Piping System Beefs Up Meat Processing Plant's Refrigeration System
Polypropylene-random (PP-R) piping played an important role in the completion of a refrigeration project at an Ohio beef and pork processing plant. The project began in September 2017, and the piping portion was completed in January 2018. On this project, Aquatherm Blue Pipe® SDR 17.6 MF, 0.75-inch through 14-inch, was used to carry a secondary refrigerant (glycol) throughout the 500,000-square-foot facility. The glycol, which is used in the processing areas and shipping and receiving, is piped through the PP-R pipe at a frosty 22°F.
Jason Waters, senior project manager at Stellar Refrigeration in Jacksonville, Florida, is a strong proponent of prefabrication to save time and labor on the job site. On this project, Stellar and the refrigeration contractor, AC General, took full advantage of the pipe’s ability to be fabricated off-site and the pipe’s light weight, hanging 436 prefabricated spools 25-30 feet above the floor.