Marlo showcased its new air handler, which is available in airflows ranging from 1,000 to 100,000 cfm.
ANAHEIM, Calif. - There were many different chillers and air handlers on display at the International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition. From specialized chillers designed for the medical field to heavy-duty air handlers, a wide variety of equipment was featured.

ArctiChill (www.arctichill.com) introduced its Manhattan Modular water-cooled chiller, which spokesman Jackson Ball said is a high tonnage chiller for small spaces. The company stated that the Manhattan line offers many different configurations, easy filter servicing, a variety of compressor and heat exchanger options, nonproprietary controls, and industrial-grade construction. Ball said one of the unique features of the Manhattan chiller is that it has a new, front-access filter housing, so personnel can close the service valves and remove the Victaulic cap to access the stainless steel strainers. The Manhattan Modular also is available as an air-cooled system. Up to 10 modules may be put together; each module has a 20- to 120-ton capacity.

ArctiChill also featured its nearly finished ChillerNet, which, the company said will allow the chiller to capture and transfer critical data periodically. Designed to use hardwired or GSM/GPRS wireless technologies, the servers receive the data, process it, and update the primary database. Web-based applications allow users to view the raw data and graphical trends of various performance points. Trending is a key tool for spotting emerging trouble points before they become causes of downtime, said the company.

Cooline Air Conditioners (www.cooline.com) highlighted its Italian-made air- and water-cooled chillers, which spokesman Larry Kushner said offer the ultimate combination of energy-saving design, superior engineering features, and flexibility of application as required by today's market. The chillers incorporate the newest advanced Microsmart controller, which monitors analog and digital inputs to achieve precise control, stated the manufacturer. The chillers use R-22, R-134a, or R-407C and are available in sizes up to 700 tons. The company said the chillers feature screw compressors, low-noise condenser fans, thermal storage and low temperature capabilities, and can interface with BACnet, LonWorks, or ModBus.

Cooline also featured its modular air-handling units, which are available in sizes up to 200,000 cfm. These units feature heat recovery wheels, factory-mounted controls, and variable-frequency drives, and come in 1-, 2-, or 4-inch construction. They are available for chilled water, direct expansion, hot water, gas, or steam heat applications.

DryKor (www.drykor.com) introduced its UDT-14, a liquid desiccant dehumidifier for controlling humidity in large comfort conditioning and commercial building applications. The standard UDT-14 is a unit designed to operate jointly with packaged make-up air or air-handling units. The unit can provide variable latent and sensible load reduction and has a capacity of 5,000 cfm of 100-percent outdoor air. When supplied with an optional process supply fan, the UDT-14 can function as a stand-alone unit for air conditioning and dehumidification.

The UDT-14 features two refrigerant cycles for management of a wide variety of sensible/latent heat relationships. According to the manufacturer, a fully programmable, onboard PLC controller functions independently or interfaces with most building automation control systems. The units have two scroll compressors and DryKor's proprietarily designed heat exchangers and solution pumps. Vice president of sales and marketing Hadas Levin said that these units have a COP of 5.05 and an EER of up to 17.3.

MagicAire (www.magicaire.com) featured its HBA Series of belt-drive horizontal air units, which are available in nominal sizes 2 through 20 tons. These units feature insulated cabinets, double-slope stainless steel drain pan, chilled water or direct expansion cooling, and optional double-wall construction. Also featured was the BM Series of modular air units, which are now available in 2- and 3-ton sizes, in addition to the 4- through 20-ton line. Spokesperson Sue Waller also pointed out the company's FFW Series of floor-mounted vertical fancoil units, which feature insulated cabinets and 1-inch throwaway filters.

Marlo (www.marlocoil.com) showcased its new air handler that the company is manufacturing at its Highridge, Mo., plant. Standard unit construction features include airflows ranging from 1,000 to 100,000 cfm, tongue-and-groove panel construction, and 2- and 4-inch unit panels with matching door construction. Marketing Manager Joe Cappello stressed that the units have integral thermal break panel design, as well as a fully isolated fan that transmits very little vibration. The standard drain pans measure 12 inches, and the primary drain pan is pitched to the center, so there's no standing water. Other features include a HEPA filter system, galvanized steel floors and formed bases, and industrial-grade caulk and gasket materials. "Our air-handling units have a 40-year life cycle," noted Cappello.

Monitor Products Inc. (www.monitorproducts.com) introduced the MZ Cool air-cooled chillers for residential and light commercial applications. The MZ Cool chiller is a self-contained air-cooled condenser, coupled with an insulated brazed plate heat exchanger. The system utilizes a scroll compressor to circulate refrigerant between the condenser and heat exchanger. The system uses a thermostatic expansion valve, and the water and propylene glycol solution is circulated through the heat exchanger by a chiller-mounted pump. Spokesperson Tom Stayer said the company offers matching chilled-water air handlers, which are installer friendly.

RAE Corp.'s Technical Systems (www.rae-corp.com) introduced its Solutions air-handling units, which are built for indoor or outdoor installation, depending on job requirements. Each air handler is built as a single piece with an option to break the unit into smaller sections as shipping or rigging requires. Multiple-piece units will be shipped as one piece where possible. The units are constructed of a heavy-gauge, formed, galvanized steel perimeter base on units up to 8 feet wide. All fans include vibration isolation, which consists of a flexible fabric duct and rubber isolators. Allowing for 1-percent air leakage, the unit will have a SMACNA leak class rating of better than 10 at the design pressure.

RAE Corp. also announced that it has purchased King Coil, a manufacturer in the industrial coil market since the early 1900s. The agreement provides for the extension of RAE Corp.'s heat transfer coil product line.

Schreiber Engineering Corp. (www.trueton.com) featured its 10MED AC/RC medical chiller. The completely self-contained outdoor unit has an integral pump and chilled water reservoir. Each chiller contains two independent refrigeration systems, and an advanced microprocessor controller allows for close temperature control, head pressure control, diagnostics, and optional remote monitoring, the company said. The chiller is designed to be flexible by allowing incoming condenser air and all service access to be from one side of the chiller. The condenser can be removed in the field for remote condenser service, or it can be placed next to the chiller for a low-profile installation.

Tecogen (www.tecogen.com) highlighted its RT Series gas engine-driven chillers. The company stated that these packaged air-cooled chillers combine variable engine-speed operation with compressor cylinder unloading to provide capacity modulation from 20 percent to 100 percent of the load. The chillers utilize a TecoDrive 3000 3.0-liter, inline natural gas engine; a Bitzer four-cylinder, open-drive reciprocating compressor; and four 24-inch fans. Only single-phase power is required, and the chillers comply with California emissions standards. Tecogen stated these chillers have operating costs that are about one-third the operating cost of electric chillers.

The TecoNET microprocessor-based control system with hand-held display for fully automatic operation can tie into an energy management system.

Publication date: 03/08/2004