Data 3-2

Final Report by Commercial Refrigerator and

Showcase, etc. Evaluation Standards
Subcommittee, Energy Efficiency Standards
Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee for
Natural Resources and Energy
[Commercial Refrigerators, etc.] (Draft)

January 24, 2011

 The commercial refrigerator and showcase, etc. evaluation subcommittee had
deliberations on the standards of judgment for the manufacturers or importers (hereinafter
referred to as “manufacturers”) concerning performance improvement of commercial
refrigerators, commercial refrigerator-freezers, commercial freezers, etc. (hereinafter
referred to as “commercial refrigerators, etc.”) and prepared an interim summary report as
follows.

I. Commercial Refrigerators, etc.

1. Target Scope [See Attachment 1]

The commercial refrigerators, etc. as the target scope of this review shall be the electric
refrigerators, etc. stipulated by JIS B 8630 as the application scope of Commercial
refrigerators and freezers - Characteristics and test methods (limited to those which
include one or more of HFC-125, HFC-143a and/or HFC-134a in their refrigerant),
excluding “type I chilled air forced circulation refrigerators (chilled air forced circulation
refrigerators the rated storage temperature’s lower limit of which is 0°C or above)”, “chilled
air natural convection refrigerator-freezers” and “type I chilled air forced circulation
refrigerator-freezers (chilled air forced circulation refrigerator-freezers whose chiller’s lower
limit for the rated storage temperature is 0°C or above)”). However, those whose storage
chamber’s height is 650 mm or lower and which are horizontal type, those which are water
cooling type, those which have double sided doors, vertical freezers, those which are
chilled air natural convection type, those which have a drawer of slide rail type, those which
are vertical type whose height is 2,050 mm or higher, those which are exclusively for cold
storage of milk, those which are horizontal type equipped with an electro-magnetic cooker
and those which are modified or specially ordered are excluded from the application scope.

2. Items to be judgment standards for manufacturers

(1) Target fiscal year [See Attachment 2]
The target fiscal year for the commercial refrigerators, etc. shall be the fiscal year
2016.

(2) Target standard values [See Attachment 3 to 4]

With regard to commercial refrigerators, etc. that manufacturers ship within Japan
for the target fiscal year, a weighted average of the annual energy consumption
(kWh/year) calculated in (3), by the volume of shipments for each manufacturer per
category in the table below shall not exceed the target standard value.

Table 1 Standard Energy Consumption Efficiency for Commercial Refrigerators and

Refrigerator-freezers
Type of Inverter Control Calculation Formula of Standard Energy Consumption
Category Shape
Refrigerator Motor Efficiency
1A Vertical There is. E = 0.345V1 + 86nR + 64dR + 315
Type
1B Refrigerator There isn’t. E = 0.766V1 + 86nR + 64dR + 106
Horizontal
1C Type - E = 1.12V1 + 70nR + 34dR + 237
Vertical
2A Refrigerator- Type - E = 0.872V1 + 86nR + 64dR + 186nF + 295dF – 113
freezer Horizontal
2B Type - E = 2.43V1 + 70nR + 34dR + 157nF + 157dF – 183

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Note 1. The “vertical type” means those the height of which based on the external dimensions
stipulated by JIS B 8630 (hereinafter referred to as “external height”) is over 1,000 mm
and the door of which opens toward the front side. The same applies hereinafter.
2. The “horizontal type” means those the external height of which is 1,000 mm or lower
and the door of which opens toward the front side. The same applies hereinafter.
3. E is the value of the standard energy consumption efficiency (unit: kWh/year).
The same applies hereinafter.
4. V1 is the adjusted internal volume calculated by the following formula, rounding the
number after the decimal point.
Category “1A” and “1B” V1 = 800/d x VR
Category “1C” V1 = 600/d x VR
Category “2A” V1 = 800/d x (VR + 2.48VF) + 887
Category “2B” V1 = 600/d x (VR + 3.74VF) + 336
However, as a result of the above mentioned calculation, if the adjusted internal
volume becomes the lower limit value stipulated for each category in the following table
or lower than that, then the lower limit value is used as the adjusted internal volume.

Category Lower Limit Value

1A 500
1B 500
1C 75
2A 1930
2B 750

5. d is the depth (unit: mm) based on the external dimensions stipulated by JIS B 8630.
The same applies hereinafter.
6. VR is the rated internal volume of a chiller (unit: liter). The same applies hereinafter.
7. VF is the rated internal volume of a freezer (unit: liter). The same applies hereinafter.
8. nR: The number of places behind side-by-side doors of a chiller where center pillars are
not installed
9. nF: The number of places behind side-by-side doors of a freezer where center pillars
are not installed
10. dR is used as dR = 1 for chillers with multiple doors (i.e. those which have doors the
number of which is more than the standard number of doors stated in the following
table according to the external width (W: unit, mm) stipulated by JIS B 8630) and as dR
= 0 for others.

Shape External Width Standard Number of Doors

825 mm or under 2
Vertical
Over 825 mm up to 1,650 mm 4
Type
Over 1,650 mm 6
1,050 mm or under 1
Horizontal
Over 1,050 mm up to 1,650 mm 2
Type
Over 1,650 mm 3

11. dF is used as dF = 1 for freezers with multiple doors and as dF = 0 for others. The same
applied hereinafter.

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 Table 2 Standard Energy Consumption Efficiency for Commercial Freezers
Calculation Formula of Standard Energy Consumption
Category Shape
Efficiency
3A Vertical Type E = 1.96V2 + 186nF + 295dF + 788
3B Horizontal Type E = 4.12V2 + 157nF + 157dF + 349
4A Chest Freezer E = 1.16V2 + 211
4B Freezer-stocker E = 1.39V2 + 359
Note 1. The “chest freezers” are those which open upward with a door which is pulled up.
2. The “freezer-stockers” are those which open upward with a door which slides leftward
and rightward.
3. E is the value of the standard energy consumption efficiency (unit: kWh/year).
4. V2 is the adjusted internal volume calculated by the following formula, rounding the
number after the decimal point.
Category “3A” V2 = 800/d x VF
Category “3B” V2 = 600/d x VF
Category “4A” and “4B” V2 = VF
However, as a result of the above mentioned calculation, if the adjusted internal volume
becomes the lower limit value stipulated for each category in the following table or lower
than that, then the lower limit value is used as the adjusted internal volume.
Category Lower Limit Value
3A 500
3B 75
4A 250
4B 50

(3) Energy consumption efficiency measurement method [See Attachment 5]

The energy consumption efficiency of commercial refrigerators, etc. shall be the
annual energy consumption (kWh/year), and the measurement method shall be the
method specified in JIS B 8630 as “Commercial refrigerators and freezer -
Characteristics and test methods”.
As regards those with additional functions such as defrosting water-discharge
forced evaporation function, forced heat-discharge function or heating and
heat-retention function, the measurement can be done regarding them as standard
products without additional functions.

(4) Display items and others

Items concerning the display are as follows.
1) Display items
Display items shall be as follows.
i) Product name and model name
ii) Category
iii) Rated internal volume (liter)
iv) Depth size (mm)
v) The number of places behind the side-by-side doors of a chiller where center
pillars are not installed

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 vi) The number of places behind the side-by-side doors of a freezer where center
pillars are not installed
vii) For those with multiple doors as stipulated in the paragraph (2) above, the
statement that there are multiple doors.
viii) Annual energy consumption (kWh/year)
ix) Manufacturer’s name

2) Compliance items
i) The energy consumption efficiency must be indicated as annual energy
consumption by integers by the unit of kWh/year. In this case, the energy
consumption and the allowable value must follow the stipulation of JIS B 8630
“Commercial refrigerators and freezers - Characteristics and test methods”.
ii) The display items stipulated in the foregoing paragraph 1) must be displayed at
noticeable places on the product. In this case, the display items must be written
directly on the product or on a label made of metal or of synthetic resin which is
attached to the product in a way that makes it difficult to take it away. The
display items must be written in an indelible way.
iii) As regards refrigerators, etc. with additional functions which were measured as
standard products without additional functions, the display must state so and
that the energy consumption in actual use may be greater than the value
measured.

