Refrigeration - Ker Group

Scottish Sea Farms Container

12th April 2023
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Project details

In 2022, KER Group were awarded the contract to design a complete Refrigerated Sea Water (RSW) container for a Salmon processing factory.

Works completed

Overview

Designed for a salmon processing factory
Sea water temperature set point at -1°C with fresh water set point at 1°C
Provide chilled water for salmon intake tank & processing area
2 x 275Kw Freon R134a RSW systems

Containerised 2 x 275Kw Freon R134a RSW systems

This system was designed for a salmon processing factory. Its purpose is to provide chilled water for 2 x salmon storage tanks. The 2 x RSW chiller systems were fit within a 20ft container which allows for the complete system to be housed & secured on site with little disruption to existing processing plant. 2 x chillers supplied had titanium tubes for improved chilling & increased lifetime of equipment. 2 x J&E Hall screw compressors, 2 x air cooled condensers, 2 x Desmi RSW pumps were also supplied.

KER PLC control cabinets c/w 15″ HMI screens include outputs for remote operation. The PLC systems controls the valves & RSW system. A freon gas alarm system was integrated into the PLC system for safety. All stainless steel & plastic piping was conducted by the KER team. The system has the option of fresh or sea water set up. Set point temperature range is adjustable to requirements.

All works were carried out in Killybegs, Co. Donegal & delivered to Shetland Islands.

KER Refrigerated Sea Water (RSW) product offering>>>

MFV “Sparkling Star”

21st March 2023
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Project details

In 2021, KER Group were awarded the contract to install a complete RSW system, Vacuum Pump Landing System, Air-Conditioning system & a Walk-in Chill Room & Freezer Room

Works completed

Overview

•Install a new 450KW RSW System at -1° chilled sea water.

• Installation of a new Compact Vacuum Pump Landing system incorporating 2 x Samson Ocean Master 1000’s with the equivalent of a 3000 Litre tank.

• Fit Fujitsu multi-split Air conditioning system in the wheel house, galley, accommodation and technical room.

• Complete a fibre glass constructed walk-in chill room and freezer room with associated refrigeration system and custom built stainless steel racking for food provisions storage.

Refrigerated Sea Water System (RSW)

KER designed and installed a new 450KW RSW System which chills sea water at -1°C and uses R134a refrigerant. A polyethylene manifold was manufactured & installed to control chilled water & distribution to all fish tanks. The KER team designed & programmed a PLC which controls this system.

Vacuum Pump Landing System

KER fitted a new type of Vacuum Pump Landing System in this vessel which is a much more compact & refined solution. By incorporating the Vacuum tank into 24″ & 14″ stainless steel piping it eradicates the space needed for a Vacuum Tank with a large cubic volume. This innovative new solution will solve problems for vessel owners where they previously couldn’t. The system fitted incorporated 2 x Samson Ocean Master 1000’s with the equivalent of a 3000 litre tank. Full automation package with PLC & touchscreen was also installed.

Air Conditioning

KER fit a Fujitsu multi-split Air Conditioning system in the wheelhouse, galley, accommodation & technical room. Ceiling cassettes were installed in the wheelhouse. Wall mounted units were fitted in the accommodation & galley. Marine coated outdoor units were installed which can endure the conditions out at sea. The system overall provides efficient heating & cooling to the vessel’s skipper & crew.

Walk-in Chill Room & Freezer Room

The vessel had space off the Galley for a walk-in chill room & freezer room for food provisions. KER installed a heater mat underneath the floor of the freezer room to prevent frost heave. The rooms were sheeted and the walls, floor & ceiling were fibre-glassed with the customer’s colour requirement which will give the room durability and offers ease of cleaning. A wedge type evaporator was supplied & installed to cool the room with a smart temperature controller mounted on the exterior of both rooms to manage the temperatures. A custom stainless steel racking for food provisions was designed, manufactured & installed. Exterior mounted condenser units fitted & a custom stainless-steel housing was erected for protection against marine conditions. A heavy-duty insulated door was installed at the entrance of both rooms.

KER provided all the above systems including, all copper, stainless-steel, mild steel & polyethylene piping. All necessary coded welding for refrigeration piping. Complete electrical installation, electrical control cabinets manufactured in KER & were installed on board.

