Kysor Warren Epta Announces New CO2 Condensing Unit for U.S. in Late 2022
OEM Kysor Warren Epta US has announced that it expects to bring its new CO2 (R744)-based condensing unit to the U.S. market by the end of 2022, according to a recent presentation by the company’s Sustainability and New Technologies Manager, Ignacio Chaparro.
The U.S.-based manufacturer, which was created in 2019 when American OEM Kysor Warren was acquired by Italian OEM Epta, typically produces CO2 compressor rack systems but decided to develop its first R744 condensing unit after seeing a “need in the market,” explained Chaparro. He highlighted a particular demand for natural-refrigerant-based systems in places like California, where regulation requires new equipment with more than 50lbs (22.7kg) of refrigerant to use refrigerants with a GWP of less than 150.
According to Chaparro, Kysor Warren Epta U.S. is currently working through the certification process with American safety standards body UL and expects to have its condensing units ready for field testing in the U.S. by the end of this year.
The ECO2 remote condensing unit
Kysor Warren Epta’s ECO2 remote condensing unit (RCU) is a “future proof refrigeration technology” that, according to Chaparro, offers a safe, reliable, efficient and simple system for commercial and light industrial refrigeration applications.
The plug-and-play unit is available for medium and low temperature and offers capacities from 40,000BTU (11.7kW/3.3TR) to 100,000BTU (29.3kW/8.3TR). This adaptability means it’s suitable for a variety of applications, including store remodels and expansions, says the manufacturer.
The CO2 condensing unit can be used for both indoor and outdoor applications, with the former option offering greater capacity. However, indoor usage would require additional air-conditioning capacity to offset the heat load being released by the unit inside the store, explained Chaparro.
The system uses a PRack controller from Italian component manufacturer Carel to manage the condensing unit, compressor, valves and variable frequency drive. Carel’s PRack controller, which covers a wide range of CO2 applications, has a small footprint and can support high-efficiency systems by managing parallel compressors, heat reclaimed systems, adiabatic systems and gas ejectors.