ENERGY CONSERVATION THROUGH USE OF THE SUBSURFACE

Experience in the area of refrigeration is quoted and remarks are made on the use of energy in freezer food storage plants. Conventional storage plant characteristics and underground facility characteristics are tabulated and compared. It is shown that the area to be refrigerated underground is twice the area required above ground, and twice the distance to move the product into and out of storage. In a subsurface plant, it will take 90 days or longer to get close to zero or a safe storage temperature. During this time, maximum power is being utilized and no revenue is earned. However, after the initial desired room temperature is reached, the refrigeration load begins to drop. It is computed that the underground compressor capacity is carrying over 2,000 square feet, which is about 3 times the space carried in the above-ground freezers. This means that 0.5 tons of produce are handled per ton of refrigeration. With regard to manpower it is observed that due to the extra square feet of space required, and the extra space for the pillars, more manpower and more lifts are required. However, this can be overcome to some extent by the use of trains of 4 to 6 four-wheel carts each carrying pallet loads.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Published in the Proceedings of the Symposium on the Development and Utilization of Underground Space, March 5-7, 1975, Kansas City, Mo., sponsored by the Department of Geosciences, University of Missouri, Kansas City.
• Corporate Authors:

  National Science Foundation

  1800 G Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20550
• Authors:
  • Muller, J G
• Conference:
  • Published in the Proceedings of the Symposium on the Development and Utilization of Underground Space, March 5-7, 1975, Kansas City, Mo., sponsored by the Department of Geosciences, University of Missouri, Kansas City.
• Publication Date: 1975-3

Media Info

• Features: Tables;
• Pagination: p. 143-146

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aerodynamic lift; Compressors; Conservation; Energy; Food; Geological surveying; Handling and storage; Personnel; Railroad trains; Refrigerated structures; Refrigerators; Temperature; Underground structures
• Uncontrolled Terms: Lifts
• Old TRIS Terms: Freezers; Subsurface explorations; Underground; Underground storage
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Energy; Environment; Freight Transportation; Geotechnology; Highways; Railroads; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00130647
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 7 1976 12:00AM