatched on Sunday, an Aircon Rentals technician arrived the following day, and the temporary system was commissioned that night.
Temporary air-cooled chillers installed outside the dairy processing facility.
Project Overview
- Location: Victoria
- Industry: Dairy Manufacturing
- Application: Refrigerated production and cold storage
- Project Type: Emergency refrigeration plant failure
- Installed Chiller Capacity: 1,000kW
- Response: Equipment dispatched on Sunday
- Commissioning: Temporary cooling operating the following night
- Project Duration: Approximately 8 months
Equipment Supplied
- 2 x 300kW air-cooled chillers
- 2 x 200kW air-cooled chillers
- External circulation pumps
- Temporary switchboards
- Flexible hoses and connection equipment
- Remote monitoring
The Challenge
The facility’s ammonia refrigeration system had experienced a major failure, leaving refrigerated production and storage areas without their normal source of cooling.
The facility stored temperature-sensitive products including milk and other dairy products, so extended refrigeration downtime had the potential to result in further product losses.
Timing was particularly difficult because the failure occurred immediately before Christmas.
The facility needed a temporary system installed quickly enough to restore glycol cooling to the existing refrigeration infrastructure while repairs to the permanent plant were organised.
Emergency Mobilisation
Aircon Rentals received the request on Sunday.
Four chillers with a combined installed capacity of 1,000kW were prepared and dispatched to Victoria that afternoon.
An Aircon Rentals technician flew to the site on Monday morning and joined the installation team already preparing the temporary connections.
The chillers were positioned outside the plant room near the facility’s loading area and connected into the existing glycol circuit.
Installation continued into the evening because the facility needed cooling restored that day.
Commissioning the Temporary System
The equipment and glycol circuit were prepared for operation before the chillers were progressively commissioned.
As flow through the existing system was increased, the team identified an additional hydraulic constraint. Although large connections were available outside the building, the internal pipework reduced significantly once it entered the facility.
This restriction created additional pressure loss and limited the glycol flow available to the temporary chillers.
Operating all four chillers simultaneously resulted in flow faults, so the Aircon Rentals technician adjusted the operating configuration and operated three chillers instead.
This configuration provided sufficient cooling to achieve the facility’s required glycol temperature of approximately -5°C.
Temporary glycol pump and hose connections used to support the emergency chiller installation.
Connecting Into the Existing Refrigeration System
The temporary chillers supplied glycol to approximately 13 existing cooling units serving refrigerated areas throughout the facility.
The existing cooling units continued to distribute cold air through the storage areas, while the Aircon Rentals chillers temporarily replaced the cooling normally provided by the failed ammonia refrigeration plant.
This meant the temporary equipment could support the existing refrigeration distribution system rather than requiring separate temporary cooling equipment throughout each storage area.
From Emergency Hire to Long-Term Temporary Cooling
The initial requirement was an emergency response, but repairs to the permanent refrigeration plant took considerably longer than expected.
The temporary chiller installation ultimately remained at the facility for approximately 8 months.
During this period, Aircon Rentals remotely monitored the chillers.
When alarms or trips occurred, technicians could review equipment operation remotely and reset alarms where appropriate, supporting the system throughout the extended hire period.
The Outcome
Temporary cooling was restored the day after the initial emergency call, allowing refrigerated areas within the facility to return to controlled operating temperatures.
The temporary chiller system then remained in service for approximately 8 months while the permanent refrigeration plant was repaired.
What began as a rapid emergency deployment became a long-term temporary cooling solution that supported the facility until its permanent refrigeration infrastructure was ready to return to service.
Project Results
- Emergency request received on a Sunday
- Equipment dispatched the same day
- 1,000kW of temporary chiller capacity installed
- Temporary cooling commissioned the following night
- Required glycol temperature of approximately -5°C achieved
- Existing refrigeration distribution equipment retained
- Hydraulic restrictions identified and operating configuration adjusted on site
- Approximately 8 months of temporary cooling provided
- Remote monitoring used throughout the extended deployment
Need Emergency Cooling for a Food Processing Facility?
A refrigeration plant failure can quickly put temperature-sensitive products and production at risk.
Aircon Rentals supplies temporary chillers, pumps, hoses, electrical distribution and remote monitoring for emergency and planned cooling requirements across food and beverage manufacturing facilities throughout Australia.
Call 1800 626 996, available 24/7, or contact Aircon Rentals to discuss your temporary cooling requirements.