Quicornac, a globally renowned expert in fruit processing and preservation, partnered with our company to modernize the refrigeration equipment at their Peru plant, which trades in passion fruit and other tropical fruits. Established in 1989 by Swiss-Ecuadorian entrepreneurs in Vinces, Los Ríos, Ecuador, Quicornac has grown from a small processing plant into a global firm with activity on seven continents and over 700 direct staff and thousands of indirect staff. Its commitment to sustainability, quality, and innovation makes it a natural fit for our quest to provide best-in-class cooling solutions. This case history documents the successful application of two ZHX-2100 evaporative condensers to support Quicornac’s fruit preservation operations in Peru with the optimal freshness and quality for their products.
Client Background
Quicornac was founded with the goal of availing itself of the potential of passion fruit, a tropical fruit highly prized for its unique taste and variety. Since its establishment in Ecuador, the company has extended its reach globally, and established processing and storage facilities in large agricultural regions around the world, with Peru being one of them. The Peruvian plant of the company is focused on processing large volumes of fruits, with particular interest in passion fruit, mangoes, and pineapples, for both local and foreign markets. Four fundamental principles guide Quicornac operations: sustainability, consistency, competitiveness, and high quality. These core values drive their emphasis on sustainable methods and diverse hiring, with a broad diversity of labor supporting their supply chain.
Peru’s plant required a robust refrigeration system to guarantee the quality of the fresh fruits during processing time, storage, and shipping. Peru’s tropical climate of high temperature and humidity posed significant challenges for providing cold storage conditions evenly. Quicornac sought an energy-efficient consistent cooling solution to substitute existing outdated and inefficient equipment, and it desired to remain within its sustainability policy and meet the high-quality demands of global markets.
Project Requirements
Quicornac approached our company with specific requirements for their Peruvian facility:
– High Cooling Capacity: The equipment needed to support massive cold storage of fruit for preservation at temperatures between 0°C to 5°C to help maintain product freshness.
– Efficiency in Energy Consumption: As part of their sustainability push, Quicornac preferred equipment that consumed minimal energy to reduce operational costs and environmental impact.
– Reliability in Adverse Conditions: The condensers had to operate soundly in Peru’s tropical environment, where ambient temperatures frequently reach 30°C.
– Scalability: The solution was required to be scalable as Quicornac anticipated increasing production capacity.
– Maintenance Simplicity: The equipment had to be simple to operate, with minimal maintenance downtime to allow for constant operations.
On a proper analysis of their needs, we proposed the evaporative condenser, a high-capacity product intended for heavy industrial applications. With its high-tech design balancing heat transfer effectiveness and low energy consumption, it turned out to be the ideal solution for Quicornac’s requirements.
Solution Presented: ZHX-2100 Evaporative Condensers
The ZHX-2100 is a high-technology evaporative condenser that has been specifically designed to deliver at peak levels in extreme conditions. Some of the features include:
– High Heat Rejection Capacity: Has the ability to manage heavy cooling loads, delivering stable temperatures for cold storage.
– Energy-Saving Design: Utilizes advanced water and air management systems to prevent energy and water usage.
– Strong Construction: Built from corrosion-resistant materials in order to withstand humid and tropical conditions.
– Low Operating Expense: Comprises of easily serviceable components and automated controls to make maintenance easy and minimize downtime.
– Space-Saving Footprint: Occupies less space, crucial for installations with limited space to install.
We supplied two units of ZHX-2100 to Quicornac’s Peruvian plant, which was installed as part of the new cold storage warehouse refrigeration system. The installation was done in coordination with local engineers to integrate easily with existing infrastructure.
Implementation Process
- Site Evaluation and Planning
Our engineering team conducted a comprehensive site survey on Quicornac’s plant in Peru to evaluate environmental conditions, existing equipment, and cooling loads. The site survey confirmed that the ZHX-2100 capacity and design were tailored to accommodate the facility’s high cooling loads while operating effectively under Peruvian conditions.
- Equipment Delivery and Installation
Both ZHX-2100 units were shipped to Peru, where delivery was scheduled to take place without disrupting Quicornac’s production. Technical support was provided by our team on-site throughout installation, working closely with the engineering team at Quicornac to ensure proper setup and commissioning. Installation included:
– Positioning the units for optimum airflow and water distribution.
– Interfacing the condensers with the plant’s ammonia refrigeration system.
– Conducting extensive testing to verify performance under full load conditions.
- Training and Handover
For long-term success, we also provided comprehensive training to Quicornac’s maintenance team on operating and maintaining the ZHX-2100 units. Training comprised routine maintenance procedures, fault-finding, and best practices for maximum energy efficiency. We also provided an in-depth operation manual, tailored to the precise configuration of the units installed.
- Post-Installation Support
Our experts utilized a support infrastructure, consisting of remote monitoring and regular communication with the staff of Quicornac. This ensured instant troubleshooting and perpetual tuning of the equipment performance.
Outcomes and Benefits
The installation of the two ZHX-2100 evaporative condensers yielded numerous advantages to Quicornac’s Peruvian operations:
– Enhanced Preservation of Fruits: The ZHX-2100 models provided precise temperature management, which enabled the best possible storage condition for the passion fruit and other fruits. This provided increased shelf life and reduced spoilage to maintain product quality.
– Conservation of Energy: Compared to the previous machine, the ZHX-2100 models reduced energy consumption by approximately 20%, addressing Quicornac’s sustainability goals and lowering operating costs.
– Reliability in Tropical Climate: The condensers performed flawlessly in Peru’s tropical climate, with no time lost since they were installed.
– Scalability for Growth: The high-capacity nature of the ZHX-2100 units provides Quicornac with a ready capacity to expand their cold storage space as production grows.
– Client Satisfaction: Quicornac’s management was very pleased with the system’s performance, and attributed this to its reliability, efficiency, and ease of maintenance. They quoted seamless collaboration with our team as a key factor in the project’s success.
Alignment with Quicornac’s Values
The ZHX-2100 project is a perfect fit with Quicornac’s core values:
– Sustainability: ZHX-2100 units’ energy-saving design and low water consumption align with Quicornac’s eco-friendly practices.
– Consistency: The uniform performance of the condensers ensures consistent cooling, critical in maintaining the quality of their fruit products.
– Competitiveness: Reduced energy expenses and minimal maintenance requirements enhance Quicornac’s productivity in operations, further entrenching their competitive advantage in global markets.
– High Quality: The precise temperature control provided by the ZHX-2100 units ensures that Quicornac fruits meet the high quality demanded by international consumers.
Future Collaboration
With the success of this undertaking, Quicornac showed interest in further expanding their relationship with our organization. Discussions are underway for additional units of ZHX-2100 to fill new cold storage facilities in 2026. Quicornac further requested our delegation to visit their Peru facility to explore other opportunities for their refrigeration system optimization.
The installation of two ZHX-2100 evaporative condensers at Quicornac’s Peruvian plant is a successful collaboration between a global fruit processing leader and our company’s innovative cooling technology. In addressing Quicornac’s need for high-capacity, energy-efficient, and reliable cooling, the ZHX-2100 units have better positioned them to maintain high-quality tropical fruits for export markets. This venture reflects our strength in offering tailored refrigeration solutions for the food processing sector, and particularly in challenging tropical environments. Based on a track record built on trust and delivery, we look forward to continued collaboration with Quicornac as they grow their business on an international scale.