Bitzer expands oil cooler capacities
14th May 2025
GERMANY: Bitzer’s new OWD series of water-cooled oil coolers extends the capacity of its existing OW range and improves heat exchange efficiency.
As well as expanding the capacity range up to 300kW, it can also accommodate a whole host of potential configurations.
The OWD series is part of a comprehensive portfolio that covers the capacity range of all Bitzer screw compressors, both in single and parallel operation, and is compatible with a variety of refrigerants including HFCs, HFOs, HFC/HFO blends and hydrocarbons.
Although specially developed for Bitzer’s HS and OS screw compressors, it is said to offer a reliable solution in combination with other manufacturers’ products.
Taking the maximum oil cooler capacity up to 300kW, regardless of the operating conditions, makes it possible to efficiently tackle even the most demanding cooling tasks in high temperature heat pump and low temperature applications.
A special feature of this new series is its use of disc and doughnut baffles, ensuring even oil distribution throughout the cooler tubes. According to Bitzer, this improves heat transfer on the oil side and reduces flow surges with minimal pressure loss.
The OWD series is designed to reduce dead space in the heat exchanger compared to its predecessor, the OW series. This results in increased efficiency in the use of the entire tube surface and a boost in heat throughput. In addition, the optimised space requirement enables integration of a higher number of tubes for ultra-high power density.
Calculations show that the new oil cooler series reduces CO2 equivalents by more than 40% compared to its predecessor and thus makes a key contribution to sustainability.
The baffles are also temperature-resistant and can easily withstand temperatures of over +150°C, making the OWD series well equipped for demanding environments.
OWD oil coolers are available in 17 product variants, which come in 2-pass and 4-pass designs.
Designed for reliable use in a whole host of applications, the OWD series is compatible with fresh water and seawater and covers a wide range of temperatures and pressures. It can handle oil temperatures of –20°C to +150°C, oil pressures of up to 32bar and water temperatures of –20°C to +95°C at 10bar.