MFV “Eilean Croine”

20th March 2023
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Project details

In 2021, KER Group were awarded the contract to install a complete RSW system, Vacuum Pump Landing System, Air-Conditioning system & a Walk-in Chill Room & Freezer Room

Works completed

Overview

• Install a new 450KW RSW System at -1° chilled sea water.

• Installation of a new Compact Vacuum Pump Landing system incorporating 2 x Samson Ocean Master 1000’s with the equivalent of a 3000 Litre tank.

• Fit Fujitsu multi-split Air conditioning system in the wheel house, galley, accommodation and technical room.

• Complete a fibre glass constructed walk-in chill room and freezer room with associated refrigeration system and custom built stainless steel racking for food provisions storage.

Refrigerated Sea Water System (RSW)

Vacuum Pump Landing System

Air Conditioning

Walk-in Chill Room & Freezer Room

MFV Green Isle SO 500

16th March 2023
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Project details

In 2022, KER Group were awarded the contract to supply a Vacuum Pump system, Ice Machine, Fish Hold Refrigeration & A/C to this vessel.

Works completed

Overview

•Supply Vacuum Pump System

•Supply BUUS Ice Machine

•Supply Fish Hold Refrigeration

•Completed and Installed circulating pipe work for RSW system

•Supply of A/C system

•Commissioning of all systems

Vacuum Pump Landing System

KER designed & manufactured a 12″, 3000 litre stainless steel Vacuum Tank & 12″ aluminium Landing Separator. A Samson Ocean Master 1000 vacuum pump & a 66kw motor were supplied alongside a stainless steel 4-way-valve and stainless-steel frame which was designed & manufactured by KER. A Kaeser Compressor & Kaeser Filter Drier were also supplied. A PLC control panel was designed & constructed in house & fitted on board.

Fish Hold Refrigeration

A Bitzer Compressor, Bitzer Condenser & Bitzer Receiver was supplied. KER constructed evaporators comprised of 22 x 1.5mm stainless steel piping and chill at 0°C. All necessary copper piping was conducted by KER. Full Electrical installation including electrical cabinet.

Ice machine

A BUUS 3 tonne Flake Ice Machine & Bitzer condensing unit were supplied & an electrical control panel designed & constructed in house by KER Group.

RSW Pipework

Circulating pipework for the RSW system was constructed & installed by KER Group including all polyethylene welding.

Air-Con

Fujitsu multi-split air-conditioning system was supplied to this vessel.

MFV “Ella”

15th March 2023
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Project details

In 2019, KER Group were awarded the contract to supply the RSW, Vacuum Pump, Fish Hold, Air-Con, Ice Machine and Freezer to the MFV Ella.

3D Tour of Project

ELLA Virtual Reality Tour Section 1

ELLA Virtual Reality Tour Section 2

Works completed

Supplied a 275Kw R134a RSW system
Supplied a Vacuum Pump system, including 1 x Samson Ocean Master Vacuum Pump c/w Stainless Steel Casing.
Supplied Fish Hold Refrigeration, Stainless Steel Evaporators c/w Bitzer Sea Water Cooled Condensing Unit.
Supplied and installed a full heating and cooling Air Conditioning system in the accommodation, wheelhouse and galley areas.
Supplied and installed a BUUS 3t Flake Ice machine.
Sheeted the walk-in freezer and installed fibreglass, supplied the refrigeration system to cool the area and installed a stainless steel food rack along with a custom pedestrian door finished in stainless steel.
Supplied all the above systems including all copper, stainless steel, mild steel, polyethylene piping. All necessary coded welding for refrigeration piping. Complete electrical installation, electrical control cabinets manufactured in house and installed on board.
Commissioning of all systems.

RSW System

275KW RSW system on R134a gas. System fully installed by KER Group, circulating pump and condenser pump and associated pipework supplied and installed. Polyethylene manifold manufactured and installed in RSW room to control chilled water and distribution to all fish tanks. The system is controlled by a PLC, this was designed and programmed by KER Group.

Vacuum pump system

KER Group Vacuum pump system, includes 1 x Samson Ocean Master vacuum pump c/w stainless steel casing for longevity. 2000ltr vacuum tank c/w inspection hatch and rubber flap unit. All necessary 12” stainless steel piping to each fish tank and delivery pipework to main deck. Vacuum system includes a blow back system. Controlled by PLC, designed and programmed by KER Group.

