Preventing Refrigerated Foodstuffs in Supermarkets from Being Discarded on Hot Days by MPC

This paper presents an optimization strategy for supermarket refrigeration systems. It deals with one special condition when the extremely high outdoor temperature causes the compressor to saturate, and work at its maximum capacity. In a traditional control, refrigerated foodstuffs inside display cabinets will suffer from a consequential higher temperature storage, which is detrimental to the food quality, and in worst cases they have to be discarded according to the regulation from authorities. This will cause a big economic loss to the shop owner. By utilizing the thermal mass of foodstuffs and their relative slow temperature change, Model Predictive Control (MPC), foreseeing this situation, it will use more compressor power to cool down the foodstuffs in advance, preventing the high temperature storage from happening, thus saving them from being discarded.