The AHR Expo, which will take place January 31 to February 2 at the Las Vegas Convention Center as scheduled, will feature a number of exhibitors with CO2 (R744)-related refrigeration systems.
The annual HVAC&R trade show, which was cancelled last year due to COVID-19, will include more than 1,650 exhibitors and numerous educational sessions.
The show organizers acknowledge on the event’s website that “there are concerns regarding the status of the Show given the recent COVID-19 developments. We want to assure you that the AHR Expo will take place January 31 to February 2 at the Las Vegas Convention Center as scheduled.”
The show’s safety measures include required masking, increased ventilation in the convention hall and a Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GRAC) Star Accreditation.
Here are some of the exhibitors with CO2-related products:
Dorin, Booth C1736
Dorin has a broad portfolio of CO2 compressors, from smaller subcritical models to larger models like the award-winning CD600. The CD600 is a 6-cylinder semi-hermetic compressor with a flow rate up to 53.2m3/h (1,878.7ft3/h), and motor power from 50 to up to 80HP. Suitable for both commercial and industrial applications, it is the largest compressor of its kind, according to Dorin.
The latest development from Dorin is a series of CO2 compressors for mobile HVAC applications like e-buses and railways. These BOXÉR compressors were introduced to the world at the 2019 Busworld expo and officially launched earlier this year after a period of testing and improvement.
Baltimore Aircoil Company, Booth N8326
Baltimore Aircoil Company (BAC) will showcase a new adiabatic gas cooler through an immersive Augmented Reality (AR) experience. Adiabatic gas coolers are widely employed to improve the efficiency of transcritical CO2 systems in warm ambient climates.
In addition to their new adiabatic cooler, BAC will highlight the Nexus Modular Hybrid Cooler, with its “compact design,” hCore heat exchanger, and fully integrated UV water disinfecting system, said BAC. Originally launched at the AHR Expo in 2018, the Nexus Cooler’s “design and control system continues to help customers balance and optimize their water and energy savings,” the company said,.
Emerson, Booth C3106
Component manufacturer Emerson was a finalist in the 2022 AHR Expo Innovation Awards competition in the refrigeration category for itsCopeland Compressors and Condensing Units and Copeland horizontal variable speed scroll compressor for refrigeration (1 to 4HP). Emerson was also a finalist in the cooling category for its Copeland Compressors and Condensing Units and Copeland oil-free centrifugal compressor.
Last November, Emerson and Zero Zone announced that a Zero Zone transcritical CO2 system with Emerson components was installed at a food retail outlet in Joplin, Missouri (U.S.). The Zero Zone transcritical rack features three Copeland transcritical CO2 semi-hermetic compressors for medium-temperature cases (dairy, produce and meat) and two Copeland ZO scroll compressors for freezers, including a digital scroll compressor with 20–100% variable capacity control.
Temprite, Booth C6245
Temprite offers the 130 Series of coalescent oil separators designed specifically for transcritical CO2 systems. Temprite products are engineered and manufactured “to enable improved refrigeration system thermal efficiency by minimizing oil and dirt in the system’s evaporator,” Temprite said.
This results in “shorter compressor run times, reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption and providing the highest possible return on investment,” the company added.
Energy Recovery, Booth C6810
Energy Recovery will feature its new PX G1300 pressure-exchanger device. The device, designed to reduce energy consumption and operating costs in transcritical CO2 refrigeration systems, particularly in warm ambient conditions, is being tested by Vallarta Supermarkets in Southern California (U.S.).
“The PX G1300 addresses both the sustainability and cost challenges of grocers,” said KC Chen, VP of Engineering and New Product Launch for Energy Recovery. “This technology, which has been trusted by the desalination industry for decades, aims to not only reduce energy consumption and lower operating costs, but also reduce emissions associated with energy consumption.”
TEKLAB, Booth N10722
TEKLAB offers a wide range of electro-optic liquid- level sensors, which feature “small size, reliability, no moving parts, long life, efficacy and economy,” the company said. They include solid state switching, which makes them “rugged and highly dependable over the entire life of the sensor.”
TEKLAB’s products can be used in high- pressure and extreme temperature R744 cooling systems. All sensors used with R744 can handle pressures up to 150bar (2,176psi) and temperature up to 125°C (257°F).
ECO2 Systems, Booth C1100
U.S. based ECO2 Systems will exhibit its CO2 domestic hot water heat pumps.
In 2020, principals John Miles and Maho Ito announced at AHR Expo in Orlando Florida (U.S.) that they had jointly acquired Japanese OEM Sanden’s CO2 heat-pump-water-heater business, which they had been marketing on Sanden’s behalf in North America.
Danfoss, Booth N8241
Danfoss offers a multi-ejector that works with a parallel compressor in a transcritical CO2 system to save between 10% and 20% on energy consumption (depending on the ambient temperature) compared to a conventional booster transcritical system, according to the company. The Danfoss ejector, which won the 2017 AHR Expo Innovation Award in the refrigeration category, is a sold-state pump with no moving parts that saves energy by increasing the pressure of CO2 gas being compressed by a low-HP parallel compressor, thereby reducing overall compressor load.
“The PX G1300 addresses both the sustainability and cost challenges of grocers.”
KC Chen, Energy Recovery
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