Danfoss plans for new low GWP alternatives
18th February 2016
DENMARK: Danfoss has released details of its plans for the release of a host of new compressors running on lower GWP alternative refrigerants, beginning this year.
The Danish compressor manufacturer says it is finalising the qualification plans for the new refrigerants for both air conditioning and refrigeration applications. These qualifications are expected to begin by the end of this year and will continue through 2018.
“It is Danfoss’ objective to offer the same reliability and safety in the application while minimising the impact on the environment and securing system competitiveness for OEMs, installers and end users,” said Luigi Zamana, marketing director for Danfoss Commercial Compressors. He stressed that as well as needing to have a GWP compliant with European F-gas and US SNAP requirements, the candidates are being assessed for flammability and charge limit, operating map, behaviour of the lubricants with the new refrigerants, energy performance and affordability, which includes potential refrigerant costs and patents as well as the impact on the system development, redesign, operating and maintenance costs.
Many of the Danfoss components are already said to be compatible with several new refrigerants and further component qualifications are in progress for an extended list of refrigerants.
Air conditioning
In the air conditioning market where Danfoss currently offers a wide range of compressors from 3 to 350TR, a number of alternatives are being tested to replace the industry standard refrigerants R410A and R134a.
Danfoss DSH and DCJ scroll compressors with intermediate discharge valves (IDVs) are being tested with the high density Chemours refrigerants R454B (DR5A) and DR55, as well as R32, as alternatives to R410A.
According to Danfoss, the DR5x blends, with GWPs ranging from 490 to 676, are showing the best characteristics to pursue as drop-ins.
The VZH inverter scrolls will be made available to operate with the same alternatives as Danfoss scrolls with IDVs.
Danfoss Turbocor compressors
In 2013, the Danfoss Turbocor TG310 became the first centrifugal compressor produced to operate with the ultra-low GWP refrigerant HFO1234ze. This year, the company plans to expand the TG product range for ultra-low GWP from 220kW to 500kW cooling capacity. This expansion will not only include high efficiency products to operate with the ultra-low GWP HFO1234ze, but also other low-GWP refrigerant blends.
Refrigeration
In food retail and commercial refrigeration applications, where the primary high GWP refrigerants R404A and R134a will be banned in new equipment as well as for replacement in Europe and in the USA, Danfoss has been looking at a number of alternatives.
For light commercial applications, Danfoss compressors are already available for use with propane (R290) and the “mildly flammable” A2L refrigerant R1234yf. Both are said to provide improvements in capacity and compressor efficiency when compared to R404A and R134A. However, to overcome the charge limit of 150g for the A3 hydrocarbon refrigerants, Danfoss is carrying out qualification tests on the A1 blends R449A and R452A.
Danfoss Maneurop reciprocating compressors HBP/MBP are already qualified for the mid-term solution R407A and R407F, but will now also be expanded to include R452A. Described as “exceptional” by Danfoss, this drop-in replacement refrigerant will maintain the compressors’ existing features and technical performance in medium/high and low-temperature applications while reducing the GWP by about 45%.
Danfoss Scrolls MLZ and LLZ will be qualified for both R448A and R449A, which will reduce GWP by up to 65% compared to R404A. Additionally, in order to enable an extended range of solutions for R404A retrofit applications, Danfoss MLZ and LLZ platforms will be fully qualified for R452A blend.
The Danfoss Optyma condensing units will be made available to operate with the same refrigerants as the compressors.
Related stories:
Is DR-55 best option to replace R410A? – September 2, 2015
USA: Chemours has unveiled further details of a new refrigerant blend to rival R32 in the search for a lower GWP alternative to R410A in air conditioning systems. Read more…
Software compares low GWP refrigerants – December 10, 2014
GERMANY: DuPont has created an updated version of its DuPrex 4.0 refrigerant comparison software to mark the sales launch of its new Opteon product range. Read more…
EPA approves low GWP HFCs – July 3, 2015
USA: The EPA has announced that low GWP alternative refrigerants R450A, R448A, R513A and R449A are to be approved for more uses. Read more…
DuPont’s new low GWP refrigerant trio – October 22, 2014
USA: DuPont has announced the commercial availability of three more low GWP, HFO-based refrigerants. Read more…
