For compressor manufacturers the future is all about energy efficiency while customers are increasingly looking at the entire life cycle costs of new products. Following is a roundup of the latest low GWP product innovations.
A big announcement this month is the launch of a compressor for HFO 1234ze.
Danfoss Turbocor has launched the TG310 compressor for air-cooled, outdoor mounted chiller applications.
The range features oil-free, variable-speed, magnetic bearing centrifugal models from 60 to 88 tonnes.
Danfoss says they provide full and part load energy efficiency and have a small footprint and are light weight, low vibration, low sound with intelligent controls and soft starting characteristics.
The Global Warming Potential(GWP) of the refrigerant HFO-1234ze is less than one.
Moreover, Danfoss says the refrigerant exhibits improved energy efficiency compared to
the current model using HFC-134a.
The company describes TG310 as an environmentally progressive compressor that sets
a new benchmark in operational sustainability.
Danfoss is also working to bring hydrocarbons to the United States refrigeration market.
European customers have seen significant reductions in their energy bills by using R290 and R60.
As a result Danfoss is continuing to build a portfolio of components for hydrocarbons as well as other low GWP solutions.
There are still some challenges to be overcome if hydrocarbons are to gain broader adoption in the US.
Hydrocarbons are flammable and the US has charge limits that restrict the amount of hydrocarbons that can be used in refrigeration systems.
Until these limits are expanded, the use of hydrocarbons is restricted to small commercial applications. However, Danfoss says safety problems can be overcome with correct design and space considerations.
If charge limits in the US are relaxed, hydrocarbons could be seen in a range of air-conditioning and refrigeration applications, from small chillers to heat pumps and food retail equipment. Even without a relaxation in charge limits,
Danfoss says there is still a high level of interest in hydrocarbons from US customers and that interest will remain strong.
Ammonia packages
While Bitzer has been marketing open-drive reciprocating and screw compressors for ammonia applications for a number of years, the company can also assemble complete ammonia packages ranging from simple motor-compressor combinations on rails up to complete rotary screw compressor packages.
Bitzer says it is filling a void in the marketplace for small ammonia systems.
The company says that historically, ammonia compressors have been large CFH models like those found in refrigerated warehouses, but the trend now is to reduce the ammonia charge in systems and provide multiple, self-contained systems to handle the loads.
As well as developing and manufacturing Co2 compressors, Bitzer is focusing on customer training and is providing regular training courses on how to work with Co2.
Also this month Finland company, Tempere, announced the release of its Tamturbo compressors.
Featuring direct drive from high-speed motor to turbo impeller, and Active Magnetic Bearing that removes physical contact between parts, the company says air turbo compressors minimise wear.
Units save energy and eliminate the need to change and dispose of oil filters.
Direct drive from high-speed motor to turbo impeller means significantly fewer parts in mechanical contact, i.e. less energy loss and less wear compared to conventional ways of producing oil-free air.
It also means that energy efficiency does not deteriorate over the life cycle of the compressor. With less maintenance, the company says there are plenty of savings in the life cycle costs of the compressor.
“The environmental benefits of producing oil-free air with a high-speed turbo compressor are clear,” Tempere says adding that it has patented a new capacity control method that extends the efficient control range of turbo compressor by dozens of percentage points, which again translates into lower electricity bills.
Tamturbo is currently in negotiations with leading compressor manufacturers to license the technology.