Opening the Right Door

Imagine trying to make critical decisions for a new cold storage warehouse and transportation facility slated to be the size of almost

Even finding the right door systems to suit a nearly seven million cubic feet storage area can be quite a challenge. With seven million cubic feet and all of the new technology available today, the possibilities for exits and entrances are seemingly endless. Then add the fact that the new door systems need to reduce refrigeration loss while increasing energy efficiency, and the whole situation can really test a project engineer.

Continental Refrigerated Services' director of engineering, Charles Balija, was in this proverbial hot seat when plans for this high-tech cold storage warehouse facility located just outside of Chicago were in their infancy stages about two years ago. "Our focus at Continental is to really concentrate on efficiency and seamless delivery to our customers, so our door system needs were pretty specific," Balija says.

While Balija needed a state-of-the-art door system that provided full and unobstructed access into the freezer, he also needed a door system that eliminated ice and frost buildup on the floor, reduced refrigeration loss, maximized operational efficiency, and was energy-efficient.

"With high traffic of both employees and forklifts plus boxes of product stacked to the ceiling, accessibility is extremely important," Balija explains. "We have a consolidation program with a guaranteed shipping schedule that caters to all major markets in the Midwest. This means we need to be able to put product away as fast as we take it out without the inconvenience of a time-consuming door system. We were in search of a durable door to move quickly and efficiently. And while speed and convenience are important, the systems need to be rugged."

Ice and frost buildup from infiltrating humid outdoor air is another problem that increases annual maintenance costs and liability insurance coverage for frozen food warehouses. Balija said ice and frost buildup cause safety hazards leading to back and neck injuries or can cause forklifts to lose control. He notes the doors in any warehouse open and close hundreds of times a day, not only causing ice and frost buildup but also the issue of refrigeration loss. He says to keep the product at peak perfection and ensure less cold air loss an efficient door system is needed.

"A door with high-speed capabilities was definitely something we thought was necessary," Balija said. "We were looking for a door that would allow forklift drivers to rapidly unload goods into the freezer to avoid refrigeration loss. We never know how much product we will have housed here at one time. That's why energy savings and distribution efficiency are key priorities for our operation. The bottom line is dollars and cents. It's all about reducing our operating costs, and that in turn drives our pricing and profits. That's why finding the right door system was so critical."

George F. Balbach, ASI Technologies door innovation specialist, introduced the AirSeal Air Door's benefits to Balija. The system fit all of Balija's requirements. The AirSeal Air Door's design creates an invisible barrier utilizing high velocity laminar airflow to maintain dual climates, keeping a facility's cold side cold and warm side warm.

"They wanted unlimited access to their freezers and coolers and to still be able to close the openings during non-peak operating hours. Because Continental wanted to structure its warehouse around the customer, they designed it with greater flexibility and wanted to be able to respond to large orders quickly and accurately. At the same time, they wanted to accommodate small private label custom orders," Balbach says.

Balbach recommended a double AirSeal system with the integrated Spirit High-Speed Fabric Door for Continental. The AirSeal door can operate in a wide-open condition and still maintain a safe, frost- and ice-free environment. AirSeal's design means it is fully automated and can adjust to temperature and humidity changes in a facility's environment.

"In warmer months, the facility will have to compensate for more humidity. The AirSeal's optimization controls can automatically detect these changes and react simultaneously. This feature helps eliminate ice and frost that forms around freezer openings while leaving the openings wide open during the warmest months of the year," Balbach says. During the winter months when humidity and temperatures drop, the AirSeal door automatically adjusts and will conserve energy.

Six freezer and cooler openings on the dock at Continental Refrigerated Services use AirSeals. Each opening utilizes two 10-foot-wide by 14-foot-high AirSeal doors; one unit is located dockside, and the other is mounted inside the freezer. The Spirit High-Speed Fabric Door was integrated between each unit to provide maximum seal efficiency during slow traffic times. The Spirit door is programmed to interface with the AirSeal and is fully automated. If the doorway is not being used, it will close after a predetermined time and resume its normal operation at the next activation.

Balija said in operational efficiency, it takes a conventional sliding door about seven seconds to open. With no "door" to open, AirSeal offers an invisible barrier, allowing unobstructed traffic flow with minimal loss of refrigeration and/or heat gain.

"If you have 20 operators passing through these doors 400 times per day (200 entering, 200 exiting), over a year's time we gained an additional 3,730 hours of production," Balija says. "Those are the kind of impressive operational results AirSeal can bring to the table."

Since Continental opened its doors in July 2004, Balija says interruption of production is virtually non-existent. Because the AirSeal door has very few moving parts, interruption of production due to maintenance, breakdown and damage is virtually nonexistent as well.

The AirSeal Door has been such a hit that Continental will be adding 10 more to the new Phase II building expansion, to be completed within the next few months.

"We chose AirSeal because of its advancements in technology and support. With its clean lines and design, it may look like a very simplistic door, but there's not doubt it is one of the most technologically advanced doors on the market. It's also the last door we will ever buy," Balija says.