Simply Air is a revolutionary and award winning development in commercial refrigerated display. It is a collaboration between Paul Scammell, Director of Simply Air, Ultra refrigeration and SPG Ltd. The concept is simple, hence the name, but the blending of the different technologies to realise the dream is complex.

At its most basic it is a centrally refrigerated chiller unit that is connected to multiple display cases around the sales floor by insulated ductwork. The chilled air is passed to and from the cases through this duct with an element of free cooling, introduced from outside ambient air when the temperature allows.

The display cases have been specifically designed for the system and have no control components inside, which means there is no need for an electrical connection of any sort. With no power or cables available at the cases, a self powered wireless monitoring and alarm system that uses the ‘air waves’ is the only choice. At Tektroniks we have been able to apply our revolutionary wireless monitoring system to great effect to make available the data logging and alarm cover both the end user and the developer require.  The need for high resolution temperature and data logging is important to allow Paul Scammell and his team to assess the operation of this ‘first of its type’ installation. The client also has the peace of mind that he is able to see that his stock is being stored at the correct temperature and is protected 24 hours a day.  

The pairing of Tektroniks Wireless Monitoring technology to the Simply Air system is a perfect match. Tektroniks temperature probes were factory fitted into the air on and air off duct of each cabinet and routed so that the simple to use plug connectors were placed on top of the cabinet. The complete set up and on-site installation took only a matter of hours to complete by plugging the two sensors on each case into a Tektroniks Dual Channel Wireless Sensor. The temperature data is constantly received at the SAM-ie positioned in the main office, where the store staff can be alerted if a problem occurs and easily view each fixtures temperature.

The SAM-ie is connected to the stores computer network through its Ethernet port and makes full use of internet technology. The client is able to see detailed information of every fixture from any PC on the internal network, or over the internet when he is away from the building. Email alerts of alarm conditions can be sent and then received by mobile phone, allowing him to see detailed information of a problem wherever he is.  

The Simply Air system has been designed to considerably reduce the energy required to refrigerate supermarket display cabinets, so the measurement of the electrical energy is critical to prove its efficiency. The Tektroniks Wireless Monitoring system is capable of measuring the KWH of each refrigeration unit by way of our Wireless Pulsed Acquisition Sensor. This small device sits inside the control panel and is connected to a pre installed energy meter. The calibrated pulses are sent wirelessly to the SAM-ie where the data is logged and displayed for each individual meter.