4. Proposals for energy saving

(1) Actions of manufacturers
1) Manufacturers shall promote technological development toward energy
conservation of commercial refrigerators, etc. and attempt to develop products with
excellent energy consumption efficiency.
2) From the viewpoint of promoting the spread of commercial refrigerators, etc. with
excellent energy consumption efficiency, manufacturers shall attempt to provide
appropriate information to encourage users to select commercial refrigerators, etc.
with excellent energy consumption efficiency by displaying newly chosen products
in catalogues, etc.
3) Manufacturers shall endeavor not only to develop energy saving technologies
suitable for a measuring method of energy consumption efficiency but also to
develop energy saving technologies suitable for the actual status of the usage of
users.

(2) Actions of retailers

Retailers shall not only try to sell commercial refrigerators, etc. with excellent energy
consumption efficiency, but also offer appropriate information to users so that they can
select commercial refrigerators, etc. with excellent energy consumption efficiency.

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(3) Actions of users
Users shall attempt to not only select commercial refrigerators, etc. with excellent
energy consumption efficiency but also reduce energy by using commercial
refrigerators, etc. while actively using energy conservation setting.

(4) Actions of Government

1) From the viewpoint of promoting the spread of commercial refrigerators, etc. with
excellent energy consumption efficiency, the government shall attempt to take
necessary action such as the spread and enlightenment activities, in order to
promote actions of users and manufacturers.
2) The government shall periodically and continuously check implementation of the
display items by manufacturers and attempt at appropriate operation of the law so
that information on energy consumption efficiency can be provided to users in
correct and easily understandable manner.
3) The energy-saving standard based on the Top Runner Program is a very effective
approach to energy saving of products. Therefore, the government shall make
efforts to spread it internationally, by taking appropriate opportunities.

5
 Attachment 1

Scope of the Target Commercial Refrigerators, etc.

1. Basic Idea
The commercial refrigerators, etc. as the target scope of this review shall be the
electric refrigerators, etc. stipulated by JIS B 8630 as the application scope of
Commercial refrigerators and freezers - Characteristics and test methods (limited to
those which include one or more of HFC-125, HFC-143a and/or HFC-134a in their
refrigerant), excluding “type I chilled air forced circulation refrigerators (chilled air forced
circulation refrigerators the rated storage temperature’s lower limit of which is 0°C or
above)”, “chilled air natural convection refrigerator-freezers” and “type I chilled air forced
circulation refrigerator-freezers (chilled air forced circulation refrigerator-freezers whose
chiller’s lower limit for the rated storage temperature is 0°C or above)”).
The target scope covers approximately 85% of the shipping quantity even if the following
products are excluded.

2. Exclusion from Target Scope

The following products are excluded from the scope of the target commercial
refrigerators, etc.
The basic concept of the exclusion is that (1) products used for special purpose, (2)
products for which technical measurement methods and evaluation procedures have not
been established yet and (3) products the use of which in the market is extremely rare
are excluded from the target scope. The products stated in (1) above are excluded in JIS
B 8630 too.

(1) Products excluded from the target scope because evaluation procedures have not
been established yet.
1) Products with a refrigeration chamber of constant temperature and high humidity
using its inner wall as a cooling surface (Reference 1-8 and 1-9).
Evaluation procedures for these products have not been established yet because
they are special, for example, making the refrigerator inside with double stainless
boxes and letting chilled air flow through the gap between the boxes to do indirect
cooling, so they are excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 6.0 thousand units

2) Horizontal type products with an opening on the top (sandwich table) (Reference
1-10)
Evaluation procedures for these products have not been established yet because
they are special, i.e. making an opening on the top of the top board and putting a
food container in the opening to seal it, so they are excluded from the target scope.

6
 * Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 2.0 thousand units

3) Products which quickly cool and freeze food for storage at the temperature of minus
30°C or under (freezer) (Reference 1-12)
Evaluation procedures for these products have not been established yet because
they are special, i.e. quickly cooling and freezing food after cooked for storage at
the temperature of minus 30°C or under. And their shipping quantity is few, so they
are excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 1.3 thousand units

4) Low temperature chest freezers (Reference 1-15)

Evaluation procedures for these products have not been established yet because
they are special as the temperature in the freezer is set at minus 30°C or below to
make the freezing power greater than that of the standard type, and the shipping
quantity is few, so they are excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 0.8 thousand units

5) Locker type products with many independent storage chambers (Reference 1-16)
Evaluation procedures for these products have not been established yet because
they are special as they are mainly used out of the kitchen, have a compressor
mounted on the bottom and have many independent storage chambers controlling
the temperature of all chambers, and the shipping quantity of these products is few,
so they are excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 0.5 thousand units

6) Products with a door which is pulled out (Reference 1-20)

Evaluation procedures for these products have not been established yet because
they are special as they are used in the kitchen whose space is too small for the
products with side-by-side doors, and the shipping quantity of these products is few,
so they are excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 0.3 thousand units

7) Products having three or more temperature setting ranges which do not overlap
each other in one refrigeration box (Reference 1-21)
Evaluation procedures for these products have not been established yet because
they are special as they have a cooling unit and a refrigerant pipe, etc. for
refrigeration and freezing to control three different temperature zones in one unit,
and the shipping quantity of these products is few, so they are excluded from the
target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 0.3 thousand units

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 8) Products which can store the cart directly into the refrigerator (Reference 1-23)
Evaluation procedures for these products have not been established yet because
they are special as they can preserve food on the cart as is, although their structure
is similar to that of normal vertical products, and the shipping quantity of these
products is few, so they are excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 0.1 thousand units

9) Products with a showcase (food showcase, etc.) (Reference 1-24)

Refrigerators with a showcase for showing food at a sushi restaurant, etc. are
special because an additional purpose is added to the original purpose of
refrigerators which is to preserve food. So there are no evaluation procedures
established for these refrigerators and their shipping quantity is few. So they are
excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 0.3 thousand units

10) Products which can be moved and use cooling storage material (cold roll box)
(Reference 1-25)
Refrigerators used to bring food from the kitchen to the place where people are in
a hotel or inn are special because they use cooling storage material to keep the
food inside cool even if there is no power supply. So there are no evaluation
procedures established for these refrigerators, and their shipping quantity is few. So
they are excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 0.1 thousand units

(2) Products which are excluded from the target scope because they are used for special
application and their shipping quantity is few.
1) Horizontal type products the storage chamber’s height of which is 650 mm or lower
(Reference 1-7)
The height of these refrigerators is designed to be lower than that of normal
horizontal refrigerators (650 mm or lower) and they are used with a cooking range
placed on them or with a sink so that the kitchen space is efficiently used. However,
their shipping quantity is few, so they are excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 4.0 thousand units

2) Water cooling type products (Reference 1-18 and 1-22)

These refrigerators are used in special places such as underground malls where
heat discharge is limited and their shipping quantity is few, so they are excluded
from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 0.7 thousand units

8
3) Products with double sided doors (Reference 1-11 and 1-17)
These refrigerators are mainly used at the border between the kitchen and the
restaurant, but their shipping quantity is few, so they are excluded from the target
scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 2.0 thousand units

4) Vertical freezers (Reference 1-13)

These freezers are used to preserve food for school-provided lunch for the
purpose of food inspection, so they are designed to pull out the container preserving
food. Their shipping quantity is few, so they are excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 1.0 thousand units

5) Products of chilled air natural convection system (Reference 1-5)

These refrigerators are cooled by natural convection of chilled air so the recovery
from the temperature change in the refrigerator is slow compared with that of the
forced circulation system. They are used in small spaces such as behind the
counter of a coffee shop. Their shipping quantity is rapidly decreasing in these
years because some manufacturers are withdrawing from making these
refrigerators, so they are excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006 to 2007): Decreasing from approx. 7.4 to 5.0
thousand units

6) Products with a drawer of slide rail system (drawers) (Reference 1-6)

These refrigerators adopt a drawer of slide rail system so that food can be easily
put in and taken out, to be used at places where work efficiency is important, such
as hotels. Their specifications are specialized for the place they are used, so they
are excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 5.0 thousand units

7) Vertical type products the height of which is 2,050 mm or higher (Reference 1-14)
These refrigerators are used not in the kitchen but mainly in the backyard of a
supermarket for storing food in the place of prefabricated refrigerators. Their
shipping quantity is few, so they are excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 0.9 thousand units

8) Products used exclusively for cold storage of milk (Reference 1-19)

These are refrigerators of chilled air forced circulation system whose lower limit of
the rated storage temperature is 0°C or higher. They are exclusively used to
preserve milk for school-provided lunch, but their shipping quantity is few, so they
are excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 0.8 thousand units

9
9) Horizontal type products with an electro magnetic cooker (Reference 1-24)
These are complex refrigerators which can both preserve food and cook it on the
unit. Their shipping quantity is very few, so they are excluded from the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 0.05 thousand units

10) Products modified or specially customized

The size, the freezing capacity of the compressor or the thermal insulation
performance of these refrigerators is customized for special users. If their yearly
shipping quantity is less than 50 units, they are excluded from the target scope,
but if they are equipped with additional functions stipulated in the measurement
method, they are included in the target scope.
* Estimated shipping quantity (FY2006): Approx. 0.8 thousand units

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 Attachment 2

Target Fiscal Year, etc. of Commercial Refrigerators, etc.

