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CHAPTER 3. MARKET AND TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

3.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 3-1

3.1.1 Definitions............................................................................................................ 3-1

3.1.2 Overview of Refrigerated Bottled or Canned Beverage Vending Machines....... 3-2

3.2 MARKET ASSESSMENT.............................................................................................. 3-3

3.2.1 Trade Associations............................................................................................... 3-4

3.2.2 Manufacturers and Market Share......................................................................... 3-4

3.2.2.1 Small Businesses...................................................................................... 3-5

3.2.3 Regulatory Programs ........................................................................................... 3-5

3.2.3.1 Natural Resources Canada ....................................................................... 3-6

3.2.4 Non-Regulatory Initiatives................................................................................... 3-6

3.2.4.1 ENERGY STAR...................................................................................... 3-7

3.2.4.2 Federal Energy Management Program .................................................... 3-9

3.2.4.3 Rebate Programs...................................................................................... 3-9

3.2.5 Equipment Classes............................................................................................... 3-9

3.2.6 Market Performance Data .................................................................................. 3-10

3.3 TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT.................................................................................. 3-12

3.3.1 Higher Efficiency Lighting................................................................................ 3-12

3.3.2 Higher Efficiency Evaporator Fan Motors ........................................................ 3-12

3.3.3 Higher Efficiency Evaporator Fan Blades......................................................... 3-13

3.3.4 Improved Evaporator Design............................................................................. 3-13

3.3.5 Low Pressure Differential Evaporators.............................................................. 3-14

3.3.6 Improved or Thicker Insulation ......................................................................... 3-15

3.3.7 Improved Glass Pack (for Class A machines) ................................................... 3-15

3.3.8 Higher Efficiency Compressors......................................................................... 3-15

3.3.9 Improved Condenser Design.............................................................................. 3-15

3.3.10 Higher Efficiency Condenser Fan Motors......................................................... 3-16

3.3.11 Higher Efficiency Condenser Fan Blades.......................................................... 3-16

3.3.12 Variable-Speed Compressors............................................................................. 3-17

3.3.13 Liquid Suction Heat Exchangers ....................................................................... 3-17

3.3.14 Microchannel Heat Exchangers......................................................................... 3-17

3.3.15 Higher Efficiency Expansion Valves................................................................. 3-18

3.3.16 Improved Anti-Sweat Heaters............................................................................ 3-18

3.3.17 Low Power States .............................................................................................. 3-19

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1 Beverage Vending Machine Market Data .................................................................. 3-5

Table 3.2 Canadian Beverage Vending Machine Standard Levels.............................................. 3-6

Table 3.3 ENERGY STAR Qualifying Criteria for Beverage Vending Machines .................... 3-7
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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 3.3.1 Class A ENERGY STAR Qualified Refrigerated Beverage Vending 

Machine Models...................................................................................................... 3-8

Figure 3.3.2 Class B ENERGY STAR Qualified Refrigerated Beverage Vending 

Machine Models...................................................................................................... 3-8

Figure 3.4.1 Market Performance Data for DOE-Certified Class A Equipment...................... 3-11

Figure 3.4.2 Market Performance Data for DOE-Certified Qualified Class B Equipment ...... 3-11
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CHAPTER 3. MARKET AND TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

3.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter details the market and technology assessment that the U.S. Department of 

Energy (DOE) has carried out in support of the ongoing energy conservation standards 

rulemaking for refrigerated beverage vending machines. DOE developed the initial market and 

technology assessment presented in this chapter primarily from publicly available information. 

This assessment, which forms the basis of the downstream analyses, is helpful in identifying the 

major manufacturers and characteristics of products on the market.

This chapter consists of two sections: the market assessment and the technology 

assessment. The market assessment provides an overall picture of the market for the equipment

concerned, including industry structure, manufacturer market shares, regulatory and nonregulatory efficiency improvement programs, equipment classes, market trends, and quantities of 

refrigerated beverage vending machines sold. The technology assessment identifies an initial list 

of technology options for improving refrigerated beverage vending machine efficiency to 

consider in the screening and engineering analyses. 

The information DOE gathers for the market and technology assessment serves as 

resource material for use throughout the rulemaking. DOE considers both quantitative and 

qualitative information from publicly available sources and interested parties.

3.1.1 Definitions

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) defines a beverage vending machine as 

follows:

The term ‘refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machine’ means a commercial 

refrigeratora that cools bottled or canned beverages and dispenses the bottled or canned 

beverages on payment. 

(42 U.S.C. 6291(40))

 a In addition, section 136(a)(3) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005) amended section 340 of EPCA in 

part by adding a definition for “commercial refrigerator, freezer, and refrigerator-freezer.” (42 U.S.C. 6311(9)(A)) 

This definition reads as follows:

(9)(A) The term ‘commercial refrigerator, freezer, and refrigerator-freezer’ means refrigeration equipment that—

(i) is not a consumer product (as defined in section 321 [of EPCA; 42 U.S.C. 6291(1)]);

(ii) is not designed and marketed exclusively for medical, scientific, or research purposes;

(iii) operates at a chilled, frozen, combination chilled and frozen, or variable temperature;

(iv) displays or stores merchandise and other perishable materials horizontally, semivertically, or vertically;

(v) has transparent or solid doors, sliding or hinged doors, a combination of hinged, sliding, transparent, or 

solid doors, or no doors;

(vi) is designed for pull-down temperature applications or holding temperature applications; and

(vii) is connected to a self-contained condensing unit or to a remote condensing unit.
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In the 2009 beverage vending machine (BVM) final rule, DOE added the following 

definitions to 10 CFR 431.292, “Definitions concerning refrigerated bottled or canned vending 

machines”: 

Bottled or canned beverage means a beverage in a sealed container.

