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Innovations Range Small to Super-Sized

By Peter Powell
December 4, 2006

NUREMBURG, Germany - Technological innovations, ranging from ice machines to large chillers, were in evidence throughout the floor of the 27th International Trade Fair for Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, Ventilation (IKK).

On Ice

 One of the first twists to catch attendees’ eyes as they entered the first of eight halls of exhibits was an ice machine with vertical evaporator cylinders.

Such cylinders have been common in horizontal designs for years in Europe and have recently begun showing up in U.S. trade shows. The rotating cylinder continually creates a thin film of ice that is sliced off by a blade. The ice is used for display cases. By going vertical, advocates said the equipment experiences less wear and tear and operates on less power.

Grant Ice Systems from Australia (www.grant-ice.com) and Scotsman Europe (www.scotsman-ice.com) showed such products. Scotsman calls its product Eve and notes that it’s primarily for industrial applications.

Perhaps the smallest ice equipment shown at a mechanical refrigeration expo was a line of ice crushers from Wessamat (www.wessamat.de). Another product carried a name that exactly describes its purpose. Cocktail Station from Hagola of Germany (www.hagola.com) has ice-making as well as refrigerated spaces.

Bacteria protection in refrigeration equipment proved as important in Europe as it is anywhere else. One antimicrobial powder coating, SilverProtec®, is said to block cell metabolism. Viessmann of Germany (www.vkag.de) was among the manufacturers whose products use the coating.

The Symphony chiller from York was billed a low-sound, air-cooled, variable-speed drive.

Compressor Changes

The Sabroe refrigeration brand was a part of the transaction when Johnson Controls acquired York International Corp. in December 2005. A number of new Sabroe (www.sabroe.com) products were presented in the Johnson Controls booth at the exhibition.

SABCube is a variable-speed screw compressor the company said has been optimized and combined with a specially designed hybrid permanent magnet motor, a screw compressor with fewer moving parts, and an oil management system. The technologies are integrated into a compact unit monitored by a Unisab control system. In addition, the Sabroe ChillPAC with reciprocating compressors has now been supplemented by a ChillPAC Series based on Sabroe screw compressors.

Emerson Climate Technologies’ European headquarters (www.ecopeland.com) stated that its dedicated scroll product lines for refrigeration now includes ZB Models, designed for medium-temp applications, and ZF scrolls with vapor injection, for low temperature.

Danfoss (http://compressors.danfoss.com) noted that its GEEP™ refrigeration compressors incorporate reciprocating technology with low energy consumption and low sound levels.

Screw compressors with what was called cyclone oil separators for air conditioning were featured by Hitachi (www.hitachiacs.co.jp). The company also showed a horizontal scroll compressor.

A built-in icemaker and refrigerator comprise the mechanical refrigeration in a product from Hagola that exactly describes its purpose.

Chiller Technology

Self-contained ammonia chillers with plate chillers and condensers, as well as reciprocating compressors, were part of the 450XL designed for the European market by Vilter (www.vilter.com). The units operate at 150 rpm.

Airedale (www.airedale.com) entered the European market with a water-cooled liquid chiller that the company said was capable of achieving 7.30 ESEER (European Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) using Turbocor compressor technology.

Lennox (www.lennoxeurope.com) noted that it has factories in the Czech Republic, France, and Spain. The company also drew attention to its Flexy II, a rooftop unit with part-load operation, defrost cycle, and energy recovery; and its air-cooled Concept Chiller, which uses stainless steel brazed plate heat exchangers combined with aluminum condensing coils.

Back at the Johnson Controls booth, the York Symphony was billed as low-sound, air-cooled, variable-speed drive screw chiller.

At the booth of Carrier (www.carrier.de), a press conference discussed the company’s AquaForce chiller with a hydronic module for large commercial applications. The system uses R-134; components include twin rotary screw compressors, aluminum condensers, and micro-channel coils.

A press conference at the Carrier booth at IKK focused on the company’s AquaForce chiller

Technology Innovations

Cooling towers were eye-catching, floor-to-ceiling projects on display. Evapco Europe’s (www.evapcoeurope.net) Sage hybrid cooling tower features a control system to optimize energy and water savings. The company also displayed C-ATC, an evaporative condenser product line to fit standard container sizes, and Evapjet, a water spray nozzle designed to optimize water distribution.

Trillium Series condensers from Baltimore Aircoil (www.baltimoreaircoil.com) combine evaporative condenser technology in a V-shaped, air-cooled heat exchanger. The adiabatic air precooler sections are designed to enhance the condenser’s capacity with minimum water usage and improved hygiene, the company said.

Armacell (www.armacell.com) presented what it calls new AF/Armaflex, an insulation material in which the foam has a micro-cell structure. The technology, said to optimize thermal conductivity, has resistance to high vapor transmission.

The Shuttle is the name of a temperature logger from Resource Data Management (www.resourcedm.com), designed to monitor and record surrounding temperatures. It is said to retain 16,000 readers at preselected variable sample rates and store them for downloading to a PC.


Ice crushers from Wessamat were among the smallest refrigeration products at the IKK Expo

Parker Hannifin (www.parker.com) featured new products from several of its companies:
  • Sporlan products included an ESX step motor expansion valve that provides flow control for supermarket refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps as well as self-contained refrigeration systems.
  • Virginia KMP (Parker/Virginia) displayed Emkarate RL POE lubricants that the company said have received approval by major compressor manufacturers.
DiversiTech (www.diversitech.com) exhibited with its United Kingdom partner Pump House, which recently became the official distribution partner of DiversiTech products in Europe. Featured was Pro-Universal, a cleaner and degreaser for both condensers and evaporators.

Rx11 Flush was shown by Nu-Calgon (www.nucalgon.com). The product, an ozone-safe solvent for flushing systems, is said to remove acid, sludge, carbons, oils, and other residues.

Another U.S. company, RectorSeal (www.rectorseal.com), promoted a compressor oil acid neutralizer in 1-ounce packaging.

Among new items from Ritchie Engineering (www.yellowjacket.com) was a digital LCD vacuum gauge. The company said that a technician could track down 14 increments from atmosphere to 25 microns.

The IKK Show was the place where Tridan International (www.tridan.com) announced its 40th year of supplying machinery for the production of evaporators and condensers.

Publication date: 12/04/2006

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Peter Powell is Refrigeration Editor. He can be contacted at 815-654-7270 or peterpowell@achrnews.com. Peter was formerly Editor/Publisher of Service & Contracting, where he gained his refrigeration experience. Among his duties, Powell is responsible for the monthly Refrigeration Zone sections in The NEWS

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