BUUS Ice Machine

3 Tonne per day, salt or fresh water ice machine, complete with Bitzer condensing unit and Azcue pump. Ice machine produces flake ice for use during white fishing.

Fish hold chilling

Fish hold chilling in all fish tanks. KER Group manufactured the complete evaporator from stainless steel piping, approx. 1,000 meters. The vast quantity of piping increases surface area and allows for increased refrigeration duty, offering our client’s optimum fish hold temperatures for their fish.

Air conditioning

KER supplied and installed a full heating and cooling air conditioning system throughout the accommodation, galley and wheelhouse areas.

Cold room (food provisions)

The new MFV Ella came with space for a walk-in freezer off the Galley area. KER Group, sheeted the room, installed fibreglass, on the floor, walls and ceiling, to allow for ease of cleaning and durability. Installed the refrigeration system to cool the area and installed a stainless steel food rack along with a custom pedestrian door finished in stainless steel.

KER Group Installed all above systems including, all copper, stainless steel, mild steel, polyethylene piping. All necessary coded welding for refrigeration piping. Complete electrical installation, electrical control cabinets manufactured in house and installed on board.

MFV “Antarctic”

2nd March 2023
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Project details

KER Group were awarded the contract to supply the RSW and vacuum pump unloading system for the New MFV ”Antarctic”.

Take a 3D tour of the project

Antarctic Virtual Walkthrough Part 1

Antarctic Virtual Walkthrough Part 2

Works completed

2 x 800KW RSW Ammonia System.
2 x Control cabinet, 15” HMI screen, with outputs for remote operation.
1 x 15” HMI Screen for Wheelhouse or control room.
Ammonia alarm system controlled through the main PLC, system wired with outputs for emergency stop and fan controls for RSW room.
Temperature monitoring and recording system to printer.
Tank sounding for 8 tanks. 
Control of RSW valves included in PLC and programming (For Modbus or Ethernet communications).
3 x KER Group Vacuum Pump systems consisting of the following:

3 x 3000Ltr Stainless steel 316L Vacuum Tanks c/w 12” Inlet and 14” Discharge.
3 x Samson Ocean master 1000 Vacuum Compressor c/w Brass ends and stainless-steel drums.
3 x 66Kw Electric motors and couplings.
3 x Stainless steel 4-way valve and manifold c/w air actuators.
1 x Control cabinet c/w PLC system to control Vacuum pump System.
1 x 15” HMI Screen. 
1 x 14” Landing separator from 316L Stainless steel.

MFV “Endurance”

1st March 2023
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Project Details

In 2017, KER Group were awarded the contract to supply a blast freezer as well as other components to this vessel.

Project Overview

KER completed a number of works on the 27 metre Cork vessel Endurance (DA31) which is owned by Kedge Fishing Limited. Works included supplying and installing another blast freezer on board the vessel to process the catch as swift as possible, while it’s still in first-class condition.

On its own, the original blast freezer on board the Endurance was capable of freezing prawns to the desirable temperature, however the defrost time was hindering the process somewhat. The additional room was installed as a way of enabling the crew to fill one blast and defrost the other at the same time in order to keep the process of freezing seamless. The new blast room was fitted with a stainless steel racking system, with slide out frames for ease of loading and unloading.

Engineers at KER were tasked with creating the adequate space for the freezer, so an area in the existing fish hold was framed off with timber and sheeted with marine ply, then covered in fibreglass to provide a smooth, well insulated surface. Two insulated doors were fitted to the newly formed blast freezer in order to provide ease of access for the crew.

The blast freezer’s coolers were installed in the middle of the blast freezer room, they are situated in such a way as to blow the cold air in opposite directions, giving a continuous & consistent air flow throughout the blast freezing area. A new refrigeration system was installed in the forepeak.

KER also completed an electrical synchronizing job on the vessel’s generators after an additional generator was installed to insure adequate power was available to run the new blast freezer. A number of other minor but essential works were also carried out on the Endurance before it went back to sea.