Class A means a refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machine that is fully 

cooled, and is not a combination vending machine.

Class B means any refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machine not 

considered to be Class A, and is not a combination vending machine.

Combination vending machine means a refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending 

machine that also has nonrefrigerated volumes for the purpose of vending other, 

non-“sealed beverage” merchandise.

V means the refrigerated volume (ft3

) of the refrigerated bottled or canned beverage 

vending machine, as measured by ANSI/AHAM HRF–1–2004.

3.1.2 Overview of Refrigerated Bottled or Canned Beverage Vending Machines

Refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machines can be divided into categories 

in several ways: physical divisions based on door type (opaque or transparent) or beverage 

storage system (stack or shelves), machine-use designation (indoor/outdoor use or indoor-useonly), cooling mechanism (zone-cooled or fully cooled), and the types of products dispensed. In 

the 2009 BVM final rule, DOE established three equipment classes: Class A, Class B, and 

combination beverage vending machines. While equipment in the combination vending machine 

class by definition contains separate refrigerated and non-refrigerated volumes, Class A and 

Class B equipment do not contain separate, non-refrigerated volumes. In Class A beverage 

vending machine machines, all items are fully cooled to the same temperature at which they will 

be dispensed. Class B equipment consists of machines in which not all the items are fully cooled 

to the vending temperature. 74 FR at 44924 (Aug. 31, 2009). Combination vending machines are 

equipment that also has non-refrigerated volumes for the purpose of vending other, non-“sealed 

beverage” merchandise. 74 FR at 44920 (Aug. 31, 2009). The criteria, detailed definitions, and 

corresponding applicable standards for these equipment classes are further discussed in section 

3.3. 

Another method of classifying beverage vending machines, aside from the coolingmethod distinction used in the 2009 BVM final rule, is by the nature of their fronts—transparent 

or opaque. Transparent-front vending machines store items on shelves, allowing products 

contained within to be visible to the consumer. Some models have the capacity to display dozens 

of varieties of products. Product packaging is not limited to cans and bottles, but may also 

include cartons, juice packs, and non-standard bottle and can shapes. With the market increasing 

for non-carbonated soft drinks such as energy drinks, fruit juices, and water (all of which come 

in a variety of packaging types and sizes), the design of transparent-front machines provides 

more flexibility than stack-style opaque-front machines (described later in this section). Products 

are dispensed mechanically, with many machines using a mechanism to move the product to the 

door gently rather than dropping it from the upper shelves.
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Most transparent-front machines are intended to be used indoors because their transparent

fronts make them vulnerable to vandalism. In addition, transparent-front machines could 

experience additional heat flux through the transparent front due to solar heat gain and solar 

radiation if placed outdoors. However, some transparent-front machines have been made to 

withstand outdoor conditions. All transparent-front machines that DOE is currently aware of in 

the U.S. market are “fully cooled” such that all products contained within them are at the 

vending temperature and are, therefore, considered Class A. 

Unlike transparent-front beverage vending machines, opaque-front beverage vending 

machines hold standard-sized sealed containers, usually 12-ounce cans or 20-ounce bottles, 

stored in stacks. Capacity varies, with larger machines holding up to 800 cans split between up to 

12 varieties of beverage (through 12 distinct beverage stacks or columns) internally and featuring 

up to 30 cubic feet of refrigerated volume. Opaque-front machines comprise the majority of 

vending machines placed outdoors, and many are placed indoors as well. The products contained 

are typically advertised on the front via signage or a backlit panel, and the actual machine 

contents are not visible to the user. Some opaque-door models feature a “live display” door type, 

where a sample of the product that may or may not be refrigerated is visible to the consumer 

through a small window. These “live-display” machines represent a small fraction of the total 

market.

Zone-cooled machines, which belong to the Class B equipment class, typically have 

opaque fronts and feature a “stack-style” vending mechanism. In this type of equipment, 

refrigerated air is directed at a fraction (or zone) of the refrigerated volume. This cooling method 

is used to ensure that those beverages in the lower part of the machine, which will be vended 

sooner, are fully cooled to the vending temperature, while maintaining beverages in other areas 

of the machine at higher temperatures. This reduces the refrigeration power needed and thus 

lessens the energy consumption of the unit. 

Combination vending machines, which belong to the third equipment class defined in the 

2009 BVM final rule, are refrigerated beverage vending machines that also have non-refrigerated 

volumes to hold other, non-“sealed beverage” merchandise such as non-perishable snack foods. 

Refrigerated beverage vending machines typically use R-134a hydrofluorocarbon 

refrigerant. However, carbon dioxide (R-744) refrigerant has for several years been approved by 

the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) 

Program for use in refrigerated beverage vending machines, and equipment using R-744 is 

available on the market. 

