200-Store Supermarket Display Case Evaporator Retrofit
A composite reference case based on representative supermarket chain retrofit programs — replacing legacy AC evaporator fans with EC equivalents across 200 stores, anti-condensation coil standard, R744 CO2 compatibility, and rolling weekly batch delivery to match store-by-store renovation schedule.
1 · Challenge
- Legacy AC shaded-pole evaporator fans averaging 28% wire-to-air η — typical for pre-2015 supermarket display cases.
- Anti-condensation cycling (defrost every 4–8 hours) caused conformal-coating drift on motor electronics → 15% annual replacement rate.
- New ErP retrofit window prompted chain to combine fan replacement with R744 CO2 transcritical refrigerant upgrade.
- 200-store rollout cadence: 5 stores/week installation team availability.
- −25°C continuous evaporator service + 95% RH cycling stress.
2 · Solution Architecture
Bill of materials
| LONGWELL SKU | Type | Qty | Key spec |
|---|---|---|---|
| LWAE3G-300-EC-Cold-Chain | EC axial evaporator fan | 2,400 units | Ø300 mm, −40°C validated, anti-condensation heating coil standard (not optional), R744 / R290 / R1234yf compat, IP55, conformal-coated electronics |
3 · Modelled Outcomes — Typical Range
How to read these figures: the values below are modelled for this composite scenario — LONGWELL platform specifications combined with industry-standard deltas for refrigeration retrofits. They are a planning range, not measured results from one named project. Verified data from real deployments is in Section 6.
4 · Implementation Timeline
5 · Engineering Lessons
- Anti-condensation heating coil standard (rather than an optional add-on) was the single biggest predictor of EC fan reliability in evaporator service. Field replacement rate dropped from 15% (AC + optional CC) to 0.6% (EC + standard CC).
- R744 CO2 compatibility required testing under fluctuating pressure profile (transcritical CO2 swings 30–110 bar). Standard EC fan motor electronics passed without modification.
- Rolling weekly batch delivery matched the chain's 5-store/week installation cadence — eliminated warehouse storage cost on the chain side.
- −40°C ambient validation (vs nominal −25°C operating point) provided 15°C safety margin against cold-snap conditions in northeast Asia stores.
- 24% refrigeration system COP improvement was 3× larger than expected from fan-only η delta alone — driven by tighter speed control reducing pull-down overshoot.
6 · Verified Project Evidence
Everything below is drawn from actual project correspondence. Model numbers, duty points and the specification traps that actually caused rework are stated as they occurred. Customer names are withheld; no pricing is published.
Russia — refrigeration and industrial ventilation builder, mixed EC platform
Bare-wheel and plug-fan variants · delivered
- Supplied across one platform: LWBE3G280-138NT-03 — 400 V, 860 W, 1.22 A, 3,028 m³/h, 886 Pa, 3,000 rpm, 85 dB(A); and LWBE3G310-138NT-05 — 400 V, 50/60 Hz, 980 W, 1.64 A, 4,398 m³/h, 824 Pa, 2,600 rpm, 74 dB(A).
- Both mounting forms from the same range: NT bare-wheel fans for tight internal cavities and PT plug-fan modules with frame and inlet cone where the cabinet allows it. Refrigeration builders routinely need both in one machine.
- All units on RS485 so the machine controller can network and modulate the whole fan set rather than switching stages.
- What to lock down before selecting: mounting form (bare wheel vs plug fan with inlet cone), supply type (three-phase 400 V / single-phase 230 V / DC 24 V) and control bus — not just airflow, static pressure and noise.
Russia — axial fans for condensers and heating terminals
Airflow direction and pole count · delivered
- Supplied: LWAA4D630S-7EB-18 — 2,750 W, 20,500 m³/h, 1,320 rpm, 200 Pa max, in the blowing (S) direction for refrigeration duty; plus 300, 350, 400 and 450 mm units in the sucking (B) direction for heating terminals.
- Two things are easy to get wrong and both change the result. Airflow direction — S (blowing) versus B (sucking) — has to match whether the coil is a condenser or a heater. And pole count sets speed and therefore the noise spectrum: the 400 mm unit had to be corrected to a 4-pole motor, LWAA4E400B-7EB-24.
- A standing check on direction code and pole count at first contact is what stops this class of error, because neither shows up in an airflow-versus-pressure comparison.
Russia — cold-chain unit, DC high-speed centrifugal, custom part number
Measured against catalogue · delivered
- Rated duty: DC 24 V, 1,300 m³/h at 100 Pa, 4,800 ±150 rpm, current ≤ 23 A, double straight-wheel construction.
- As measured on test at 27 V: 1,315.88 m³/h at 100 Pa and 1,382.00 m³/h at free delivery, 4,838–5,198 rpm, 20.2–22.8 A, 545–615 W.
- A paperwork problem worth flagging: the customer held a custom drawing number (KZFF293S) while the catalogue carries FC097E3-DD0-03. Same physical part, same performance, two numbers. Until a mapping table was put on the invoice and the specification sheet, it read as two different products at order confirmation and customs. Any OEM programme with its own part numbering should agree that mapping before the first shipment.


Fan performance figures are quoted from LONGWELL controlled datasheets and are tested per AMCA 210/211 methods; third-party reports available on request. EC versus AC energy saving is approximately 30%, higher under strongly varying load — confirm against your own load profile. Final selection must be confirmed against the actual duty point (airflow / static pressure / voltage / control method) and project validation.
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