Italian OEM Arneg has announced its new CO2 (R744)-based refrigeration rack that uses Emerson’s Copeland scroll compressors.
This is the first time Arneg has used scroll compressor technology for CO2, according to Enrico Zambotto, the company’s Technical Engineering Director for Refrigeration Systems.
The new unit, which is designed for commercial refrigeration, was showcased at EuroShop 2023, a retail trade show that took place in Düsseldorf, Germany, from February 26 to March 2.
The rack consists of five scroll compressors in total – three for medium temperature (MT) and two for low temperature (LT), he explained.
Arneg is one of two manufacturers to produce a CO2 rack using Emerson’s Copeland scroll compressors. The other is SCM Frigo, which also launched its new rack at EuroShop.
Increased efficiency with smaller footprint
Arneg’s rack includes an economizer that connects to a plate heat exchanger to cool down the gas after the gas cooler. This approach increases system efficiency and reduces energy consumption, said Zambotto.
As well as being used on scroll compressors, this technology can also be applied to screw compressors for larger industrial applications, he explained.
In addition to offering more modulation than a reciprocating compressor, which is more commonly used in commercial CO2 refrigeration systems, Emerson’s Copeland scroll compressors are also more compact, with a 50% smaller footprint, he added.
According to U.S. manufacturer Emerson, its Copeland scroll compressors – which were launched in September 2021 – enable reduced cost and system complexity while ensuring high efficiency in any climate.
Mini booster
Arneg’s Globo “mini booster” for smaller commercial refrigeration applications was also on display at EuroShop. The system comprises four Bitzer compressors – two for MT and two for LT – and can provide up to 80kW (22.7TR) at MT and up to 20kW (5.7TR) at LT, as well as offering heat recovery options, said Zambotto.
While Arneg’s mini booster system has been on the market for several years, the way the system manages the compressors is new. With Bitzer’s IQ module the compressors can be regulated without an inverter, he noted.