1. In general, a considerable improvement in energy consumption efficiency of

commercial refrigerators, etc. is made when a model change takes place and major
model change accompanying change of the cabinet size or shape takes place
approximately every 10 to 20 years. During this period, minor change takes place
approximately every 5 to 6 years to improve the performance. For this reason, if an
opportunity for improving the energy consumption efficiency is to be given to commercial
refrigerators, etc. at least once or twice, it seems 8 to 9 years are appropriate.
Therefore, it is appropriate to set the target year of commercial refrigerators, etc. to be
the fiscal year 2016 which is 9 years after the standard fiscal year (FY2007).

2. In addition, it is expected that the improvement rate of the annual energy consumption
(kWh/year) in the target fiscal year will be approximately 22.7%, based on the
assumption that there will be no change from the standard fiscal year’s volume of
shipments and composition of each category (results of the fiscal year 2007)
(approximately 26.5% for commercial refrigerators, 22.4% for commercial
refrigerator-freezers and 20.7% for commercial freezers).

<Overview of Estimation>
(1) The annual energy consumption calculated from values of actual achievements of
commercial refrigerators, etc. shipped in the fiscal year 2007:
Approximately 1,604 kWh/year
(2) The annual energy consumption estimated from the target standard value of
commercial refrigerators, etc. to be shipped in the target fiscal year:
Approximately 1,239 kWh/year
(3) Improvement rate of the energy consumption efficiency:
(1,604 - 1,239)/1,604 x 100 = Approximately 22.7%

<Overview of Estimation: Commercial Refrigerators>

(1) The annual energy consumption calculated from values of actual achievements of
commercial refrigerators shipped in the fiscal year 2007:
Approximately 912 kWh/year

11
 (2) The annual energy consumption estimated from the target standard value of
commercial refrigerators to be shipped in the target fiscal year:
Approximately 670 kWh/year
(3) Improvement rate of the annual energy consumption:
(912 - 670)/912 x 100 = Approximately 26.5%

<Overview of Estimation: Commercial Refrigerator-freezers>

(1) The annual energy consumption calculated from values of actual achievements of
commercial refrigerator-freezers shipped in the fiscal year 2007:
Approximately 2,706 kWh/year
(2) The annual energy consumption estimated from the target standard value of
commercial refrigerator-freezers to be shipped in the target fiscal year:
Approximately 2,099 kWh/year
(3) Improvement rate of the annual energy consumption:
(2,706 - 2,099)/2,706 x 100 = Approximately 22.4%

<Overview of Estimation: Commercial Freezers>

(1) The annual energy consumption calculated from values of actual achievements of
commercial freezers shipped in the fiscal year 2007:
Approximately 1,755 kWh/year
(2) The annual energy consumption estimated from the target standard value of
commercial freezers to be shipped in the target fiscal year:
Approximately 1,391 kWh/year
(3) Improvement rate of the annual energy consumption:
(1,755 - 1,391)/1,755 x 100 = Approximately 20.7%

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 Attachment 3

Classification of Commercial Refrigerators, etc.

1. Basic Idea
Commercial refrigerators, etc. are classified based on the principles referred to in “the
basic idea concerning the preparation and revision of the standards of judgment for
manufacturers, etc. to be considered in relation to the improvement of the performance of
specific equipment” (the 10th Energy Efficiency Standards Subcommittee of the Advisory
Committee for Natural Resources and Energy, revised on June 18, 2007) (hereinafter
referred to as merely “the principles”).
In case of commercial refrigerators, etc., although the energy consumption amount per
unit is greater than those for home-use, the market size of those for commercial-use is
small and their shipping quantity is few. Therefore, if they are classified into too small
groups, the number of products or shipping quantity of some groups becomes very few.
Therefore, while using functional formulae, they are classified by fewest possible indices
based on the principles.

“The basic idea concerning the preparation and revision of the standards of judgment for
manufacturers, etc. to be considered in relation to the improvement of the performance of specific
equipment”
- Extract –

Principle 2: The specific equipment is classified based on certain indices. The indices (basic indices)
are those which are deeply related to the energy consumption efficiency, such as physical
amount, functions, and they are determined considering factors which consumers use as
standards when choosing products (factors representing consumers’ needs).
Principle 3: The target standard value is determined by one value or functional formula for each
category of the basic indices which are possible or appropriate to aim at the same energy
consumption efficiency.
Principle 4: When setting the classifications, additional functions are disregarded in principle. However,
if the energy consumption efficiency of a product without an additional function is set as a
target standard value and, because of this product, other products with the additional
function in question are likely to withdraw from the market, despite the fact that the needs
for those products are thought to be high in the market, because they cannot comply with
the target standard value thus set, then it is acceptable to make another category (sheet)
for those products.
Principle 5: As regards products which are expensive but excellent in energy consumption efficiency
because they use high energy conservation technologies, although it is possible to classify
them into separate categories, it is desirable to treat them in the same category as much
as possible so that manufacturers can actively sell the products with excellent energy
consumption efficiency.
Principle 6: When setting a target standard value for one category, special products are excluded.
However, when studying the improvement of the efficiency realized by technology
development, etc., the feasibility of the technologies of the special products thus excluded
must be studied too.

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2. Specific Classification Method
Commercial refrigerators, etc. shall be classified based on the following three
characteristics.
1) Classification by the type of refrigerators
2) Classification by the shape
3) Classification by the use of inverter control motors

(1) Classification by the type of commercial refrigerators, etc.

Commercial refrigerators, etc. are classified1 as follows according to the type of
their storage chambers, the application and the purpose of use.
○ Refrigerators
○ Refrigerator-freezers
○ Freezers

(2) Classification by the shape

Unlike normal vertical commercial refrigerators, etc., horizontal refrigerators are
mainly placed under a cooking table of a kitchen. Therefore, the space of a horizontal
refrigerator allocated for its cooling device is limited, making it difficult to make the
heat exchanger larger, which is effective for improving the energy conservation
performance, limiting the application of energy conservation technologies in contrast
to vertical refrigerators.
Chest freezers are equipped with a door which opens upward and they are used
mainly to preserve frozen food in the backyard of a store. The door is opened and
closed less frequently to maintain the temperature inside the freezer, so it is possible
to apply thermal insulation structure to the door.
Meanwhile, in case of freezer-stockers, although their door also opens upward, the
opening and closing of the door is made easy using a light sliding door, because they
are used to display commodities at the selling floor of a store. Therefore, their door is
not thermally insulated and the sealing performance is low, so its performance as a
commercial product conflicts with the performance of an energy conservation product.
From the observation above, it can be said that commercial refrigerators, etc. have
the shape which is suitable for their application and the shape deeply concerns with
energy conservation performance. Therefore, they are classified as follows.

1
In case of electric refrigerators, etc. for home-use which are already the target equipment of the
Top Runner Program, electric refrigerators (refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers) and electric
freezers are treated as different specific equipment. Similarly, commercial refrigerators, etc. are
correctly classified into refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers, and freezers are treated as different
equipment. But, as the standard values are set individually for them, they are treated same under the
Energy Conservation Act. So they are expressed as “Classification” here for convenience.

