3

- i CHAPTER 3. MARKET AND TECHNOLOG Y 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 Performa nce 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 I mproved 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 E fficiency 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

Ta ble 3.1 Beverage Vending Machine Market Data

................................ ................................ .. 3

- 5 Table 3.2 Canadian Beverage Vending Machine Standard Levels

................................ .............. 3

- 6 Table 3.3 ENE RGY STAR Qualifying Criteria for Beverage Vending Machines

.................... 3

- 73

- ii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3.3.1 Class A ENERGY STAR Qualified Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machine Mo dels

................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 3

- 8 Figure 3.3.2 Class B ENERGY STAR Qualified Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machine Models

................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 3

- 8 Figure 3.4.1 Market Per formance Data for DOE

- Certified Class A Equipment

...................... 3

- 11 Figure 3.4.2 Market Performance Data for DOE

- Certified Qualified Class B Equipment

...... 3

- 113

- 1 CHAPTER 3. MARKET AND TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

3.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter details the market and technology assessment that t he U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has carri ed out in support of the ongoing energy conservation stand ards 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 form s the basis of the downstream analys es , 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 non

regulatory efficiency improvement programs , equipment classes, market trends , and quantities of refrigerated beverage vending machines sold. The tech nology 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 D efinitions
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 refrigerator a 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 h inged, 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.3

- 2 In th e 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 (ft 3 ) o f 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 categorie s 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

- use
only), 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 a nd 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 equipmen t 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 b everage” 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, asi de from the cooling

method 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. Som e 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 so ft 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 secti on). 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.3

- 3 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 h ave 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 Cl ass 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 ma ny 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 sam ple 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, typic ally 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 su ch 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) S ignificant 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 association s , d omestic 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.3

- 4 3.2.1 Trade Association s 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 b everage industry.

NAMA was f ounded in 1933 and se rves 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 departme nt of NAMA was founded in 1957 to ensure that the vending industry serve s 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 San itary 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, whic h may be advertised as a service mark;

• Training for technicians on effective vending machine maintenance; and

• Industry p ublications on technical services, health, and safety.

ABA is the trade association for America’s non

- alcoholic refreshment beverage in dustry

. It is closely linke d 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 purchaser s of refrigerated beverage vending machines. The association provides a fo rum 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

. I n 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

O ther manufacturers of refrigerated beverage vending machines are listed below.

• Seaga Manufacturing

• Automatic Merchandising Systems

• Multi

- Max Distributed Vending System

• Jofemar USA3

- 5 • 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 f inal r ule

Annual Shipments (units): 95,000 ENERGY STAR estimate for 2012 (See chapter 9 of this technical support document ( TSD ). )

3.2.2.1 Sm all 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 fo r Feder al 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 Servic e Industry Machinery M anufacturing , 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 regulations3

- 6 in the past , which have been pre

- empted by the Federal standards set forth in the 2009 BVM f inal r ule.

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

. The se standard s 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 regulat ion

- 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) Re lative 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. ** V C 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 ENE RGY 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.3

- 7 3.2.4.1 ENERGY STAR
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) E NERGY STAR voluntary labeling program has a Product Specification for Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machines, V ersion 3.0 of which took effect for new and rebuilt machines on March 1, 2013. Previous levels had been established with the first tie r effectiv e 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 b oth 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 show n in Table 3

. 3

. Unlike the DOE energy conservation standards, ENERGY STAR qualifica tion 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 = 0.0523 V + 2.432 H ard

- 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 so urce Class B

– New and Rebuilt Machines Y = 0.0657 V + 2.844

Y=24

- hour consumption (kWh/day) after the machine has stabilized; V =refrigerated volume (ft 3 ). 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

. 33

- 8 Figure 3.3

. 1 Class A ENERGY STAR Qualified Refrigerated B everage V ending M achine Models

Figure 3.3

. 2 Class B ENERGY STAR Qualified Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machine Models3

- 9 3.2.4.2 Federal Energy Management Program FEMP is a program administered by DOE that oversees the Federal Government’s ene rgy 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 facilities 4

. 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 majori ty of rebate programs offered by the previous ly 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
co mpressor 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 electricit y 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
c overed 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 consu mer 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 c overed 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 conside red 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 beverage s , 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 machines3

- 10 have a distinct utility and, accordingly, established a third equipment class to cover combination
ve nding 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 definitio n: 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 con current 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 direc ted 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 te st 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 Ma rket Performance Data Since the compliance date of the 2009 BVM final rule standards o n August 31, 2012, BVM manufacturers have been required to report their equipment’s rated performance for DOE’s Compliance Certification Management System (CCMS). Accordi ngly, 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.3

- 11 Figure 3.4

. 3 Market Performance Data for DOE

- Certified C lass 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.3

- 12 3.3 TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMEN T The purpose of the technology assessment is to develop a preliminary list of technologies that could potentially be used to improve the efficie ncy of beverage vending machines.

