Sainsbury’s, a grocery store chain in the UK, has partnered with Williams Advanced Engineering to bring aerofoil technology to its refrigerator systems. Manufactured by Aerofoil Energy, aerofoils use the same technology that helps to improve the performance of Formula One race cars. Williams worked closely with Aerofoil to refine the design using Formula One aerodynamics.
In Formula One race cars, aerofoils streamline the airflow around the car, helping it to grip to the road. In the refrigerator application, aerofoils direct the cold air back into the refrigerator rather than blowing it out of the front of the cabinet into the store, thus saving energy. At night, additional draw-down blinds are used on the refrigerators to keep cold air in.
Williams provides technical innovation, engineering, testing and manufacturing services to deliver energy efficient performance to the automotive, motorsport, transport and energy sectors. It is best known for creating components for Formula One race cars.
This is the latest sustainability initiative the grocery store chain has implemented at its stores. Sainsbury’s Cannock store runs on power generated solely from the supermarket’s own food waste.