14
○ Vertical type
○ Horizontal type
○ Chest freezer (freezer only)
○ Freezer-stocker (freezer only)

Vertical Type Horizontal Type

Chest Freezer (freezer only) Freezer-stocker (freezer only)

15
(3) Classification by the use of inverter-control motors
The annual energy consumption of vertical refrigerators greatly varies depending on
the use of inverters, but unlike refrigerators for home-use, inverter compressors which
are optimal for each capacity are not readily lined up because the market size for
these refrigerators is small. To be more specific, while constant speed compressors
are being lined up meticulously from 130 to 300 W, in case of inverter compressors,
there are 2 types of the same specifications, so, as far as the capacity is concerned,
there is actually only one type, and business operators of commercial refrigerators
have no choice other than use this inverter compressor.
Especially, in case of vertical refrigerators with small adjusted internal volume,
business operators are forced to buy expensive equipment the inverter effect of which
is not sufficient, which is unreasonable for them. Therefore, it was decided that the
vertical refrigerators are classified by the use of inverters, and the target standard
value, especially that for refrigerators with large adjusted internal volume, is set high to
promote high efficiency and the spread of inverters.

Figure 3-1 Comparison between Constant Speed and 1 Inverter of Vertical

Refrigerators

Reference of
Compressor Capacity
Energy Consumption (kWh/Y)

Inverter
Constant Speed
Line (Target Line)
Line (Constant Speed Target Value)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

16
<Line-up and Effect of Compressors>
Product Type (Width mm) 600-800 900 1,200 1,500 1,800
Constant Speed Compressor (W) 130 200 200 300 300
Inverter Compressor (W) 190 (130-300)
Energy Conservation Effect △ △ ○ ◎ ○
(◎: 30% or more, ○: 20-30%, △: 10-20%)

It is also possible to classify vertical refrigerator-freezers by the use of inverters, but

even if an inverter is installed, except for refrigerator-freezers with two inverters, it is
installed in the chiller side, not in the freezer side where annual energy consumption is
greater. Therefore, although there is difference in case of refrigerator-freezers with
smaller adjusted internal volume (refrigerator-freezers the freezer of which is smaller),
the difference due to the use of inverters is small as a whole. So they are not classified
here.

Figure 3-2 Comparison between Constant Speed and 1 Inverter of Vertical

Refrigerator-freezers
Energy Consumption (kWh/Y)

Constant Speed
Inverter

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

17
3. Summary of Classification
According to the indices described in section 2 above, the classification is made as per
Table 3-1 and Table 3-2.

Table 3-1 Classification of Commercial Refrigerators and Commercial

Refrigerator-freezers
Type of Shipping Quantity
Category Shape Inverter Control Motor
Refrigerator (Units)
1A There is. 7,900
Vertical Type
1B Refrigerators There isn’t. 10,594
1C Horizontal Type ― 52,553
2A Refrigerator- Vertical Type ― 24,501
2B freezers Horizontal Type ― 11,900
Note 1. The “vertical type” means those the height of which based on the external dimensions
stipulated by JIS B 8630 (hereinafter referred to as “external height”) is over 1,000 mm
and the door of which opens toward the front side. The same applies hereinafter.
2. The “horizontal type” means those the external height of which is 1,000 mm or lower
and the door of which opens toward the front side. The same applies hereinafter.

Table 3-2 Classification of Commercial Freezers, etc.

Category Shape Shipping Quantity (Units)
3A Vertical Type 20,739
3B Horizontal Type 7,500
4A Chest Freezers 15,689
4B Freezer-stockers 16,255
Note 1. The “chest freezers” are those which open upward with a door which is pulled up.
2. The “freezer-stockers” are those which open upward with a door which slides leftward
and rightward.

18
 Attachment 4

Target Standard Values of Commercial Refrigerators, etc.

1. Idea on Setting Target Standard Values

We shall set target standard values based on the idea of Top Runner Program. The
specific policy shall be as follows:
1) A target standard value shall be set for every appropriately defined category.
2) For any category for which possible improvement of efficiency is anticipated
because of future technology advancement, a target standard value shall allow for
the improvement wherever possible.
3) Target standard values shall not be inconsistent among categories.

2. Specific Technologies for Improving Energy Consumption Efficiency and Possible

Improvement
Before determining target standard values for commercial refrigerators, etc., the
improvement of technologies expected to be applied to each category was studied. As a
result, it was found that the improvement can be expected mainly from the following energy
conservation technologies.
Application of new high-tech technologies (optimal control of inverter control)
Study and application of new thermal insulation material (vacuum thermal insulation
material, etc.)
Review of the energy conservation technologies implemented in the past and
promotion of further improvement
Efficiency improvement by changing refrigerant
This is not to say that the improvement of the energy consumption efficiency is possible
because epoch-making technologies are expected to be developed but to say that it is
realized by the improvement and extended application of already-existing technologies.
As regards inverters, it is important to study its possibility considering the fact that the
available models of inverters provided by compressor manufacturers are limited and that
the vacuum thermal insulation material does not have a sufficient energy consumption
saving effect for all refrigerators.
The specific contents of the improved technologies and the feasibility of applying them to
each category (Table 4-1) are as follows.

(1) Improvement of compressor’s efficiency

It is being tried to improve compressor motors of refrigerators by enhancing the
motor efficiency by adopting operation condensers, improving the motor efficiency by
increasing the motor core’s thickness, reducing the mechanical loss of the sliding
section by making the motor shaft smaller, enhancing the volume efficiency by
minimizing the top clearance. Furthermore, additional improvement can be expected
by adopting the inverter motor the number of revolution of which can be changed, by

19
 changing the AC motor to the DC motor, by changing the distributed winding to the
concentrated winding (direct winding) and so on.

(2) Technologies for improving the performance of fans

1) High-efficiency of fan motors in refrigerators
To change AC motors to DC brushless motors with high efficiency.
2) Improvement of efficiency of condenser’s fan motors
It is being tried to make the efficiency of condenser’s fan motors high by improving
the fan shape to make the air amount greater while containing the noise. As
regards motors, it is expected that improvement can be made by enhancing the
motor efficiency by adopting condenser motors and high efficiency DC motors.

(3) Technologies for improving efficiency of control

1) Control of dew condensation prevention heaters
It is possible to improve the efficiency of dew condensation prevention heaters
around doors with the micro-computer control by changing the control from the way
which always supplies electricity to the way which controls the optimal electricity
supply ratio.
2) Control of the number of revolution of compressor motors (using the inverter)
Improvement is realized by changing the AC motor to the high efficiency DC motor
and by controlling the number of revolution with the micro computer.

(4) Improvement of performance by reviewing thermal insulation structure

The thermal insulation performance can be improved by reviewing the foaming
structure and the thermal insulation structure including each sealing section (unit, door,
etc.) to control the heat leakage.

20
 Table 4-1 Technologies for Improving Commercial Refrigerators, etc. and
Improvement Ratio
Improvement of Fan’s Control of Dew Thermal Insulation Target
Improvement of Performance Structure (Including Improvement
Condensation Control of Frost Inverter
Category Compressor’s
Inside Prevention Removal Heater Control Pillar-less) Ratio (%)
Efficiency Condenser
Refrigerator Heater

Vertical Refrigerator
○ ○ - ○ ○ ○ ○ 31.1
Inverter
Vertical Refrigerator
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ - ○ 23.6
Constant Speed
Horizontal
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ - ○ 26.6
Refrigerators
Vertical
○ ○ - ○ ○ ○ ○ 26.7
Refrigerator-freezers
Horizontal
Refrigerator-freezers
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ - ○ 12.3
Vertical Freezers ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 19.6
Horizontal Freezers ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ - ○ 25.8
Chest Freezers ○ - - - - - ○ 22.5
Freezer-stockers ○ - - - - - ○ 18.8

3. Specific Calculation Formula of a Target Standard Value (Standard Energy Consumption

Efficiency)
According to the categories of commercial refrigerators, the Top Runner values were
obtained from the actual measurement values (FY2007) of the annual energy consumption
(kWh/year), and the annual energy consumption value (kWh/year) considering the
improvement up to the target fiscal year in each category was taken as the target standard
value.
Meanwhile, as the annual energy consumption correlates to the internal volume, the
calculation formula of a target standard value of commercial refrigerators, etc. shall be
expressed by a linear function expression with the adjusted internal volume as a variable.
This is the calculation formula of the standard energy consumption efficiency considering
the effect of the center-pillar-less and the number of doors too. The specific values are
shown in Table 4-2 and 4-3 below.

