Danfoss Turbocor releases 1234ze compressor

USA: Danfoss Turbocor Compressors has now announced the production and sales release of the new TG310 compressor, using the low GWP refrigerant HFO1234ze(E).

Protoypes of the new compressor were made available to oems last year for development work in air-cooled chillers. The final TG310 compressor now on general release carries the CE mark and CE PED mark. It ranges from 230 to 310 kW and is is suitable for use with 400V, 50Hz power supplies. 

Similar to the company’s current TT series compressors, the TG310 models are oil-free, variable-speed, magnetic bearing centrifugal compressors. They are said to offer outstanding full- and part-load energy efficiency and feature a small footprint, light weight, low vibration, very low sound, intelligent controls, and soft starting characteristics.

As well as possessing a GWP of just 6, Danfoss Turbocor says that the HFO1234ze shows improved energy efficiency compared to the current R134a model.

“The TG310 is a highly energy efficient and environmentally progressive compressor, and represents the innovation our customers expect from the pioneer and world leader of oil-free, centrifugal compressors for the hvac industry,” said Doug Bishop, Danfoss Turbocor vice president of marketing and communications. “We look forward to the rapid adoption of the technology as customers seek to enhance the sustainability of their hvac systems.”

The market was first alerted to Turbocor’s work with 1234ze at the beginning of 2011 when UK companies Klima-Therm and Cool-Therm announced that they were making available a chiller using a Turbocor compressor running on the refrigerant.

The British companies, which had developed the chiller in association with Italian manufacturer Geoclima, retracted its announcement after Danfoss Turbocor insisted that its compressor had not been verified for use with HFOs.

Klima-Therm and Cool-Therm later developed a chiller running on 1234ze using Frascold semi-hermetic compressors.