Double win for Emerson in AHR awards
USA: Emerson’s Copeland compressors have picked up two awards from the ten categories in the 2023 AHR Expo Innovation Awards.
Each year, the ten most innovative products are selected from company’s exhibiting at the next AHR Expo. One outright winner is then selected at the show, which takes place in Atlanta, Georgia, from February 6-8.
A double win for Emerson saw the Copeland ZPSK7 two-stage scroll compressor winning the Heating category, with the Copeland ZFW variable speed scroll grabbing the award in the Refrigeration category.
Amongst the other winners was Chemours for its Opteon XL41 (R454B) refrigerant.
The Innovation Awards are drawn from hundreds of manufacturers who are designing new and never before seen solutions or improvements upon existing products and technologies launching into the marketplace in the coming year.
The awards are designed to encourage exhibitors to submit new products and technologies for recognition via review and selection by a panel of third-party judges comprised of distinguished ASHRAE members.
Entrants are evaluated based on overall innovative design, creativity of the product or service offered, product or technology real-world application, as well as overall potential market impact.
“The awards are a key indicator of how HVACR is being called upon to solve worldwide issues at a rapid pace. We aim to highlight this innovation trajectory and honour those that are pushing the bar to create real solutions to difficult problems,” said show manager, Mark Stevens.
This year’s winners and products are:
Building Automation
Winner: Cielo WiGle Inc
Cielo Breez Max is said to be the industry’s first true smart thermostat for mini-split, window and portable air conditioners. It is loaded with an AI-based engine to auto-detect AC type and model number. Backed with AWS cloud, Max is said to be universally compatible with any brand or type of ductless air conditioner.
Cooling
Winner: Chemours
Opteon XL41 is a lower GWP refrigerant replacement for R410A in new residential and light commercial air conditioning, and scroll chiller applications. It is a blend of R32 and R1234yf with a GWP of 466.
Heating
Winner: Emerson Copeland Compressors and Condensing Units
The Copeland ZPSK7 scroll compressor is claimed to be the most efficient two-stage compressor developed in the 100-year history of the Copeland brand. A two-stage compressor, it is designed for residential and light commercial heat pump and air conditioning applications.
Indoor Air Quality
Winner: Belimo Americas
The Belimo room sensors are said to accurately measure temperature, humidity, dew point, and CO2 with or without an ePaper touch display. Integrated NFC provides easy field adjustability, commissioning, remote display capabilities, and troubleshooting even without power, it is said.
Plumbing
Winner: Caleffi Hydronic Solutions
Caleffi 536 Series PresCal HP Piston-type Pressure Reducing Valve.
Refrigeration
Winner: Emerson Retail Solutions
Copeland ZFW variable speed scroll solution includes brushless permanent magnet motor-based scrolls and variable frequency drives targeted for low-temperature, stationary refrigeration applications.
Software
Winner: Cove Tool
Built for mechanical engineers, the load modeling tool establishes peak cooling and heating loads to design and right-size the mechanical system using the EnergyPlus engine.
Sustainable Solutions
Winner: Taco Comfort Solutions
The System M is an inverter-driven air-to-water heat pump that integrates with Taco’s indoor HydroBox to provide a complete system with just six pipe connections needed.
Tools & Instruments
Winner: Navac Inc
The Navac NEF6LM Breakfree power flaring tool is said to yield accurate, hassle-free tubing flares in a fraction of time compared to traditional flaring methods.
Ventilation
Winner: SmartD Technologies
SmartD’s Clean Power VFD is said to deliver a clean, sinusoidal signal to reduce motor system losses by up to 40% and extend motor lifetime in a compact footprint that can be deployed without ancillary filters.
