
Alaska SeaLife Center making waves with CO2 heat pumps
Facing astronomical oil heating costs, the Alaska SeaLife Center turned to heat pumps that leverage nearby seawater with a high-powered CO2 system.
Facing astronomical oil heating costs, the Alaska SeaLife Center turned to heat pumps that leverage nearby seawater with a high-powered CO2 system.
There was an array of CO2 heat pump technology on display at HVAC&R Japan 2016 in Tokyo, with leading multinationals including Mitsubishi and Hitachi eager to make the most of the highly efficient refrigerant.
“Knowledge and experience are the barriers standing between CO2 refrigeration applications becoming the mainstream solution for the African market,” argues Wynand Groenwald of Commercial Refrigeration Services. The company’s newly opened training facility in Johannesburg, South Africa aims to tackle this problem.
Armin Hafner gave one of the most inspiring presentations at ATMOsphere Asia 2016, highlighting some of the latest technological advances in ejectors, transport, and industrial refrigeration solutions.
Sanden plans to launch a residential CO2 heat-pump water heater in the US by early second quarter of 2016, and prominently featured the product at its AHR Expo booth last week.
The refrigeration game is changing in Africa. After launching the first CO2 transcritical system in Africa in 2010, trailblazers CRS are releasing their new range of CO2 chillers, heat pumps and condensing units in 2015, and hope to cut the red tape on the first CO2 training facility in Africa, at their new Johannesburg base before year’s end.
Konvekta is trialing its CO2 MAC units in high ambient temperatures for the first time this year with French transport provider RTM. The ongoing trial will be key to the company’s, and the industry’s, adoption of CO2 MAC throughout Europe – a hot topic at Busworld 2015, held 16-21 October, in Kortrijk.
Although in its infancy, the adoption of CO2 systems in the world’s largest industrial economy, China, continues to gain traction. While HFCs and HCFCs still permeate the market in China, in order to mitigate the effects of climate change it’s only a matter of time before sustainable natural refrigerants like CO2 attain widespread implementation.
ATMOsphere Europe 2015 provided a platform for the latest heat pump innovations including ENEA’s joint case study on a heat pump with a unique two-cylinder compressor, designed to cater for the European market. boostHEAT showcased its integrated heat pump/boiler solution while Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Sanden outlined the increased migration of their products from Asia to Europe.
Kaori’s entrance to the Chinese commercial heat pump market in 2015 was a welcome one. With the revised China Environmental Protection Law to take effect in 2015, the company is intent on meeting the increasing demands for CO2 heat pumps.