Table 4-2 Standard Energy Consumption Efficiency of Commercial Refrigerators and

Commercial Refrigerator-freezers

Type of Inverter Control Calculation Formula of Standard Energy Consumption

Category Shape
Refrigerator Motor Efficiency
1A Vertical There is. E = 0.345V1 + 86n R + 64d R + 315
Type There isn’t.
1B Refrigerator E = 0.766V1 + 86nR + 64d R + 106
Horizontal
1C Type
― E = 1.12V1 + 70nR + 34d R + 237
Vertical
2A Refrigerator- Type ― E = 0.872V1 + 86nR + 64dR + 186nF + 295dF - 113
Freezer Horizontal
2B Type ― E = 2.43V1 + 70nR + 34dR + 157nF + 157dF - 183
Note 1. The “vertical type” means those the height of which based on the external dimensions
stipulated by JIS B 8630 (hereinafter referred to as “external height”) is over 1000 mm
and the door of which opens toward the front side. The same applies hereinafter.

21
2. The “horizontal type” means those the external height of which is 1000 mm or lower and
the door of which opens toward the front side. The same applies hereinafter.
3. E is the value of the standard energy consumption efficiency (unit: kWh/year).
The same applies hereinafter.
4. V1 is the adjusted internal volume calculated by the following formula, rounding the
number after the decimal point.
Category “1A” and “1B” V1 = 800/d x VR
Category “1C” V1 = 600/d x VR
Category “2A” V1 = 800/d x (VR + 2.48VF) + 887
Category “2B” V1 = 600/d x (VR + 3.74VF) + 336
However, as a result of the above mentioned calculation, if the adjusted internal volume
becomes the lower limit value stipulated for each category in the following table or
lower than that, then the lower limit value is used as the adjusted internal volume.

Category Lower Limit Value

1A 500
1B 500
1C 75
2A 1930
2B 750

5. d is the depth (unit: mm) based on the external dimensions stipulated by JIS B 8630.
The same applies hereinafter.
6. VR is the rated internal volume of a chiller (unit: liter). The same applies hereinafter.
7. VF is the rated internal volume of a freezer (unit: liter). The same applies hereinafter.
8. nR: The number of places behind side-by-side doors of a chiller where center pillars are
not installed
9. nF: The number of places behind side-by-side doors of a freezer where center pillars
are not installed
10. dR is used as dR = 1 for chillers with multiple doors (i.e. those which have doors the
number of which is more than the standard number of doors stated in the following
table according to the external width (W: unit, mm) stipulated by JIS B 8630) and as
dR = 0 for others.

Shape External Width Standard Number of Doors

825 mm or under 2
Vertical
Over 825 mm up to 1,650 mm 4
Type
Over 1,650 mm 6
1,050 mm or under 1
Horizontal
Over 1,050 mm up to 1,650 mm 2
Type
Over 1,650 mm 3

11. dF is used as dF = 1 for freezers with multiple doors and as dF = 0 for others. The same
applied hereinafter.

22
 Table 4-3 Standard Energy Consumption Efficiency of Commercial Freezers
Calculation Formula of Standard Energy Consumption
Category Shape
Efficiency
3A Vertical Type E = 1.96V2 + 186nF + 295dF + 788
3B Horizontal Type E = 4.12V2 + 157nF + 157dF + 349
4A Chest Freezer E = 1.16V2 + 211
4B Freezer-stocker E = 1.39V2 + 359
Note 1. The “chest freezers” are those which open upward with a door which is pulled up.
2. The “freezer-stockers” are those which open upward with a door which slides leftward
and rightward.
3. E is the value of the standard energy consumption efficiency (unit: kWh/year).
4. V2 is the adjusted internal volume calculated by the following formula, rounding the
number after the decimal point.
Category “3A” V2 = 800/d x VF
Category “3B” V2 = 600/d x VF
Category “4A” and “4B” V2 = VF
However, as a result of the above mentioned calculation, if the adjusted internal volume
becomes the lower limit value stipulated for each category in the following table or
lower than that, then the lower limit value is used as the adjusted internal volume.

Category Lower Limit Value

3A 500
3B 75
4A 250
4B 50

23
4. Factors of Calculation Formula of Standard Energy Consumption Efficiency
(1) Calculation formula of adjusted internal volume
1) Depth adjustment factor (vertical type: 800/d, horizontal type: 600/d)
As the feature of commercial refrigerators, etc. (except for chest freezers and
freezer-stockers), as the front (door) area becomes large, the annual energy
consumption tends to become larger, because even if the volume is the same, the
load caused by the opening and closing of the door is large, so as the front area
becomes large, the effect of heat leakage becomes large.
Meanwhile, there are thin refrigerator models with the same front area (door
area) in the line-up of commercial refrigerators, etc. in order to cope with limited
installation spaces.
Therefore, as Figure 4-1 shows, the standard cannot be set simply by the rated
internal volume, so, as Table 4-2 shows, the correction factors were studied
according to the measurement results.
To be more specific, the standard depth size was divided by the actual depth size
and then multiplied by the rated internal volume to obtain the adjusted internal
volume and see the correlation. As a result, it was found that they almost coincide.
In other words, even if the rated internal volume becomes small as the depth size
becomes small, it does not affect the annual energy consumption much.
Therefore, it was decided to calculate the adjustment factors with the following
formulae.

Vertical Type : Depth Adjustment Factor = 800/d

Horizontal Type : Depth Adjustment Factor = 600/d
d: External depth size (unit: mm)

24
 Figure 4-1 Effect of Depth Size in Vertical Refrigerators
(Single Phase 600 mm, Single Phase 800 mm)
Energy Consumption (kWh/Y)

Vertical Refrigerators, Single Phase, 800

Vertical Refrigerators, Single Phase, Approx. 600
Line (Vertical Refrigerators, Single Phase, 800)
Line (Vertical Refrigerators, Single Phase, Approx. 600)

Rated Internal Volume (L)

Figure 4-2 Effect of Depth Size in Vertical Refrigerators

(Single Phase 600 mm, Single Phase 800 mm) (After Adjustment)
Energy Consumption (kWh/Y)

Vertical Refrigerators, Single Phase, 800

Vertical Refrigerators, Single Phase, Approx. 600 After Adjustment

Line (Vertical Refrigerators, Single Phase, 800)

Line (Vertical Refrigerators, Single Phase, Approx. 600 After Adjustment)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

25
2) Temperature adjustment factor (A) and temperature adjustment constant (I)
Of commercial refrigerators, etc., in case of refrigerator-freezers, the load is very
different between the chiller and the freezer, so, with the volume obtained by simply
adding both volumes, the correlation between the volume and the energy
consumption cannot be made clear.
However, if the freezer volume is converted to the refrigerator volume, the
proportional correlation can be obtained between the refrigerator-freezer’s volume
and the load. Therefore, using the data of the refrigerator and the freezer, the factor,
etc. which convert the freezer volume to the refrigerator volume was calculated to
be used as the factor, etc. for obtaining the adjusted internal volume in the formula
for calculating the standard energy consumption efficiency.
The specific calculation methods are as follows.

Freezer : EF = SF x VF + IF
Refrigerator* : ER = SR x VR + IR
E : Energy consumption
S : Slant
V : Volume
I : Intercept

Then, from EF = ER
SF x VF + IF = SR x VR + IR

∴ VR = SF x VF + IF – IR ･･･ (a)
SR SR

○Calculation of temperature adjustment factor and temperature adjustment constant

for vertical products
The approximate lines based on the measurement result of vertical refrigerators
and vertical freezers are shown in Figure 4-3. From the result of the approximate
formula based on this measurement data, the calculation is made using (a) above.
SF/SR (Temperature adjustment factor: A) ≈ 2.48
(IF - IR)/SR (Temperature adjustment constant: I) ≈ 887
The plot and the approximate formula after the correction made by this
adjustment formula are those shown in Figure 4-4. This result was incorporated into
the formula for calculating the adjusted internal volume of vertical
refrigerator-freezers.

