Blog

Karl Richardson of Logicool Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps argues that it is time to stop talking about R32 and recognise what is happening around us. 

The current predicament regarding the supply and demand of R410A in the UK and Europe is of concern to us all. Most news in the trade press suggests that we are “teetering on the brink” of a serious supply and demand issue that could threaten our industry.

Tecumseh and Lu-Ve in “product partnership”.

USA: In a surprise announcement, commercial refrigeration manufacturer Tecumseh says it is to launch a new range of unit coolers in a “product partnership” with Italian manufacturer Lu-Ve. 

The Tecumseh unit coolers, which have been designed by Lu-Ve, are said to pair with Tecumseh’s Argus condensing units, including newly released low-temperature condensing units. 

Honeywell joins forces with Sanhua on R466A.

USA: Honeywell has joined forces with Sanhua, the Chinese air conditioning and refrigeration controls and components manufacturer, to commercialise the use of R466A, Honeywell’s lower GWP R410A replacement refrigerant.

Sanhua says it has made “significant progress” on qualifications of HVAC critical components for use in air conditioner systems using the new non-flammable refrigerant which is due to be launched later this year.

HFCs, or HydroFluroCarbons, are a commonly used refrigerant classification used across the globe. Some of the most common HFC refrigerants that you may have heard of are R-134a, R-404A, R-410A, R-125, and R-32. These refrigerants are used in a variety of applications from automotive, to home air conditioners, all the way to industrial refrigeration. In recent years there has been a push to phase out HFC refrigerants due to their impact on the environment, but I’ll get into that a bit later into this article.

A solenoid valve is an electrically activated valve, typically used to control the flow or direction of air or liquid in fluid power systems. Solenoid valves are used in both pneumatic and hydraulic fluid power systems, and most often in either poppet or spool configurations.

The Inverter technology (DC) is the latest evolution of technology concerning the electro motors of the compressors. An Inverter is used to control the speed of the compressor motor, so as to continuously regulate the temperature. The DC Inverter units have a variable-frequency drive that comprises an adjustable electrical inverter to control the speed of the electromotor, which means the compressor and the cooling / heating output. The drive converts the incoming AC current to DC and then through a modulation in an electrical inverter produces current of desired frequency.

Refrigerants, specifically chlorofluourocarbons (CFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs) were once majorly responsible in depleting the planet’s ozone layer. Their capacity to warm the atmosphere is one thousand to nine thousand times greater than that of carbon dioxide.

Global warming is the term used to describe a gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and its oceans, a change that is believed to be permanently changing the Earth’s climate. There is great debate among many people, and sometimes in the news, on whether global warming is real (some call it a hoax).

World Refrigeration Day is an international awareness campaign to raise the profile of the refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat-pump sector and focuses attention on the significant role that the industry and its technology play in modern life and society. It draws attention to wonderful engineering and science that is all around us every day. Refrigeration is at the very heart of modern life. It enables people to live, travel and work comfortably. It saves lives. It enables people to achieve.

Chillventa: THE international industry meeting place

Exhibitors had nothing but the highest praise for the last event in the Chillventa series, and most have already confirmed their intention to participate in the next exhibition.