JACOBS CARTER BURGESS’ refrigeration design experts specialize in design for storage and processing of temperature-sensitive products and goods.  These facilities can be highly automated or without automation, and they generally have multiple temperature requirements with varying levels of pressurization and often require storage space for finished and raw products.

Our refrigeration staff is a recognized national leader in the design of perishable food plants, primarily due to the experience gained with well-respected national and regional grocers and food manufacturers.  In the past five years, we have designed and constructed approximately 18 million square feet of refrigerated perishable food centers.  Of that, over three million square feet consisted of freezers at –10 degrees Farenheit and over 500,000 square feet consisted of freezers at -20 degrees Farenheit.

Jacobs Carter Burgess is also a leader in multi-facility programs utilizing prototypes and aggressive schedules and is especially well qualified to handle large and complex building programs.

Expertise in Refrigeration Systems
Modern food production, storage and distribution would be impossible without extensive use of refrigeration. It is necessary to know the reasons affecting the microbiology of foods and the reasons for the typical temperatures used in the food industry.  Jacobs Carter Burgess’ refrigeration specialists will design the right refrigeration application for your business:  the exact required capacity with the least possible energy consumption.

Whether expanding, renovating, or building a new facility, our specialists can analyze your expected capacity and/or current facility requirements, as well as future needs to determine the most effective and efficient refrigeration system for your operation.  Processing areas and refrigerated storage areas can be designed to meet any unusual or highly specialized requirements.

Key Practice Areas

• Food distribution/warehouse facilities
• Meat & poultry processing facilities
• Frozen food entrée plants
• RTE food plants
• Dairy plants
• Fish & seafood processing plants
• Snack food plants
• Beverage facilities

Representative Clients

• Ben E. Keith Foods
• ALDI, Inc.
• Blue Bell Creameries
• ConAgra
• HEB Grocery
• Kraft Foods
• Pilgrim’s Pride
• Rancher’s Lamb of Texas
• Randall’s/Safeway
• Sysco
• Tyson Foods
• Wal-Mart

Services

• 3-D refrigeration design
• Ammonia, CFC, HCFC and other refrigeration systems
• System conversions
• Blast freezers
• Cold storage
• Walk-in freezers / coolers
• Chillers
• Equipment specifications
• Equipment installation
• Energy savings analysis & implementation
• Compressors
• Condensers
• Process integration
• Systems controls
• Optimization
• “Best practices”
• Regulatory compliance (OSHA, EPA and others)
• Process safety management

Key Projects

Blue Bell Creameries Ice Cream Plant, Brenham, TX
Jacobs Carter Burgess provided professional design and consulting services for a multi-phase project.  Services included the design of a Process Safety Management Program (OSHA) and a Risk Management plan (EPA) for the ammonia refrigeration system at the plant. In addition, the firm assisted Blue Bell personnel in implementation into the plant's standard operating procedure format.   

ConAgra Poultry Company, Duluth, GA
Jacobs Carter Burgess provided refrigeration design and troubleshooting as well as plumbing and electrical engineering for several plants throughout the United States. Jacobs Carter Burgess performed an initial assessment of the existing refrigeration and redesigned the refrigeration system allow trouble free operation of two main freezers at -10 degrees Fahrenheit , several coolers at 28 degrees Fahrenheit and 34 degrees Fahrenheit and one shipping dock at 50 degrees Fahrenheit . A new machine room was redesigned to include a new system utilizing the original vessels and existing compressors and implementing a new condenser operating with ammonia piped to a CPR system.

Holding Freezer Renovation, Further Processing Poultry Plant – Pilgrim’s Pride, Mount Pleasant, TX 
Jacobs Carter Burgess reviewed the original design for remodeling a 43,000 square foot holding freezer and shipping dock. The original design was revised to meet the Owner’s requirements while utilizing existing equipment. Each existing unit was modified and reconfigured to provide consistent temperature and air flow throughout the freezer area. An air flow and balance study was performed and a recommendation was made for improvement for plant operations.

RTE Expansion – Pilgrim’s Pride, Waco, TX
The project consisted of a RTE expansion. The project team was involved in the design process of air handling, cooling and freezing for 125,000 square feet for receiving cooler, marinating area ,WIP cooler, bread and batter area , frying, belt grilling, oven cooking, freezing, packaging, palletizing, spice storage box fabrication and storage areas. Jacobs Carter Burgess designed and produced bid documents for an ammonia refrigeration system capacity expansion to accommodate new spiral freezers with the capacity to freeze RTE poultry products.

Randall’s/Safeway Grocery Distribution Center, Roanoke, TX
Jacobs Carter Burgess was selected to design and build the $7.9 million expansion of the refrigerated grocery distribution center. The project required upgrading the existing freon refrigeration system to an ammonia system throughout the entire facility. As the general contractor, Jacobs Carter Burgess oversaw construction from beginning to end. Jacobs Carter Burgess provided architectural, civil, structural, refrigeration, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering services and designed the entire infrastructure to adequately support 37,000 sq.ft. freezer expansion.

IQF Spiral Freezer Replacement -Tyson Foods, Clarksville, AR 
Jacobs Carter Burgess was asked to assist in the replacement of two IQF freezers. The freezers were demolished and removed through the roof with little or no disruption of normal production on the other production lines. This was achieved through the use of sanitary temporary walls for the duration of the project. The precast concrete roof panels were removed and reinstalled at the completion of installation. The design of the refrigeration system upgrade included changed the low temperature system operating temperature, install a new wet suction to accommodate existing, new and future spiral freezers with return to a new vertical ammonia low temperature recirculator. The project included a new electrical room addition with upgraded MCC for new and existing equipment. Jacobs Carter Burgess also provided construction support throughout the entire project.

Pepperoni Production Facility Refrigeration Upgrade – Tyson Rosani Foods, Dallas, TX
Over the life of the plant the number of drying rooms had been expanded significantly with little attention to the refrigeration system capacity. As a result, the vessels were too small for existing loads. This resulted in frequent plant shut downs due to liquid management problems. Jacobs Carter Burgess designed a new vessel system which was installed outside the existing compressor room. This allowed the work to proceed with little disruption of plant production. The project included replacement of: the high and low temperature recirculators, and a high pressure receiver. A new liquid transfer system was installed and piping moved to the roof for easier access.

Wal-Mart Food Distribution Center, Nationwide Program
Jacobs Carter Burgess provides refrigeration system design, project management, architecture, civil, structural, mechanical, electrical plumbing and fire protection systems for food distribution facilities nationwide. A typical 850,000 sq.ft facility contains a dry grocery area and a temperature-controlled perishable storage and freezer area (245,000 sq.ft refrigerated warehouse).  Perishable products are stored in the refrigerated area where temperatures range from +55 degrees for produce to -20 degrees Fahrenheit for ice cream.