Chiller and Heat Pump innovations with F-gases deliver improved performance
Innovations for chillers and heat pumps using HFOs and HFCs, and their good balance of safety and technical properties, continue to deliver improved performance and reduced energy consumption. While ultra-low GWP HFOs and HCFOs are increasingly being adopted, HFCs continue to have an important role in reducing energy consumption, including for data centers.
Data center cooling using HFC-32: The data centre industry as a whole needs to rethink its overall energy usage if it is to become climate neutral by 2030. Innovative data center infrastructure with a unique person-free layout offers up to 56% reduction in power consumption. R-32, because of its efficient heat transfer capabilities can reduce total energy usage up to 10%. Combining next generation cooling products such as R-32 together with immersive cooling in its core infrastructure offers the potential to further reduce impact. See Business Weekly.
Thermal energy storage system using HCFO-1233zd(E) centrifugal heat pump wins best practice award: The aquifer thermal energy storage system provides cyclical use of heat throughout the year for effective energy utilization. The use of underground water stored in aquifers as a source of heat for heating and cooling systems is highly regarded for its energy conservation potential, environmental performance, and other benefits. This system provides efficient use of energy by allowing for the cyclical use of heat across seasons, utilizing the cold exhaust from heating during the wintertime for air conditioning during the summer, and warm exhaust from air conditioning during the summertime for heating during the winter. In addition, the reduction in heat emissions into the atmosphere, an underground heat balance of zero for the full year period, and other benefits, contribute to cutting CO2 emissions, alleviating the heat island effect, and preventing global warming. Compared to a gas absorption cold/hot water heater with similar capacity, it provides a reduction in annual primary energy consumption of 49.9% and CO2 reductions of 65.3%. The centrifugal heat pump at the core of the system uses ultra-low GWP HCFO-1233zd(E). The system received the Energy Conservation Center, Japan Chairman's Award in "Best Practice Category" at the 2021 Energy Conservation Grand Prize. See Benzinga.
HFO-1234ze(E) chiller provides cooling for microbiological processes at Austrian pharmaceutical facility: The project required the replacement of a 15-year-old split chiller R410A with remote air-cooled condensers and a large refrigerant charge. The cooling requirement can vary from approximately from 70 kW to 570 kW so screw inverter chillers with inverter technology could help match the variations in terms of cooling capacity improving energy efficiency performances at part loads. The chiller will be used to produce chilled water/glycol mixture at -8°C, which will provide cooling for microbiological processes. The project required an environmentally friendly HVAC concept, as offered by the ultra-low GWP HFO-1234ze(E) refrigerant chillers. See Cooling Post and Refrigeration Industry.
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