Blast freezer protocols

Rebecca Hatcher <rebecca.hatcher [at] yale__edu> writes

>Some years ago (before I joined the staff), my library decided to
>keep its blast freezers turned off unless they were needed, in order
>to save energy.  (I know there are differing opinions about whether
>keeping them off most of the time actually saves energy, but we're
>hoping not to reexamine that now.)
>
>Earlier this week, a technician working on our cold storage unit
>expressed surprise that the blast freezers were kept off most of the
>time--in his experience, this allows mold to develop. ...

Wei T'o has built and I have installed about 100 Wei T'o Book Dryers
and Insect Exterminators (BDIE) in USA and overseas during the past
25 years. Most of those BDIES are still in use.  No client has
mentioned their BDIE developed mold during periods when it was
turned off.  We recommend BDIEs be operated at least 2 to 4 hours
every month to keep the mechanical seals and valves in motors and
pumps flexible and functioning properly.

Mold and fungus spores exist everywhere; and will grow beautifully
as soon as the right temperatures, food sources, and moisture are
available.

I'm sure your technician is correct; but my belief is local
housekeeping conditions provided the conditions for the mold growth
that he reported. If Yale has not had problems this far, I doubt you
will in future.  But I do recommend you turn your blast freezer on
at least once each month to minimize its maintenance costs and
maximum its lifetime.

Let me know if you have more questions.

Dick Smith
Wei T'o Associates, Inc.
21750 Main Street, Unit 27
Matteson IL 60443
708-747-6660
Fax: 708-747-6639
Cell: 708-679-4411


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 25:27
                Distributed: Saturday, December 3, 2011
                       Message Id: cdl-25-27-003
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