On its first trip back fishing, the crew of the Endurance froze 1.8 tons of squid, which are much denser than prawns, in just 5 hours in the new blast freezer. This amount of squid would normally take around 8 to 9 hours to freeze in the original blast freezer. The new blast freezer brought the squid down to -29 degrees at its core and completed the cycle with defrosted time of just half an hour.

MFV “Stella Nova”

14th February 2023
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Project details

In 2018, KER Group supplied the Fish Hold Chilling System, Cold Store Refrigeration System & Blast Freezer to the MFV “Stella Nova”.

Works completed

Fish Hold Chilling System at 0°C with Stainless Steel Evaporators & Bitzer Condensing Unit
Cold Store Refrigeration System Holding at -20°C with S/S Door and Bitzer Condensing Unit
-25°C Blast Freezer Room with S/S Door, Heavy Duty Product Probe & Bitzer Condensing Unit
SIMEX Temperature Logging System with Realtime Temperature Readout in Wheelhouse for Hold, Cold Room, Blast Room & Blast Room Product.
Gas Alarm System for All Rooms and Machinery Space
“Man in Hold” Alarm in Cold Store.

All necessary pipework, insulation and cabling were installed. A new master refrigeration control panel was designed and built in house at KER’s Workshop and installed to control all the refrigeration systems.

A new BUUS Flake Ice machine with Bitzer condensing unit was installed to deliver Flake Ice to the storage area in the Hold directly below. This was supplied with its own control panel and Gas alarm. With the use of KER’s Plastic Welding Equipment a custom Ice Chute was constructed. This has a clear vision panel to allow the operator to see the quality and quantity of Ice being delivered to the hold below.

MFV “Achieve”

26th January 2023
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Project details

In 2018, KER Group were awarded the contract to supply, a blast room in the fish hold, new fish hold chilling, and an ice machine on the MFV “Achieve”.

Works completed

Overview

KER Group, supplied and installed the following on board;

• Blast room in the fish hold

• New Fish hold chilling

• New 3t/24hrs Geneglace Ice Machine

• Fresh Water Maker 2t a day

• Temperature monitoring system.

Blast Room

The original blast system was working well, but the owner wanted to make more use of the space by dividing the room and adding additional chilling. This was achieved by fitting a complete standalone blast unit, and fitting a bulkhead wall creating two rooms.

The new Blast can freeze over 1 tonne of product in 3 hours which means the new system is much more efficient at guaranteeing the quality of the frozen product

Fish Hold Chilling

The existing fish hold system, was fitted with stainless steel piping, the owner wanted to improve the chilling, so a complete new fish hold evaporator was fitted in place, increasing the evaporator to double the size.

Fresh Water Maker

A fresh water maker was supplied and installed. This system runs from the main engine heat and produces fresh water, which is of great benefit. The ice machine can utilise this fresh water for the full trip, without changing over to salt water.

The full refrigeration system is controlled by Eliwell controllers, however a separate temperature monitoring system was installed to record the data for the trip. This can be presented to the buyer of the fish or the authorities as proof of quality over the duration of the trip.

Ice Machine

A new Geneglace 3t/24hrs ice machine was supplied and installed also.

Testimonial

Since the project was completed, I have fished the vessel on a number of occasions myself, and I am delighted to say that all systems are working very well. The Blast room has exceeded my expectations, it is very quick at taking the temperature down and freezing our catch. This ensures the quality of our product for the fish market.

I highly recommend KER Group for any project’s you may be considering.

Shaun Conneely

Ocean Challenge

26th January 2023
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Project details

In 2019, KER Group were awarded the contract to supply fish hold refrigeration, ice machines and a fish hopper refrigeration circuit as well as other components to this new vessel.

Works completed

Equipment installed

2 x 2.5T BUUS Ice Machines c/w Bitzer compressors and condensers
1 x Complete fish hold refrigeration system c/w Bitzer compressor and condenser
1 x Fish hopper refrigeration circuit

Project Description

The fish hold evaporator consisted of 700mtrs of stainless steel pipe specially designed with close radius bends to achieve maximum surface area coverage. The system is fitted with a temperature control system.

The ice machines were fitted over each other on a S/S framework. A chute to carry the ice to the locker was manufactured from PE plastic completed with inspection hatches. All electrical panels for the refrigeration and ice machines were manufactured, installed and terminated by KER Group.