When installing an industrial chiller in a food, beverage, or dairy setting, it is important to consider whether NH3 (ammonia) is the most appropriate refrigerant solution. Companies that need a mild freezing cooling system are increasingly turning to HFO (Hydrofluoro-olefin) refrigerants to improve sustainability, boost performance, and significantly reduce costs.

The ideal refrigerant is non-toxic, non-flammable, non-explosive, non-corrosive, environment-friendly, inexpensive, easy to produce and handle and with good thermodynamic properties operating at low pressures.

HFO refrigerants meet these criteria and outperform at mild freezing conditions.

GLOBAL INNOVATIONS

HFO chillers use the latest global innovations:
• Adaptive Frequency Drive, inverter technology. Inverter driven compressors with variable pressure ratio provide optimization in all running conditions.
• Micro-channel condenser coils
• Controllers not only manage brine temperature. They also provide continuous optimization based on all forthcoming conditions. Failures can be avoided running trends and pro-actively asking service attention by mail when needed.

PERFORMANCE COMPARISON

The performance of Trane‘s HFO chillers are 3rd party certified and subject to R&D testing procedures. This means that before a chiller even lands at a food and beverage facility, you know how the system will behave and how its parts and components will react collectively and individually, from compressors to condensers.

THERE IS NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL WITH AMMONIA COOLING

So far, no ammonia systems have been certified by third-party organisations like Eurovent or AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute).
Ammonia systems do not offer testing capabilities before installation. It is often only after the chiller has been delivered to site, connected to any new pipework and commissioned before one can really know how it will run. This clearly poses financial and feasibility risks, especially if it were to underperform or need retrospective modifications.

AN EXAMPLE WHERE PERFORMANCE FORECAST WAS DECISIVE

The local Trane team analyzed the energy consumption of the current chillers to assess heat loads. We worked with them to define baseline figures for the cooling demands of the current plant and of our proposed HFO system. Figures easily demonstrated the benefits of the HFO chiller performance with expected energy savings.

HFO chillers can outperform ammonia chillers by up to 25% according to the energy efficiency ratio (EER). 90% of a process chiller running costs can be attributed to the electricity required to power it. So using HFO chillers educe energy usage, increase efficiency of performance and maintain a strong, sustainable and carbon reducing focus.

IN SUMMARY

While ammonia provided a cost-efficient cooling medium for over 150 years in chillers for the F&B industry, HFO refrigerants now offer the best balanced option for all process cooling requirements. Refrigerants like R1234ze are environmentally friendly and non-toxic with zero ODP and a below 1 GWP. They allow easy maintenance with limited risk. And very importantly, the best performance and efficiency levels.


See Sustainable low temperature HVAC systems

Learn about R1234ze Refrigerant