Door closer systems use spring-loaded assemblies to hasten the sealing cycle. These are mechanically tensioned components, plus there are pneumatic and hydraulic variants available. To all appearances, the product looks like a plain hinge and its accompanying housing. On closer inspection, there’s some real fluid and mechanical muscle backing coolroom and freezer door closing mechanisms.
Assures Threshold Continuity
A strict binary configuration rules coolroom doors. That entryway is engineered to be either open or closed. When open, the catering worker quickly walks into the chilled enclosure, accesses the stored commodity, then he closes the door. If it didn’t close, there’d be trouble. In plain speaking terms, the precisely maintained arctic environment inside the chamber would be destroyed because the enclosure seal was no longer functioning properly. Design engineers use a two-part engineering strategy to maintain seal continuity. It all begins with the door hinges.
Two-Part Door Closer Systems
First of all, this isn’t an application that tolerates wide open doors. The design prevents loosely yawning doors by installing spring-loaded hinges. Alternatively, depending on the size of the walk-in entryway, solid stainless steel hinges are fitted to the door frame. Either way, the heavily insulated panel should swing closed with little effort. Next, there’re all kinds of overlapping sections that might stop the door from closing all the way. A thick gasket may be warped, a strip of frame insulation could be deformed, or some foreign matter could be stopping the door. Door closing systems use a special latching assembly to sidestep these situations.
Introducing Latching Mechanisms
Basically, the hook segment is fastened to the coolroom entry frame. A roller mechanism is installed on the door, with its housing exactly aligned opposite the hook. When coolrooms and freezers close their access portals, the roller section snaps home into the hook. Naturally, these are stainless steel parts, not weak metal components, so the door closer systems cope easily with spring-loaded hinges or manually applied force. Of course, a hydraulic dampening mechanism within the primary closer assembly helps to augment that robust feature.
Accurately installed door closer systems prevent the “cracked open” conditions we accept in our homes. In the home, that circumstance loses energy, and the homeowner receives a commensurately higher electricity bill. In walk-in coolrooms and freezers, such an event causes food spoilage and product loss, so the door closure device must function as described. Happily, some advanced closers do include an electrical feedback feature, so the central control panel will raise the alarm if the door isn’t seated.
Alarm systems are employed when a sensor-equipped machine needs to catch a home occupant’s attention. They call out a warning so that we know a fire is spreading or carbon monoxide is silently filling a room. Coolroom warning bells satisfy a similar function. They exist to alert the kitchen staff of a failure, an event that’s threatening the chilled product. Here’s a peek into the functions and uses of these coolroom warning bells.
Equips the Coolroom with a Voice
A temperature management system is basically a feedback device. The temperature is set on a thermostat, a sensor records the thermal reading inside the sealed enclosure, and it’s fed back to the controller. If that temperature doesn’t match the thermostat’s setting, an alarm is sounded. It’s either a High-Temp or Low-Temp warning bell, an audible indicator that something has gone wrong. The kitchen personnel now hear this warning, they take action, and the stored perishable product is safeguarded.
Why Are Warning Bells Important?
Because the alarm has sounded, someone can take action. If the refrigeration unit is damaged, the warning bells are sounding. If the airflow is hampered or an inlet duct is blocked, the bells are sounding. Again, an action is taken. Sometimes the blockage is correctable and airflow obstructions are removed. The alarm can then be reset because the perishable contents are safe. Of course, that temperature alarm may indicate a deeper issue. Perhaps the refrigeration unit isn’t operating at capacity, so it’s time to call out the repair professionals.
Evaluating Alarm Conditions
A fully-featured coolroom sentinel is one smart guardian. It monitors the internal environment for product threatening conditions. The system also issues an audible warning when the AC power supply fails. Likely backed by rechargeable batteries, the alarm module continues ringing the bell when a blackout occurs. Next, how about a provision that guards against door opening problems? A simple switch is all that’s required this time. It issues a bleating alarm when a door ajar event is detected.
A modern modular alarm unit is packed with possible alarms. There’s a panic alarm, something that protects a coolroom guest from entrapment. A press of a specially recessed button engages this warning bell when someone is trapped inside the walk-in unit. Then there are audible temperature alerts, an automated signal that protects the spoilable contents inside the cooler. Finally, low voltage, door ajar, and refrigeration unit failure alarms are also available. They’re there to protect the product, and they’re there to protect lives.
C&M Coolrooms can create a custom solution for your specific needs. Talk to one of team members today.