3.2 MARKET ASSESSMENT

The following market assessment identifies the manufacturer trade associations, domestic 

manufacturers of beverage vending machines, and manufacturer market share; provides 

information on regulatory and non-regulatory initiatives and energy use data; defines equipment 

classes; and summarizes market performance data.
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3.2.1 Trade Associations

The National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) is the trade association for 

manufacturers of refrigerated beverage vending machines, and the American Beverage 

Association (ABA) is the trade association for the bottlers and syrup companies in the beverage 

industry.

NAMA was founded in 1933 and serves all food and refreshment vending, coffee service,

and food management industries. Members of the organization include service companies, 

equipment manufacturers, and suppliers.1 The technical department of NAMA was founded in 

1957 to ensure that the vending industry serves public health by dispensing safe and wholesome 

food. To this end, NAMA provides various technical services to group members, including:

• Establishment of voluntary “Standard for Sanitary Design and Construction of Food and 

Beverage Vending Machines”;

• Inspection of vending machines for compliance with Food and Drug Administration and 

NAMA requirements;

• Certification of companies and individual vending machines as “NAMA” approved, 

which may be advertised as a service mark;

• Training for technicians on effective vending machine maintenance; and

• Industry publications on technical services, health, and safety.

ABA is the trade association for America’s non-alcoholic refreshment beverage industry. It is 

closely linked with the refrigerated beverage vending machine industry in so far as ABA’s 

members (e.g., PepsiCo, Inc.; The Coca-Cola Company) are the largest purchasers of 

refrigerated beverage vending machines. The association provides a forum for the members to 

discuss common issues and serves as an industry liaison to the government and public. It offers

technical and non-technical services to its members. In addition, ABA projects a unified voice 

for the non-alcoholic refreshment beverage industry in legislative and regulatory matters.2

3.2.2 Manufacturers and Market Share

The three manufacturers that hold a majority of domestic market share for beverage 

vending machines are listed below. 

• Crane Merchandising (including the Dixie Narco brand)

• Royal Vendors, Inc.

• Sanden-Vendo America

Other manufacturers of refrigerated beverage vending machines are listed below.

• Seaga Manufacturing

• Automatic Merchandising Systems 

• Multi-Max Distributed Vending System

• Jofemar USA
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• Wittern Group

Table 3.4.1 summarizes relevant market and performance data for beverage vending 

machines. Values are presented for installed base and annual shipments, based on publicly 

available information.

Table 3.1 Beverage Vending Machine Market Data

Data Point Source of the Data

Installed Base (units): 2,300,000 2009 BVM final rule 

Annual Shipments (units): 95,000 ENERGY STAR estimate for 2012 (See chapter 9 of this 

technical support document (TSD).)

3.2.2.1 Small Businesses

DOE is considering the possibility that small businesses would be particularly impacted 

by the amendment of energy conservation standards for beverage vending machines. The U.S. 

Small Business Administration (SBA) lists small business size standards for industries as they 

are described in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). The size standard 

for an industry is the largest that a for-profit concern can be in that industry and still qualify as a 

small business for Federal Government programs. These size standards are generally expressed 

in terms of the average annual receipts or the average employment of a firm. For beverage 

vending machines, the size standard is matched to NAICS code 333318, Other Commercial and 

Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing, and is 1,000 employees.

DOE will study in detail the potential impacts on these small businesses during the 

manufacturer impact analysis, which will be conducted as a part of the notice of proposed 

rulemaking analysis. The small business beverage vending machine manufacturers that DOE has 

identified are listed below.

• Seaga Manufacturing, Inc.

• Jofemar USA

• Automatic Merchandising Systems, Inc.

• Wittern Group

• Multi-Max Distributed Vending Systems

3.2.3 Regulatory Programs

Outside of the United States, Canada has established efficiency standards for refrigerated 

beverage vending machines. Additionally, California established appliance efficiency regulations 
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in the past, which have been pre-empted by the Federal standards set forth in the 2009 BVM 

final rule. 

3.2.3.1 Natural Resources Canada

Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations include standards for refrigerated beverage 

vending machines and snack and refrigerated beverage vending machines, which took effect on 

January 2, 2007 and January 1, 2008, respectively. These standards set out minimum 

performance criteria for annual energy consumption for equipment imported into Canada or 

manufactured in Canada and shipped from one province to another. 

The allowable daily energy consumption varies depending on the category of vending 

machine and the vendible capacity of the machine. The test standard used is the American 

Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 32.1-

2004 sections 1 to 7.2, except at regulation-specified ambient temperature and relative humidity 

conditions shown in Table 3.2. The maximum daily energy consumption allowed under the 

Canadian standard is described by the equations in Table 3.2.

Table 3.2 Canadian Beverage Vending Machine Standard Levels

Product Conditions

MDEC* after 

January 1, 

2008

(kWh/day)

Number of discrete 

types of beverages 

displayed and 

dispensed

Ambient 

temperature 

(°C)

Relative 

humidity (%)

Refrigerated 

beverage vending 

machine

< 20 32.2 ±1 65 ± 5 0.45 (8.66 + 

0.009 × VC**)

≥ 20 23.9 ± 1 45 ± 5 0.55 (8.66 + 

0.009 × VC)

Snack and refrigerated beverage vending 

machines 23.9 ± 1 45 ± 5 0.55 (8.66 + 0.009 × VC)

*MDEC is maximum daily energy consumption. **VC equals the vendible capacity of the 

model.

