Danfoss microchannel heat exchanger optimised for low-density refrigerants
29th April 2021
DENMARK: Supporting the move to lower GWP refrigerants and greater efficiency, Danfoss has announced a world-first range of microchannel heat exchangers for low-density, alternative refrigerants.
Danfoss says the new technology solves a key design challenge for OEMs transitioning to lower GWP refrigerants such as R1234ze and R515B, especially in large air-cooled chillers using screw and centrifugal compression. The low density of these refrigerants makes system performance highly sensitive to pressure drops.
The new optimised microchannel heat exchangers (MCHEs) from Danfoss are said to provide the ideal balance between maximum heat rejection and internal refrigerant pressure drop. Employing these new heat exchangers, Danfoss says OEMs can transition more easily to low-GWP, low-density refrigerants and realise a 20% reduction in refrigerant pressure drop at the component level.
The ultra-low GWP refrigerant R1234ze is an increasingly popular choice for HVACR applications, as it’s widely available with a GWP below 5 and has the lowest flammability of all A2L-rated refrigerants. R515B is also growing in popularity, as it has an AR5 GWP of 299 and an ASHRAE A1 safety classification.