26
 Figure 4-3 Correlation between Vertical Freezers and Refrigerators

Vertical Refrigerators
Vertical Freezers
Line (Vertical Refrigerators)
Energy Consumption (kWh/Y)

Line (Vertical Freezers)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

Figure 4-4 Correlation between Vertical Freezers and Refrigerators (After Correction)

Vertical Refrigerators

Freezers after Correcting Slant and Intercept

Energy Consumption (kWh/Y)

Line (Vertical Refrigerators)

Line (Freezers after Correcting Slant and Intercept)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

27
○Calculation of temperature adjustment factor and temperature adjustment constant
for horizontal products
The calculation for horizontal refrigerators and horizontal freezers was done the
same way as the calculation for the vertical products, and the result was as follows.
SF/SR (Temperature adjustment factor: A) ≈ 3.74
(IF - IR)/SR (Temperature adjustment constant: I) ≈ 336

Figure 4-5 Correlation between Horizontal Freezers and Refrigerators

Horizontal Refrigerators
Horizontal Freezers
Line (Horizontal Refrigerators)
Energy Consumption (kWh/Y)

Line (Horizontal Freezers)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

Figure 4-6 Correlation between Horizontal Freezers and Refrigerators

(After Correction)
Energy Consumption (kWh/Y)

Horizontal Refrigerators
Freezers after Correcting Slant and Intercept
Line (Horizontal Refrigerators)
Line (Freezers after Correcting Slant and Intercept)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

28
(2) Adjustment of center-pillar-less (nR, nF) and multiple doors (dR, dF)
In case of commercial refrigerators, etc., models without pillars which are otherwise
placed at the center between 2 doors of the chamber are being manufactured for the
reason to make it easy to put in or take out wider food (hereinafter referred to as
“center-pillar-less”).
Center-pillar-less refrigerators, etc. need to make the capacity of the heater located
at the center of the door bigger than that of the models with center pillars, in order to
prevent dew condensation or frosting. For this reason, the energy consumption varies
depending on the number of places where center pillars are not installed.

Meanwhile, kitchens which use commercial refrigerators, etc. often have constrains
on their space, so if the door of a refrigerator is too big, it is difficult to open it, and it
becomes the problem of the refrigerator.
Therefore, models with multiple doors are being produced, whereby the width of
each door is made smaller than that of normal products and, instead, the number of
doors is increased.
However, if doors are added, the number of dew condensation prevention heaters to
be mounted on center pillars must be increased, which in turn causes the energy
consumption to increase.

Still, if either of center-pillar-less products or multiple door products are not supplied,
it is likely to block the consumer’s needs, so it was decided to correct the standard
energy consumption efficiency of those products.
For the difference in the energy consumption used for each correction, the
difference of multi-door products or center-pillar-less products is was, and the
difference of comparable products with standard specifications was calculated, and
the average value was calculated.
However, since the improvement of the energy consumption efficiency cannot be
expected from simple addition, the addition value estimating the improvement of the
energy consumption was taken. Each addition value was calculated as follows.

<Center-pillar-less (one place)>

Vertical refrigerators : 86 kWh/year
Vertical freezers : 186 kWh/year
Horizontal refrigerators : 70 kWh/year
Horizontal freezers : 157 kWh/year

<Multiple doors>
Vertical refrigerators : 64 kWh/year
Vertical freezers : 295 kWh/year
Horizontal refrigerators : 34 kWh/year
Horizontal freezers : 157 kWh/year

29
○About center-pillar-less
With pillars

Upper Pillar

Lower Pillar

Center-pillar-less
◇ Refrigerators making the opening wider so that big plates or boxes can be easily put
in and taken out

○
The photo is the example of the refrigerator the pillar-less number of which is nR = 2.

30
○About multiple doors (Example of the vertical refrigerator the width of which is 1,500 mm)

<The model with standard number of doors> <The model with multiple doors>

The photo is the example of multiple doors: dR = 1

Table 4-4 Standard Number of Doors

Standard Number
Shape External Width
of Doors
Vertical 825 mm or under 2
Type
Over 825 mm up to 1,650 mm 4
Over 1,650 mm 6
Horizontal 1,050 mm or under 1
Type
Over 1,050 mm up to 1,650 mm 2
Over 1,650 mm 3

31
 5. Calculation Formula for Standard Energy Consumption Efficiency
As mentioned in Section 2 above, in case of commercial refrigerators, etc., the
development of epoch-making technologies is not expected, but, instead, the effect
realized by the improvement and extended application of already existing technologies is
great.
If the efficiency was enhanced to the level of the Top Runner product in each category,
approximately 18% of improvement would be realized only by that.
If the improvement must be made further than the level of the Top Runner based on the
principles, much improvement is expected in the constant speed (without inverter control
motor) because it is being changed to the inverter control.
Note that the category 2A includes 2-inverter models.
2-inverter models are noted for their high energy consumption efficiency but their
shipping quantity is still few. So if the standard was made using 2-inverter models as Top
Runner, the product price would become high, making the supply of commercial
refrigerators, etc. difficult. Therefore, based on the principle 5, the spread rate of 2-inverter
models is estimated to be approximately 5% (FY2007 achievement: approx. 1%) and the
target standard value of the category 2A is lowered.

Table 4-5 Improvement of Each Category

Category Type FY2007 Energy Top Runner Top Runner Target Fiscal Target Fiscal
Quantity Consumption Energy Improvement Year Energy Year
Sold (MWh/Y) Consumption Ratio Consumption Improvement
(Units) (MWh/Y) (MWh/Y) Ratio
Vertical Refrigerators,
1A 7,900 8,158 5,911 27.5% 5,620 31.1%
Inverter
1B Vertical Refrigerators 10,594 13,958 11,919 14.6% 10,666 23.6%
1C Horizontal Refrigerators 52,553 42,673 32,525 23.8% 31,335 26.6%
Vertical
2A 24,501 69,360 56,058 19.2% 50,860 26.7%
Refrigerator-freezers
Horizontal
2B 11,900 29,155 25,755 11.7% 25,556 12.3%
Refrigerator-freezers
3A Vertical Freezers 20,739 68,805 60,372 12.3% 55,330 19.6%
3B Horizontal Freezers 7,500 14,340 10,905 24.0% 10,640 25.8%
4A Chest Freezers 15,689 13,539 10,488 22.5% 10,488 22.5%
4B Freezer-stockers 16,255 8,957 7,276 18.8% 7,276 18.8%
Total 167,631 268,945 221,208 17.7% 207,772 22.7%

32
(1) Vertical refrigerators (with inverter)
E = 0.345V1 + 86nR + 64dR + 315
Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications
Line (Lower Limit Line)
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Target Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard
Specifications
Multiple Door
Specifications
Center-pillar-less
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Target Line)
Line (Lower Limit Line)
Line (Center-pillar-less (2 Places) Target Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

33
(2) Vertical refrigerators (without inverter)
E = 0.766V1 + 86nR + 64dR + 106
Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Target Line)
Line (Lower Limit Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications
Multiple Door Specifications
Center-pillar-less
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Lower Limit Line)
Line (Target Line)
Line (Center-pillar-less (2 Places) Target Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

34
(3) Horizontal refrigerators
E = 1.12V1 + 70nR + 34dR + 237
Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Lower Limit Line)
Line (Target Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications

Center-Pillar-less

Multiple Doors

Line (TOP Line)

Line (Lower Limit Line)

Line (Target Line)

Line (Center-Pillar-less (1 Place) Target Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

35
(4) Vertical refrigerator-freezers
E = 0.872V1 + 86nR + 64dR + 186nF + 295dF - 113
Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Target Line)
Line (Lower Limit Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications
1comp1eve
1,500 Width 6 Doors (4R2F): Multiple Doors
Center-pillar-less
TOP Line
Center-pillar-less (2 Places) Lower Limit Line
2 Inverters
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Target Line)
Line (Lower Limit Line)
Line (Center-pillar-less (2 Places) Target Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

36
(5) Horizontal refrigerator-freezers
E = 2.43V1 + 70nR + 34dR + 157nF + 157dF - 183
Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Target Line)
Line (Lower Limit Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications
Center-pillar-less
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Lower Limit Line)
Line (Target Line)
Line (Center-pillar-less (1 Place) Target Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