3.2.4 Non-Regulatory Initiatives 

DOE reviewed several voluntary programs promoting energy-efficient refrigerated 

beverage vending machines in the United States, including the ENERGY STAR® program for 

refrigerated beverage vending machines, the Federal Energy Management (FEMP) program for 

refrigerated beverage vending machines, and various rebate programs offered by utilities.
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3.2.4.1 ENERGY STAR

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ENERGY STAR voluntary 

labeling program has a Product Specification for Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machines, 

Version 3.0 of which took effect for new and rebuilt machines on March 1, 2013. Previous 

levels had been established with the first tier effective since April 1, 2004 for new machines and 

April 31, 2006 for rebuilt machines. Tier 2 went into effect on July 1, 2007 for new machines.

Originally, the standard was set for the top 25 percent of machines to qualify for the ENERGY 

STAR label. However, due to customers’ strong demand for ENERGY STAR-qualified 

equipment, a significant portion of the beverage vending machine market carries the ENERGY 

STAR label. 

Version 3.0 of the ENERGY STAR performance criteria brought that program into closer

alignment with the DOE standards and test procedure for refrigerated beverage vending 

machines. It harmonized with the DOE test procedure for the measurement of beverage vending 

machine energy consumption. It also harmonized with the 2009 BVM final rule both in 

equipment class definitions and in the use of refrigerated volume to determine energy 

consumption limits for various equipment. Previously, consumption limits were determined by 

vendible capacity. In order to qualify for the ENERGY STAR label under Version 3.0 of the 

performance criteria, models must meet the requirements for daily energy use and low power 

modes shown in Table 3.3 . Unlike the DOE energy conservation standards, ENERGY STAR 

qualification includes prescriptive requirements for particular energy savings technologies. 

Table 3.3 ENERGY STAR Qualifying Criteria for Beverage Vending Machines

Equipment Type Maximum Daily Energy 

Consumption (at 75°F)

Low Power Mode Requirement

Class A –

New and Rebuilt 

Machines

Y = 0.0523V + 2.432 Hard-wired controls and/or software capable of 

placing the machine into a low power mode during 

periods of extended inactivity while still connected 

to its power source

Class B –

New and Rebuilt 

Machines

Y = 0.0657V + 2.844

Y=24-hour consumption (kWh/day) after the machine has stabilized; V=refrigerated volume (ft3).

Figure 3.3.1 and Figure 3.3.2 show the certified energy consumption of manufactured 

units that qualify for ENERGY STAR 3.0, as of May 5, 2014.

3

 
3-8

Figure 3.3.1 Class A ENERGY STAR Qualified Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machine

Models

Figure 3.3.2 Class B ENERGY STAR Qualified Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machine 

Models
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3.2.4.2 Federal Energy Management Program

FEMP is a program administered by DOE that oversees the Federal Government’s energy 

management and investment initiatives. FEMP has established purchasing specifications for 

energy-efficient equipment, including refrigerated beverage vending machines, which Federal 

agencies must follow when buying new equipment for their facilities4. Federal purchasers are 

required by EPACT 2005 to purchase equipment that is either ENERGY STAR qualified or 

FEMP designated. FEMP-designated equipment consists of equipment that is in the upper 25 

percent of energy efficiency in its class. 

3.2.4.3 Rebate Programs

Numerous rebate programs for beverage vending machines are offered by local utilities, 

including Avista Utilities, Connecticut Light and Power, Efficiency Vermont, San Diego Gas 

and Electric, Seattle City Light, and Southern California Edison.

The majority of rebate programs offered by the previously mentioned organizations 

involve a cash incentive of $50-$100 for installing an energy-saving machine sensor control 

system. This device uses a motion detector and a time clock to shut off the lighting and 

compressor in refrigerated vending machines and the entire snack machine when the machines 

are not being used, particularly overnight. These controllers are “smart” and operate to ensure 

that the beverage is cold, yet they can reduce the amount of electricity used compared to

machines that do not have similar features built in. The most widely used device is the 

VendingMiser, created by USA Technologies.

3.2.5 Equipment Classes

In general, when DOE establishes or amends energy conservation standards, it divides 

covered equipment into classes. By statute, these classes are based on: (a) the type of energy 

used; (b) the capacity of the equipment; or (c) any other performance-related feature that justifies 

different efficiency levels, such as features affecting consumer utility. (42 U.S.C. 6295(q))

In the 2009 BVM final rule, DOE determined that the most significant criterion affecting 

beverage vending machine energy use is the extent to which the contents of the machine are 

cooled. Using this criterion, DOE divided covered equipment into two equipment classes:

Class A: a refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machine that is fully cooled, 

and is not a combination vending machine.

Class B: any refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machine not considered to 

be Class A, and is not a combination vending machine.

In addition, DOE interprets EPCA’s definition in 42 U.S.C. 6291(40) for beverage 

vending machines to cover any vending machine that dispenses refrigerated bottled or canned 

beverages, regardless of the other types of vended products (some of which may not be 

refrigerated). In the 2009 BVM final rule, DOE concluded that combination vending machines 
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have a distinct utility and, accordingly, established a third equipment class to cover combination 

vending machines. However, DOE did not establish standards for this equipment class in that 

rule. 74 FR at 44919–20 (Aug. 31, 2009). So that interested parties understand what constitutes a 

combination vending machine, DOE established the following definition: 

Combination vending machine: a refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending 

machine that also has non-refrigerated volumes for the purpose of vending other, 

non-“sealed beverage” merchandise.

