Cold storage and freezing rooms

The struggle between light and cold is an on-going issue in the cold storage industry. Since fluorescent lighting does not perform well in cold conditions, businesses have had to install a greater number of low-efficiency luminaires in order to comply with lighting needs. Going forward, LED lighting, which thrives in such environments, is the solution.

Temperatures in cold stores range from 0 to 15 degrees while freezing rooms can go as low as –40 degrees Celsius. Therefore, lamps, operating gear and luminaires need to meet higher requirements for operating conditions.

With conventional luminaires fitted with HID and HPS light sources, energy consumption is high, as is the heat production. Also, lamp shifts are frequent, start-up times are long and hence sensor control systems are less suitable. LED light sources, on the other hand, consume less energy, need no lamp replacement, produce less heat and ignite immediately. They also lose less light compared to many conventional light sources. Finally, the low ambient temperature increases LED light source and operating gear lifetimes significantly. With LEDs, lighting quality is no longer compromised, it is enhanced.

Standard illuminance requirements in cold stores are low, but more light would make labels and storage documents easier to read. Luminaires in damp areas need a high IP rating and should be maintenance-friendly.