Cold and frozen storage

The struggle between light and cold is an ongoing issue in the cold storage industry. Temperatures in cold storage rooms range from 0 to 15°C, while freezing rooms can go as low as -40°C. Operating temperatures for various lighting products in these types of environments can vary depending on how their location near doors leading into warmer rooms. Some sensors may also not work reliably in refrigerated rooms. This means that industrial lighting products need to meet higher requirements in terms of operating conditions.

Fortunately, LED lighting thrives in cold rooms. It consumes less energy and has longer lifetimes without the need to replace any light sources, as LEDs lose less light over time. They also produce less heat, and the low ambient temperatures increase LED light source and operating gear lifetimes significantly. With LEDs, lighting quality is no longer compromised, it is enhanced.

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Standard illuminance requirements in cold storage warehouses are low, but more light makes labels and storage documents easier to read. Industrial lighting in damp areas needs a high IP rating and should be maintenance-friendly.

 

Lighting requirements in EN 12464-1

General areas inside buildings – Store rooms, cold stores

Type of task / activity area

 Lux-level (Em)

 Glare rating (UGRL)

 Uniformity
(U0)

 Colour rendition
(Ra)

 Em,z Em,wall Em,ceiling  Specific requirements
required modified U0 ≥ 0,10
Store and stockrooms 100 150 25 0,40 80 50 50 30 200 lx if continuously occupied
Dispatch packing handling areas  300 500 25 0,60 80 100 50 30  
Larder 200 300 25 0,40 80 - - - Sufficient vertical illuminances shall be applied to shelving