As part of the concurrent test procedure rulemaking, DOE further proposed the following 

definition in its 2014 test procedure NOPR:

Fully-cooled: a condition in which the refrigeration system of a beverage vending 

machine cools product throughout the entire refrigerated volume of a machine 

instead of being directed at a fraction (or zone) of the refrigerated volume as 

measured by the average temperature of the standard test packages in the furthest 

from the next-to-vend positions being no more than 10 °F above the integrated 

average temperature of the standard test packages.

79 FR 46908 (August 11, 2014)

DOE believes that this definition represents the distinct customer utility provided by fully

cooled beverage vending machines. A full discussion of this definition is available in the 2014 

BVM test procedure NOPR notice.

DOE is not currently considering any further clarification of its BVM equipment class 

definitions as part of the current energy conservation standards rulemaking, but is rather 

addressing them within the concurrent test procedure rulemaking. 

 

3.2.6 Market Performance Data

Since the compliance date of the 2009 BVM final rule standards on August 31, 2012, 

BVM manufacturers have been required to report their equipment’s rated performance for 

DOE’s Compliance Certification Management System (CCMS). Accordingly, the information in 

CCMS represents the most comprehensive data available for BVM market performance in the 

United States as measured by the current DOE test procedure. Figure 3.4.1 and Figure 3.4.2

show maximum daily energy consumption (MDEC) values from the CCMS database for Class A 

and Class B equipment as a function of refrigerated volume. 
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Figure 3.4.3 Market Performance Data for DOE-Certified Class A Equipment 

Figure 3.4.4 Market Performance Data for DOE-Certified Qualified Class B Equipment

Manufacturers are not currently required to certify combination vending machine performance to 

DOE, and the CCMS accordingly does not have any data on combination vending machine 

performance. 
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3.3 TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

The purpose of the technology assessment is to develop a preliminary list of technologies 

that could potentially be used to improve the efficiency of beverage vending machines. 

3.3.1 Higher Efficiency Lighting 

Refrigerated beverage vending machines generally include lighting to illuminate the 

contents, an exterior sign, or both. Class A machines typically include interior lighting to 

illuminate the merchandise on display, while Class B machines usually have an illuminated sign 

on the exterior advertising the product contained within. Higher efficiency lighting leads to 

energy savings in two ways: less energy is used directly for lighting and, in those units with 

lighting internal to the refrigerated space, less heat energy is dissipated into the refrigerated 

volume by the lighting fixtures. 

Efficiency in lighting is commonly measured as efficacy (lumens/watt), or the quantity of 

light output (measured in lumens) per unit of electrical energy input (measured in watts). The 

vending machine industry moved to the use of T-8 fluorescent lighting in all cases around the 

time frame of the 2009 final rule analysis, and DOE considered T-8 fluorescent lighting with 

electronic ballasts to be the baseline lighting technology in this current rulemaking analysis.

A more recent trend is the use of light-emitting diode (LED) technology. Although LEDs 

are currently less efficacious than fluorescent technology, they are more directional than linear 

fluorescent bulbs, allowing for comparable illumination with less total wattage. There have been

significant advancements in LED efficacy over past years, and LEDs are predicted to experience 

a continuing increase in efficacy and a decrease in cost as the technology matures. A large

portion of new refrigerated beverage vending machines are currently shipped with LED lighting, 

and some manufacturers offer retrofit kits allowing fluorescent lighting to be changed out for 

LED lighting in beverage vending machines that are already in the field. 

3.3.2 Higher Efficiency Evaporator Fan Motors 

Evaporator fan motors move air across the evaporator coil and typically run at one speed

in baseline designs. Manufacturers match the motor size and blade to the evaporator coil to meet 

the expected load under most conditions. Higher efficiency evaporator fan motors reduce energy 

consumption by requiring less electrical power to generate motor shaft output power.

Electric motors operate based on the interaction between a field magnet and a magnetic 

rotor. In a brushed motor, the field magnets are permanent magnets and the rotor is an 

electromagnet; the situation is reversed in a brushless motor. The electromagnetic interactions 

between these two magnets cause the rotor to rotate.

The simplest type of electric motor—the single-phase electric motor—suffers from a 

serious shortcoming. Single-phase motors only produce a rotating magnetic field when the rotor 

is rotating, and simply powering the electromagnet is therefore not sufficient to start such a 

motor. One of the most significant differences between different types of single-phase motors is 

the way in which they handle this start-up problem.
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Nearly all inexpensive fan motors are of either the shaded-pole or the permanent split 

capacitor (PSC) variety, and these motor types are used to power the evaporator fans in some 

refrigerated beverage vending machines. In both shaded-pole and PSC motors, the 

electromagnet consists of windings of electrical wire through which current is driven. In a 

shaded-pole motor, a portion of these windings is “shaded” by a copper loop. The interactions 

between the magnetic field generated by the shaded portion and that generated by the un-shaded 

portion induce rotation when the motor is powered. The imbalance between the shaded and unshaded portions of the magnet remains throughout operation. As a result, shaded-pole motors are 

inefficient, with typical motor efficiencies of less than 20 percent. Shaded-pole motors are, 

however, electrically simple and inexpensive.

In a PSC motor, a smaller, start-up winding is present in addition to the main winding. 

