Danfoss Supports OEMs Building New Online Grocery Applications With Their Refrigerated Click-And-Collect Lockers

With the rise of new online grocery fulfillment models, Danfoss has the application development facilities, industry expertise, and a comprehensive product portfolio, in order to support OEMs developing refrigeration solutions for new food retail models, such as outdoor refrigerated lockers.

The acceleration in online grocery shopping, during the COVID-19 pandemic, has seen retailers look for viable alternatives to costly and labor-intensive home delivery models.

Refrigerated Click-And-Collect Lockers

Promising options include placing refrigerated click-and-collect lockers in convenient outdoor locations or expanding drive-ins pickup points, outside the store, both fully connected to the store’s monitoring system.

Designing the lockers, in particular, presents manufacturers with several new challenges

Designing the lockers, in particular, presents manufacturers with several new challenges. To ensure retailers meet HACCP guidelines, accurate temperature control is needed to accommodate different kinds of product, while still remaining highly efficient.

Using Low-GWP Refrigerant

Similarly, many lockers will be located outside, so they need to be reliable, robust, and easy to monitor at range. And, as refrigerant regulations tighten, using low-GWP refrigerant will be the key to ensure the solution is future-proof.

With its comprehensive product portfolio, testing and development facilities, and experienced application experts, Danfoss can help OEMs meet these considerations and achieve:

• Precise temperature control and cooling quality: Smart sensors, electronic controllers, IoT enablers can link the locker to Danfoss cloud services (or any existing central monitoring system), thereby providing 24/7 remote temperature monitoring and alarms for 365 days a year.
• Meanwhile, Danfoss’ large portfolio of fixed and variable-speed scroll and reciprocating compressors, and condensing units can meet any application requirements and deliver high cooling quality and safety.
• Minimal environmental impact: Corrosion-resistant micro-channel heat exchangers (MCHE) can reduce refrigerant charge. And, with an entire refrigeration portfolio qualified with A2L refrigerants, as well as A3, it is ensured that the designs are future proof, as the refrigerant regulations tighten.
• High energy efficiency and reliability: Along with MCHE, Danfoss offers ball, solenoid, and expansion valves in a wide range of sizes and connection types. With an electronic thermostat and electronic controller, a higher accuracy of the temperature, as well as optimizing the compressor, fan, or defrost control is ensured. This generates higher efficiency and in turn, reduces energy costs.
• Durability in even the most rugged applications: Danfoss products are highly durable and already used in harsh, rugged environments, such as refrigerated road transport and reefer shipping containers.

Support For OEMs

Hans Ole Matthiesen, the Head of Global Refrigeration Marketing at Danfoss, said “At Danfoss, we love sustainable, innovative design and the new refrigerated lockers we’re helping OEMs to develop show exactly that. But, they can be complex to build. It’s like fitting an entire supermarket into a closet.”

He adds, “That’s one of the reasons we’re so excited to support OEMs, with our broad range of products, and extensive testing and development facilities. We also have deep experience in this area. So, whether you need to improve durability or energy efficiency, or need technical support, we can help.”