CO2 refrigeration was in the news recently once again because a Campbell River, BC arena will become the first arena in British Columbia to swap out its ammonia refrigeration for CO2. The facility, which is home to two arenas — and two refrigeration plants — will be retrofitted at the end of this hockey season. Campbell River is on Vancouver Island, and will be making the change for several reasons which you can learn about here.
Paul Taylor sent me the link. He’s a Nova Scotian I met via Twitter after I had published a story on CO2 arenas in Sweden. After a flurry of texts back and forth, I realized that Paul was more than advanced with his knowledge of refrigeration systems and the players who are active in the manufacturing and building of ice arenas around the world. Since then, we have talked many, man times and I got to know more about his interest in CO2 as a refrigerant. I told him that I had visited the first CO2 arena in Quebec where five years on, they’re still extremely happy with their installation. Soon we decided to collaborate on a Google Table that would let us track all the CO2 arenas that we could track down, all around the world. We reached out to equipment manufacturers, engineers and arena builders who have eagerly contributed details of their arenas, and told us of future projects. And we get Google Alerts, that helps too — especially when the news gets out that an upcoming arena project might be considering CO2.
All that has lead to the map you see below.
If you take a close look, you’ll see the majority of CO2 arenas are installed in the <<north>> –in the Northern Hemisphere, with a big concentration n the Scandinavian countries. But there are clusters — like the arenas in Quebec. Or Japan. Or the two down in South Africa — proof positive that CO2 is a solution for not just northern climes.
It’s a work in progress and we intend to keep updating it each time a new CO2 rink comes on board. If you know of CO2 ice facilities — indoor arenas, outdoor arenas, ovals or skating trails that aren’t on this list, please let me know. I will investigate, together with Paul, and add them to the list.
Looks great Colleen, your great work goes without question. Here’s an explanation of the symbols on the map — and of some terminology.
The yellow pins are installations where CO2 is part of the ice making process. Prior to the first 100% CO2 installation in Chaudière-Appalaches QC, CO2 installations were CO2 under the concrete slab and ammonia used in the ice plant. This type of installation is known as an “Indirect System” for ice facilities. Indirect refrigeration systems for food refrigeration using ammonia and CO2 are known as “Cascade systems”. Indirect systems that use CO2 in the on-roof Refrigeration machinery for a Supermarket and in the freezer cabinets are known as “Trancriticial CO2 systems”.
Indirect CO2 ice rink systems are generally the way to go in more southern locations. Indirect CO2 systems can also include the use of CO2 in the Primary or Machine Room Plant and another slab refrigeration media in the secondary, like glycol, brine or even aqua ammonia.
The purple flags indicate CO2 arenas that have been proposed or are under construction.
The green flags are 100% CO2 systems, irrespective of whether they are indirect or direct.
The line of red flags indicates the southern limit in the Northern Hemisphere of an ice rink using CO2 in any part of the ice-making process. The blue flags represent the two southern Hemisphere installs and indicate where they would be on the North side of the Equator if they were indeed flipped into the Northern Hemisphere (latitude-wise).