The start-up winding is electrically connected in parallel with the main winding and in series 

with a capacitor. At start-up, the interactions between the magnetic field generated by the startup 

winding and that generated by the main winding induce rotation. Because of the capacitor, 

however, the current to the start-up winding is cut off as the motor reaches steady state. Because 

of this, PSC motors are more energy efficient than their shaded-pole counterparts. Like shadedpole motors, PSC motors are produced in large quantities and are relatively inexpensive.5

A third type of electric motor, the electronically commutated permanent magnet (ECM) 

motor (also known as a brushless permanent magnet motor) is more energy efficient than either 

shaded-pole or PSC motors and is used to power the evaporator fan in a growing number of 

BVM models. ECM motors are three-phase electric motors with efficiencies even greater than 

those of PSC motors. However, ECM motors are more expensive than PSC motors of equivalent 

output.

3.3.3 Higher Efficiency Evaporator Fan Blades

The evaporator fans typically used in beverage vending machines have sheet metal 

blades. The blades are typically supplied by a fan blade manufacturer and mounted to the motor 

by the equipment manufacturer. These fan blades are not optimized for refrigerated beverage 

vending machines. Evaporator fans may have lower efficiencies due to the higher required 

pressure drops, for which sheet metal fans are not well suited. High efficiency evaporator fan 

blades could move air more efficiently, yielding energy consumption savings by reducing the 

required fan shaft power. 

One particular design that could present an opportunity to reduce equipment energy 

consumption in refrigerated beverage vending applications is the tangential fan.6

 Tangential fans 

utilize a vortex builder to generate a uniform airflow over a large surface. This could make them 

well-suited to evaporator and condenser fans, which need to distribute airflow over a large coil 

surface area.

3.3.4 Improved Evaporator Design

The evaporator is a refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger composed of metals with high 

thermal conductivity such as aluminum and copper. It is responsible for evaporating and 

superheating the entering refrigerant while extracting heat from the air in the refrigerated space. 
3-14

The internal heat-exchanging surfaces in contact with refrigerant are commonly referred to as 

“refrigerant-side,” while the external heat-exchanging surfaces in contact with the air are referred 

to as “air-side.”

Depending on the requirements of the equipment, the evaporator will have a discharge air 

temperature (DAT) that can be up to 10°F colder than the desired temperature of the product in 

the refrigerated space. Because a temperature difference is necessary to drive heat from the air 

into the refrigerant, the saturated evaporator temperature (SET) must be considerably colder than 

the DAT. The magnitude of this driving force is directly related to the total refrigeration load 

and the thermal characteristics of the evaporator as shown in Equation 3.2:

( )

ln

CAT DAT

CAT SET

DAT SET

T Q

UA LM

−

−

−





 





= ∆ = Eq. 3.2

Where:

Q is the total refrigeration load in British thermal units per hour (Btu/h),

U is the heat transfer coefficient of the evaporator in Btu/°F/square foot (ft2

),

A is the area of the evaporator in ft2, 

CAT is the case air temperature, and

ΔTLM is the log mean temperature difference of the coil in °F.

Increasing the area of the coil decreases the necessary ΔTLM and therefore decreases the 

SET. This results in an increased compressor energy efficiency ratio (EER) and lower 

compressor energy consumption.

Enhancements to the refrigerant-side surface area of the evaporator could include rifled 

tubing and an increased number of tube passes. Enhancements to the air-side surface area 

include increased fin pitch (decreased fin spacing), fin patterns (wavy or zig-zag), and increased 

numbers of tube passes. 

Increasing the overall size of the coil in one or more dimensions without changing other 

aspects of the coil is another way to increase the area. However, most applications limit the 

amount of coil size increase. Increasing the evaporator surface area also may result in an 

increase in required fan motor power and an increase in refrigerant pressure drop.

3.3.5 Low Pressure Differential Evaporators

Decreasing the air-side pressure drop of an evaporator coil allows for the use of lowerpower evaporator fan motors. This requires reducing restrictions to the flow of air across the coil 

such as high fin pitch and high numbers of tube passes. Large spaces between fins and tubes 

also reduce frost “bridging,” which can completely block airflow through portions of the coil.
3-15

3.3.6 Improved or Thicker Insulation

Either increasing the insulation thickness or reducing insulation thermal conductivity will 

reduce the energy consumption of beverage vending machines. Typical insulation thickness for 

refrigerated beverage vending machines ranges from 1 to 2 inches. Blow-in polyurethane foam 

is used for most machines. The impact of an increase in insulation thickness and insulation 

quality is limited for glass-front machines by the fact that a large portion of the cooling load is 

due to conduction.

Improved-technology polyurethane foam insulation has a reduced conductivity, which 

reduces the heat load that must be removed by the refrigeration system. The improvement is due 

mainly to the formation of smaller air cells within the foam insulation structure and better cellsize consistency. Use of better foam reduces the heat load, assuming no wall thickness change.

The importance of refrigerated volume suggests that technologies that allow reduction in 

insulation thickness while maintaining thermal resistivity (R-value) would be of interest. 