37
(6) Vertical freezers
E = 1.96V2 + 186nF + 295dF + 788
Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Target Line)
Line (Lower Limit Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications
Multiple Door Specifications
1 Door
Center-pillar-less
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Target Line)
Line (Lower Limit Line)
Line (Center-pillar-less (2 Places) Target Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

38
(7) Horizontal freezers
E = 4.12V2 + 157nF + 157dF + 349
Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Lower Limit Line)
Line (Target Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications
Center-pillar-less
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Lower Limit Line)
Line (Target Line)
Line (Center-pillar-less (1 Place) Target Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

39
(8) Chest freezers
E = 1.16V2 + 211
Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Target Line)
Line (Lower Limit Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

(9) Freezer-stockers
E = 1.39V2 + 359
Energy Consumption (kWh/yr)

Standard Specifications
Line (TOP Line)
Line (Target Line)
Line (Lower Limit Line)

Adjusted Internal Volume (L)

40
 Attachment 5

Energy Consumption Efficiency of Commercial Refrigerators, etc. and

Measurement Method

1. Basic Idea
As regards electric refrigerators, etc. for home-use which have been designated as
the specific product of the Top Runner Standard since 1999, the “annual energy
consumption” measured by the method stipulated in JIS C 9801 “Household
Refrigerating Appliances - Characteristics and test methods” has been adopted to judge
their energy consumption efficiency.
As regards commercial refrigerators, etc. too, the same as refrigerators, etc. for
home-use, it is appropriate to take up the annual energy consumption as a practical
index for judging their energy consumption efficiency.
So JIS B 8630 “Commercial refrigerators and freezers - Characteristics and test
methods” is basically adopted.

2. Specific Energy Consumption Efficiency and Measurement Method

The energy consumption efficiency for commercial refrigerators, etc. shall be annual
energy consumption (kWh/year), and the measurement method shall be the annual
energy consumption measured by the method stipulated by JIS B 8630 “Commercial
refrigerators and freezers - Characteristics and test methods”.
However, in case of refrigerators, etc. with additional functions such as defrosting
water discharge forced evaporation function, forced heat discharge function or heating
function, it is acceptable to measure them as standard products without additional
functions.

41
 Attachment 6

Commercial Refrigerator and Showcase, etc. Evaluation Standards Subcommittee,

Energy Efficiency Standards Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee for Natural
Resources and Energy
Background of Holding

First Subcommittee Meeting (July 16, 2008)

- Disclosure of the Commercial Refrigerator, Showcase, etc. Evaluation Standards
Subcommittee
- Current situation of commercial refrigerators, showcases, etc.
- Scope of commercial refrigerators, etc. to be covered
- Energy consumption efficiency of commercial refrigerators, etc. and its measurement
method

Second Subcommittee Meeting (February 12, 2009)

- Scope of showcases to be covered
- Energy consumption efficiency of showcases and its measurement method

Third Subcommittee Meeting (May 25, 2010)

- Proposed revision of the scope of commercial refrigerators, etc. to be covered and of
the measurement method
- Classification of commercial refrigerators, etc. for setting targets
- Target fiscal year and target standard value for commercial refrigerators, etc.

Fourth Subcommittee (July 6, 2010)

- About interim report (proposal)

42
 Attachment 7

Commercial Refrigerator, Showcase, etc. Evaluation Standards Subcommittee,

Energy Efficiency Standards Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee for Natural
Resources and Energy
List of Members

Chairman Eiji HIHARA Professor specialized in Environmental Studies,

Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of
Tokyo (until the second meeting)
Masao GOTO Professor, Department of Marine Electronics and
Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Marine Technology,
Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
(appointed as chairman at the third meeting)
Members Chikai AOI Chairman of Refrigeration Application System Technical
Committee, The Japan Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning Industry Association (changed to Kawai
from the third meeting)
Hideki KAWAI Chairman of Refrigeration Application System Technical
Committee, The Japan Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning Industry Association (appointed as member
at the third meeting)
Shinichiro UTO Japan Franchise Association
Hiroyuki KUDOU General Manager of Technology, The Energy
Conservation Center, Japan (changed to Inoue from the
third meeting)
Mamoru INOUE General Manager of Technology, The Energy
Conservation Center, Japan (appointed as member at
the third meeting)
Haruki SATO Professor, Department of System Design Engineering,
Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University
Akio TANAKA Planning and Research Manager, Jyukankyo Research
Institute, Inc.
Yoshihiko BABA Member of Social and Environmental Committee, Japan
Supermarkets Association (changed to Hasegawa from
the fourth meeting)
Tadashi HASEGAWA Member of Social and Environmental Committee,
Japan Supermarkets Association (appointed as member
at the fourth meeting)
Tetsuo MUNAKATA Manager of Heat and Fluid Group, Energy Technology
Research Institute, Advanced Industrial Science and
Technology (changed to Takeuchi from the second
meeting)
Hiroshi TAKEUCHI Deputy Manager of Energy Technology Research
Institute, Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
(appointed as member at the second meeting)
Yoshio WATABE Chairman of Showcase Technical Committee, The Japan
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association

43
 Reference 2

Current State of Commercial Refrigerators, etc.

Current State of Commercial Refrigerators, etc.

1. Definition of Commercial Refrigerators, etc.
(1) Overview
Commercial refrigerators, etc. are used in kitchens of restaurants, hotels, food
supply facilities, etc. As they are designed to cope with the restrictions of the space
available in the kitchen they are installed in, there are many types of them. There is
also a type which is made by modifying a general-purpose type to make it most
suitable for specific commercial use.
The difference between commercial refrigerators, etc. and refrigerators for home-
use is not only that the size and the internal volume of the former are large but also
that the doors of the former are opened and closed very frequently and the
specifications of the former are designed to have sufficient cooling capacity even if
ambient temperature increases as combustion equipment around commercial
refrigerators, etc. is used. (While the internal volume of refrigerators, etc. for
home-use is up to approximately 550L, that of commercial refrigerators, etc. is up to
approximately 2,000L.)
Meanwhile, the specifications of the temperature inside commercial refrigerators,
etc. are roughly classified according to the use as refrigerators or freezers. In general,
the inner temperature is approximately -6°C in case of refrigerators and
approximately -20°C in case of freezers. Refrigerator-freezers are products which
can set two or more inner temperatures in one enclosure divided by a partition.

(2) Product classification

Commercial refrigerators, etc. are classified into 4 types, i.e. “vertical type”,
“horizontal type”, “chest freezers” and “stocker type”, according to their usage and
shape.
1) Vertical type
This type is used mainly in kitchens of hotels, food supply facilities, etc.,
because it can make its internal volume per area it is installed in larger. The
internal volume ranges approximately from 300L to 1,800L.

2) Horizontal type
This type is featured by a work table placed on its top while making its height
approximately 800 mm, so its internal volume per area it is installed in is smaller
than that of the vertical type.

3) Chest freezers
As the door of chest freezers is positioned on the top of the freezer body, the
inner temperature is not affected much by the opening and closing of the door, so
they can store a lot of frozen food, etc. under a stable temperature.

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 4) Stocker type
This type has a top sliding door, so, the same as chest freezers, the inner
temperature does not change much, therefore it is mainly used to store frozen
food.

Figure 2 Vertical Type Refrigerator, etc. Figure 3 Horizontal Type Refrigerator, etc.

Figure 4 Chest Freezer Figure 5 Stocker Type

2. Shipment Quantity of Commercial Refrigerators, etc. and Its Tendency

(1) Domestic shipment
The domestic shipment quantity of commercial refrigerators, etc. tended to
increase since the later part of the 1980s as the convenience store and restaurant
industry developed, peaking in FY1996 with the shipment quantity of approximately
300 thousand units, boosted, in part, by the special demand caused by O-157
epidemic. After that, the shipment quantity tended to remain the same or decrease
and that of FY2007 was approximately 210 thousand units.

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 (Figure 1) Transition of Shipment Quantity of
Commercial Refrigerators, etc. (Unit: Thousand Units)
Freezers
Yearly Shipment Quantity
(Thousand Units)
Refrigerator-
freezers

Refrigerators

Stocker
Type

Chest
Freezers

Information Source: The Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association. The same for the data hereafter.