3.3.1 Higher Efficiency Lighting Refrigerated b everage 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 t hose units with lighting internal to the refrigerated space, less heat energy is dissipated into the ref rigerated volume by the lighting fixtures

. Efficiency in lighting is commonly measured as efficacy (lumens/watt), or the quantity of light output (mea sured in lumens ) per unit of electrical energy inpu t (measured in watts )

. T he 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 ligh ting 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, th ey are more directional than linear fluorescent bulbs, allowing for comparable illumination with less total wattage. There have been significant advancement s in LED efficacy over past years, and LEDs are predicted to experience a continuing increase in ef ficacy 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 L ED lighting in beverage vending machines that are already in the field.

3.3.2 Higher Efficiency Evaporator Fan Motors Evaporator fan motors mov e air across the evaporator coil and typically run at one speed in baseline designs

. M anufacturer s match the motor s ize and blade to the evaporator coil to me et 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

— suffer s from a serious shortcoming. Single

- phase motors only produce a rotating magnetic field when the rotor is rotating, and simply powering the e lectromagnet 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.3

- 13 Nearly all inexpensive fan motors are of either t he shaded

- pole or the permanent split capacitor (PSC) variety, and the se 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 electr ical 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 ro tation when the motor is powered. T he imbalance between the shaded and un

shaded 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 mo tors 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 ste ady state. Because of this, PSC motors are more energy efficient than their shaded

- pole counterparts. Like shaded

pole 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

- phas e 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 optimi zed 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 surfa ce. 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 c onductivity 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 commo nly 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

W here :

Q is the total refrigeration lo ad in British thermal units per hour ( Btu/h ) , U is the heat transfer coefficient of the evaporator in Btu/ ° F/ square f oo t ( ft 2 ) , A is the area of the evaporator in ft 2

, CAT is the case air temperature, and ΔT LM is the log mean temperature difference of the coil in ° F. Increasing the area of the coil decrease s the necessary ΔT LM and therefore decrease s 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 p asses. 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. I ncreasing the evaporator surf ace 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 lower

power 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 porti ons 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 thicknes s for refrigerated beverage vending machines ranges from 1 to 2 inches. Blow

- in polyuret hane foam is used for most machines . The impact of an increase in insulation thickness and insulation q uality 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 redu ced conductivity, which reduc es the heat load that must be removed by the refrigeration system . The improvement is due mainly to the formation of smaller air cells withi n the foam insulation structure and better cell

size consistency. Use of be tter foam reduce s the heat load, assuming no wall thickness change. The importance of refrigerated volume suggests that technologies that allow reduction in insulation thickness wh ile 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 t he 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 fo r 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 th e merchandise they can purchase. However, the glass front , referred to as a glass pack , allows heat transfer due to radia t ion and typically is not a good insulator of heat compared to solid walls. Thus , any improvements made to the glass pack to reduce r adiation 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 ai r 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, s ometimes 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 require ments 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 ΔT LM of the coil and t herefore 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 su rface area include increased fin pitch (decreased fin spac ing), 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 w ay 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 refriger ated 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 re frigerated 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 ene rgy 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 utiliz e 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 compresso rs 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 pre ssure equalization, refrigerant vapor and warm liquid that transfers to the evaporator transfers heat into the cabinet interior, thus increasing thermal load. Variable

speed operation would eliminate or significantly reduce compressor off

- time and the rela ted 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 li quid 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 exit ing suction vapor. Hotter suction vapor is desirable , because it is less susceptible to heat gains in the retu rn 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, t he compressor work is increased , because the su ction 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 suctio n 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 ar e 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 per3

- 18 unit of face area than does a r ound

- 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 microc hannel 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 oppo rtunity for significant r eductions 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 simultane ously 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 evapo rator. 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 mu st 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

- Sw eat Heater s
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 i n certain applications to prevent moisture condensation on surfaces of Class A glass packs , the temperatures of which may be below the ambient dew point. C ontrols that sense ambient humidity levels can turn off the heater when anti

- sweat heating is not req uired, 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 vend ing 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 Energ y
- Efficient Supermarket Display Cases, ” Oak Ridge National Laboratory, December 2004.

7 “Investigation of Energy

- Efficient Supermarket Display Cases,” Oak Ridge National Laboratory, December 2004.