Vacuum insulated panels (VIPs) could provide such performance. VIPs consist of an outer 

airtight membrane surrounding a core material to form a cavity, which is then evacuated to 

remove the air from the panel. The result is a product that performs in a manner similar to a 

traditional vacuum flask, resulting in greatly reduced thermal conduction per unit of thickness as 

compared to traditional foam insulations. VIP technology has existed for many years, but has 

recently begun to see widespread application, most notably in residential refrigerators, due to 

decreasing production costs.

3.3.7 Improved Glass Pack (for Class A machines)

For Class A machines, the glass front allows consumers to view the merchandise they can 

purchase. However, the glass front, referred to as a glass pack, allows heat transfer due to 

radiation and typically is not a good insulator of heat compared to solid walls. Thus, any 

improvements made to the glass pack to reduce radiation and conduction heat loads will also 

reduce compressor power. Glass pack improvements can be accomplished in several ways: 

addition of spectrally selective coatings (referred to as low-E coatings), adding panes of glass, 

using argon instead of air as a filler gas, and switching from an aluminum frame to a vinyl frame.

3.3.8 Higher Efficiency Compressors 

Several technologies exist to increase the efficiency of beverage vending machine

compressors. High efficiency reciprocating and scroll compressors, sometimes incorporating 

variable-speed motors, all have higher efficiencies than the traditional reciprocating compressors 

commonly used in beverage vending machines.

3.3.9 Improved Condenser Design

Like the evaporator, the condenser is a refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger composed of 

metals with high thermal conductivity such as aluminum and copper. It is responsible for 

condensing and sub-cooling the entering refrigerant vapor while rejecting heat from the 

refrigerant to the ambient air.
3-16

Depending on the requirements of the equipment, the condenser will have a saturated 

condenser temperature (SCT) that is about 10 °F warmer than the ambient air. As with 

evaporator coils, increasing the area of the condenser coil will decrease the necessary ΔTLM of the 

coil and therefore decrease the SCT, resulting in increased compressor efficiency (increased 

EER).

Enhancements to the refrigerant-side surface area of the condenser could include rifled 

tubing and an increased number of tube passes. Enhancements to the air-side surface area 

include increased fin pitch (decreased fin spacing), fin patterns (wavy or zigzag), and increased 

numbers of tube passes. 

Increasing the overall size of the coil in one or more dimensions without changing other 

aspects of the coil is another way to increase the area. However, most applications limit the 

amount of coil size increase in order to maintain overall equipment dimensions. Most 

approaches to increasing the condenser surface area also result in an increase in required fan 

motor power and an increase in refrigerant pressure drop.

3.3.10 Higher Efficiency Condenser Fan Motors 

Condenser fan motors are responsible for moving air across the condenser coil and 

typically run at one speed. The manufacturer will match the motor size and blade to the

evaporator coil to meet the expected load on the case under most conditions. Higher efficiency 

condenser fan motors reduce energy consumption by requiring less electrical power to generate 

motor shaft output power. Condenser fan motors are generally of the same size and type as 

evaporator fan motors. However, equipment energy use improvements will be less for the same 

increase in condenser fan motor efficiency as evaporator fan motor efficiency, because the 

condenser fan operates outside of the refrigerated space and does not contribute to the heat load 

of the cabinet and the compressor energy consumption. See section 3.5.3 for a discussion of 

higher efficiency evaporator fan motor technology.

3.3.11 Higher Efficiency Condenser Fan Blades

The condenser fans typically used in beverage vending machines have sheet metal blades. 

The blades are typically supplied by a fan blade manufacturer and mounted to the motor by the 

equipment manufacturer. These fan blades are not optimized for refrigerated beverage vending 

machines. Condenser fans may have lower efficiencies due to the higher required pressure 

drops, for which sheet metal fans are not well suited. High efficiency condenser fan blades could 

move air more efficiently, yielding energy consumption savings by reducing the required fan 

shaft power. 

One particular design that could present an opportunity to reduce equipment energy 

consumption in refrigerated beverage vending applications is the tangential fan.7 Tangential fans 

utilize a vortex builder to generate a uniform airflow over a large surface. This could make them 

well-suited to evaporator and condenser fans, which need to distribute airflow over a large coil 

surface area. 
3-17

3.3.12 Variable-Speed Compressors

Variable-speed compressors are implemented through the use of an electronic control, 

which drives the compressor motor using a power supply whose frequency can be varied, thus 

allowing the motor to operate at different speeds. Variable-speed compressors reduce energy 

consumption in three ways.

1. When refrigerant flow is reduced during part-load operation, the condenser and 

evaporator (designed for full-flow conditions) are more effective and thus more efficient.

Temperature drops decrease, resulting in reduced pressure rise across the compressor, 

which reduces the required compression work.

2. Close matching of load eliminates the cycling that occurs with single-stage compressors.

During the off-cycle, the pressure in the system equilibrates to an intermediate level.

During the pressure equalization, refrigerant vapor and warm liquid that transfers to the 

evaporator transfers heat into the cabinet interior, thus increasing thermal load. Variablespeed operation would eliminate or significantly reduce compressor off-time and the 

related inefficiencies.

3. Most variable-speed compressors use permanent-magnet motors, which can inherently 

have better efficiency than the single-phase motors used in other refrigeration equipment 

compressors.