(2) Shipment quantity by type

As regards the yearly shipment quantity by type, the ratios of the vertical type and
the horizontal type are large and they remained the same since 2000, i.e. 90
thousand units in case of the horizontal type and 80 thousand strong units in case of
the vertical type. Meanwhile, that of chest freezers and stocker type continues to be
approximately 20 thousand units respectively.
Transition of Shipment Quantity of Commercial Refrigerators,
(Figure 6)
etc. by Main Type (Unit: Thousand Units)
Yearly Shipment Quantity
(Thousand Units)

Vertical Type
Horizontal Type

Chest Freezers
Stocker Type
Total

(3) Main manufacturers

Orion Machinery Co., Ltd., SANDEN Corporation, SANYO Electric Co., Ltd., Daiwa
Industries Ltd., Toshiba Carrier Corporation, Hitachi Appliance, Inc., Fukushima
Industries Corp., Fujimak Corporation, Hoshizaki Electric Co., Ltd., Panasonic
Corporation

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3. Functional Characteristics Required by Use Application
(1) In case of commercial refrigerators, etc., functional characteristics which are different
from those of refrigerators, etc. for home-use are required for their cooling speed and
thermal insulation performance.
1) Quick cooling function
As doors of commercial refrigerators, etc. are frequently opened and closed,
the function for quickly cooling the increased inner temperature is required.
In case of freezers, etc., the function for quickly cooling down hot objects to a
preset temperature is required.

2) High thermal insulation performance

High thermal insulation performance is required to maintain the inside of
refrigerators, etc. at a preset temperature in the kitchen, etc. where the ambient
temperature is high.

(2) In case of commercial refrigerators, etc. other than chest freezers and stocker type,
there are many types which are individually designed and made according to the
requirements of users because they are installed in a limited space. They are made
by the combination of approximately 400 basic types with optional design, so they
are typical multiple-type, small-production products.

(3) For kitchens of hotels or fast food restaurants and for the food or foodstuff processing
and selling business, shape and functions as exampled below are requested
according to the use application.
Horizontal type (drawer): To enhance work efficiency or the efficiency of the
management of foodstuff, the door is made like a drawer instead of making
side-by-side doors and food is directly put in the inner container.

Constant temperature and high humidity type: The temperature does not
change much and the humidity is high, so food can be kept fresh. Besides, it is not
necessary to wrap foodstuff.

Double sided doors: Doors are made at the front side and the rear side of the
refrigerator to provide food in one-way, i.e. from the kitchen side to the customer
side.

There are products modified to enhance the cooling capacity by selecting

compressors to be mounted according to the frequency of opening and closing of
doors and things to be put in the refrigerator.

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 Usage of Commercial Refrigerators, etc.
Business Type Usage and Purpose Characteristics of Equipment
Schools
Service
Food
Hospitals Preservation of foodstuff,
Front and rear door type, cart delivery type
Welfare facilities preservation of diet food
Food service centers
Safety

Public health centers Preservation of diet food

Transpor-
tation

Courier service, postal Preservation of food to be

Vehicle-mounted type
service delivered
Fishery Agriculture

Preservation of bacteria,
Producers
preservation of produce
Production
Preservation of crops
Associations
Refrigeration and retention of
Markets Dedicated containers
freshness, freezing preservation
Bread-making Preservation and fermentation
Food Processing

Confectionery-making of dough
Preservation and fermentation
Noodle-making
of noodle Constant temperature, high humidity type
Preservation and fermentation
Meat factories
of foodstuff and processed food
Vegetable processing Preservation of foodstuff,
factories processed food and seasoning
Glass door type
Hotels Hotel bread container type
Restaurants Constant temperature, high humidity type
Wedding halls Center-pillar-less type
Funeral halls Preservation of foodstuff and Sandwich type
Event halls cooked food Drawer type
Restaurants

Golf courses Quick freezing type

Drain water evaporation type
Ship restaurants
Railway restaurants
Noodle restaurants Preservation of noodle-stuff and
Ramen shops foodstuff
Steak houses Preservation of foodstuff such
Hamburger shops as meat, vegetables, etc. Sandwich type
Sushi restaurants Preservation of sushi-stuff
Rental

Hospitals, homes for

Room rental Refrigeration locker type
elderly people
Preservation rooms
behind convenience
stores
Sales

Preservation rooms Preservation of foodstuff, food

to be sold or delivered
behind supermarkets
Food selling sections
of department stores

4. Transition of Energy Consumption Efficiency

After the 3rd Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1997 (COP3), the electricity consumption
was greatly reduced thanks to the development of energy conservation technologies by
manufacturers.
To further promote energy conservation, high efficiency DC motors started to be used
for fan motors and the efficiency of compressors was enhanced by improving the

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 processing accuracy of sliding parts in recent years. As a result, the energy conservation
of typical models was improved by 20 to 40% in case of the vertical type and by 4 to 25%
in case of the horizontal type during the period between 2002 and 2007, and it was
further improved by 20 to 30% by the use of inverters.

Transition of Energy Consumption Efficiency

Inverter

Vertical Vertical Vertical Horizontal Horizontal Horizontal

Refrigerators Freezers Refrigerator- Refrigerators Freezers Refrigerator
freezers -freezers

(Note) Information Source: From the result of electricity consumption test implemented for typical models.

Estimation of the Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association.

5. Technical Activities to Enhance Energy Conservation

(1) Improvement of compressor’s efficiency
It is being tried to improve compressor motors of refrigerators by enhancing the
motor efficiency by adopting operation condensers, improving the motor efficiency by
increasing the motor core’s thickness, reducing the mechanical loss of the sliding
section by making the motor shaft smaller, enhancing the volume efficiency by
minimizing the top clearance. Furthermore, additional improvement can be expected
by adopting the inverter motor the number of revolution of which can be changed, by
changing the AC motor to the DC motor, by changing the distributed winding to the
concentrated winding (direct winding) and so on.

(2) Technologies for improving the performance of fans

1) High-efficiency of fan motors in refrigerators
To change AC motors to DC brushless motors with high efficiency.

2) Improvement of efficiency of condenser’s fan motors

It is being tried to make the efficiency of condenser’s fan motors high by
improving the fan shape to make the air amount greater while containing the
noise. As regards motors, it is expected that improvement can be made by
enhancing the motor efficiency by adopting condenser motors and high efficiency
DC motors.
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 (3) Technologies for improving efficiency of control
1) Control of dew condensation prevention heaters
It is possible to improve the efficiency of dew condensation prevention heaters
around doors with the micro-computer control by changing the control from the
way which always supplies electricity to the way which controls the optimal
electricity supply ratio.

2) Control of the number of revolution of compressor motors (using the inverter)

Improvement is realized by changing the AC motor to the high efficiency DC
motor and by controlling the number of revolution with the micro computer.

6. Measures to Be Taken and Issues to Be Solved for Energy Conservation Hereafter

Energy conservation technologies relating to commercial refrigerators, etc. basically
concern the improvement in three fields, i.e. cooling technologies, thermal insulation
technologies and control technologies.
So far, improvement and innovation have been made to compressor structure, fan
motors and thermal insulation structure and main energy conservation technologies have
already been incorporated in products, so it seems that the promotion of those energy
conservation technologies will be the core of the energy conservation activities from now
on.
The followings are some of the examples conceived as specific energy conservation
activities in the future.
(1) Application of new high-tech technologies (optimal control of inverter control)
(2) Study and application of new thermal insulation material (vacuum thermal insulation
material, etc.)
(3) Review of the energy conservation technologies implemented in the past and
promotion of further improvement
(4) Efficiency improvement by changing refrigerant

7. Transition of Energy Conservation Technologies

87-96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07
Compressors - High efficiency ・ ・
- Adoption of rotary Introduction of high Adoption of
compressors efficiency compressors inverters
Condensers - Large models
- Improvement of
efficiency
Evaporators ・
Improvement of
evaporation efficiency
Defrosting ・
Heaters Electricity
conservation
Doors ・
- Improvement of air
Optimization by the
layer of gaskets
control of door frame
Fan motors ・ ・
inside Intermittent operation of fans inside Revolution control
refrigerators refrigerators (horizontal type) Adoption of DC motors
Condenser
Fan Motors ・
Change from magnetic pole induction
・
Adoption of
motors to condenser-run-motors DC motors

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Heaters ・
Input reduction when defrosting
(glass tube heaters, horizontal type)
Control - Micro computer control

Others - U trap drain

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