3.3.13 Liquid Suction Heat Exchangers

The purpose of a liquid suction heat exchanger is to further cool the flow of liquid 

refrigerant entering the expansion valve using the flow of gaseous refrigerant leaving the 

evaporator, thus providing additional sub-cooling for the entering liquid by super-heating the 

exiting suction vapor. Hotter suction vapor is desirable, because it is less susceptible to heat 

gains in the return piping to the compressor, which provides an additional margin of safety in 

delivering superheated vapor for compressor operation (because any liquid entering the 

compressor may cause damage). Additional sub-cooling of the liquid entering the expansion 

valve is desirable, because it provides additional cooling capacity in the evaporator. However, 

the compressor work is increased, because the suction vapor has greater enthalpy. In addition, 

the possibility of compressor overheating brought on by the combination of increased 

compressor work and hotter vapor limits the use of this method in some situations. The 

possibility for these problems and the potential gains of liquid suction heat exchangers depend on 

several factors, including evaporator temperature, type of refrigerant used, and system pressures.

3.3.14 Microchannel Heat Exchangers

Several companies produce microchannel heat exchangers, which are mainly used in the 

automobile industry, although they have seen recent increases in implementation in the 

stationary air conditioning and refrigeration markets. Unlike a conventional round-tube plate-fin 

heat exchanger, the microchannel has a rectangular cross-section containing several small 

channels through which refrigerant passes. Fins pass between the tubes and are brazed to the 

tubes. All components are aluminum. The resulting microchannel coil transfers more heat per 
3-18

unit of face area than does a round-tube plate-fin coil of comparable capacity. It does so with a 

lower airside pressure drop, yielding reduced fan power consumption. These benefits can 

improve system performance compared to a tube-and-fin coil of the same face area. Although the 

microchannel heat exchanger costs more to produce than a conventional round-tube plate-fin 

coil, the microchannel heat exchanger offers particular opportunities to reduce the size and 

weight of the heat exchanger. Microchannel heat exchangers also offer the opportunity for 

significant reductions in refrigerant charge.

3.3.15 Higher Efficiency Expansion Valves

Expansion valves are refrigerant metering devices whose purpose is to control the amount 

of refrigerant flowing to the evaporator coil. In doing so, they simultaneously decrease the 

temperature and pressure of the refrigerant, creating a cold liquid-vapor mixture. The low 

temperature of the refrigerant leaving the expansion valve creates the driving force to move heat 

out of the refrigerated space and into the evaporator.

The most basic type of expansion device is a capillary tube, which is often used in 

beverage vending machines. The capillary tube is a long, thin piece of pipe that creates a 

pressure drop in the refrigerant through wall friction. Capillary tubes must be sized to the 

particular application and cannot adjust for variations in load or ambient operating conditions. 

They are often oversized for worst-case conditions and, therefore, may operate at reduced 

efficiency during normal operation. However, using an alternate technology such as a 

thermostatic expansion valve (i.e., TXV) or an electronic expansion valve (i.e., EEV) will likely 

not provide significant energy savings over a properly sized capillary tube under steady-state 

conditions.

3.3.16 Improved Anti-Sweat Heaters

Anti-sweat heating controllers match the on-time of anti-sweat heaters to the anti-sweat 

heating requirements imposed by the ambient humidity, reducing energy consumption when 

ambient humidity is low. Anti-sweat heating is sometimes necessary in certain applications to 

prevent moisture condensation on surfaces of Class A glass packs, the temperatures of which 

may be below the ambient dew point. Controls that sense ambient humidity levels can turn off 

the heater when anti-sweat heating is not required, reducing electricity consumption. Such 

control requires measuring the local dew point or relative humidity and measuring external 

surface temperatures. A particular heater can be turned on when the temperature of a particular 

surface falls below the dew point, or the heaters can be cycled with on-times increasing with dew 

point. Reducing anti-sweat heater on-time may also yield additional energy savings in 

refrigerated beverage vending machine heat load reductions, as anti-sweat heaters contribute to

case heat load. 

It is possible that electric anti-sweat heaters could be replaced by a hot gas line running 

around the doorframe. This technology has seen widespread and successful use in residential 

freezers.
3-19

3.3.17 Low Power States

Refrigerated beverage vending machines traditionally operate their lighting and 

refrigeration systems continuously. However, some machines are now equipped with low-power 

states that reduce the energy use of the equipment, generally taking effect during off hours or 

periods of low customer traffic. During a low-power state, product or signage lighting may be 

dimmed or turned off; in addition, when the equipment contains only non-perishable items, the 

products may be maintained at a temperature higher than they would be during normal vending 

operation. Energy can be saved from the decreased lighting on-time and the decreased 

compressor cycling and fan on-time arising from higher cabinet temperatures.
3-20

REFERENCES

1 National Automatic Merchandising Association, <http://www.vending.org>

2 American Beverage Association, <http://www.ameribev.org>

3 http://www.energystar.gov/certified-products/detail/vending_machines . Accessed May 

5, 2014.

4 U.S. Department of Energy – Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 

Federal Energy Management Program. Energy Efficient Product Procurement. 2014. 

(Last accessed May 16, 2014). 

<http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/technologies/procuring_eeproducts.html> 

5 “Technical Support Document for Energy Conservation Standards for Room Air 

Conditioners,” U.S. DOE, September 1997.

6 “Investigation of Energy-Efficient Supermarket Display Cases,” Oak Ridge National 

Laboratory, December 2004.

7 “Investigation of Energy-Efficient Supermarket Display Cases,” Oak Ridge National 

Laboratory, December 2004.