New generation of air-cooled scroll chillers with refrigerant R-32

Sustainability Tue, Jun 5, 2018 3:18 PM

Daikin launches a new generation of high efficiency air-cooled scroll chiller series with refrigerant R-32.

The new Air-cooled chiller range (EWAT~B) will be available for cooling only and heat recovery applications from 80 kW up to 700 kW cooling capacity at nominal conditions.

Compared to the previous R-410A range, seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) is improved by 10%. The chiller range fully complies with the efficiency requirements imposed by current European Legislation (Ecodesign Lot21).

Daikin is the first in the market to introduce R-32 refrigerant in this sector.

The Global Warming Potential is 675, which is only one third of the commonly used refrigerant R-410A.

The selection of R-32 (chemical name difluoromethane) minimises the global warming impact of scroll compressor chillers thanks to the lower Global Warming Potential in combination with high energy efficiency.

Daikin, involved in both HVAC and refrigerant businesses, was the world’s first company to introduce R-32 in split air conditioners in 2012, and has expanded the range in the past years to include commercial air conditioners and heat pumps. As of December 2017, Daikin had sold approximately 12 million R-32 units in more than 50 Countries.

Thanks to the lower flammability classification (R-32 refrigerant falls into category class A2L in ISO817), it can be safely used in many applications including chilled water systems. As a single component refrigerant, R-32 is also easier to recycle and reuse, another environmental plus in its favour.

The new Daikin chiller series will be available with two efficiency versions (Silver and Gold), combinable with three sound configurations (Standard, Low and Reduced) and providing full customisation on project-specific requirements.

An extensive list of options and accessories can be provided on request, such as the fully integrated hydronic kit for fixed flow or variable flow operation, partial or total heat recovery for sanitary hot water production and many other solutions.

The new series is fully compatible with the Daikin on Site cloud-based platform, which offers a number of advanced functionalities including remote monitoring, system optimization and preventive maintenance.

More than that, the new Daikin series comes with Master/Slave functionality as standard, allowing the management of up to 4 units on the same system without the need for external control devices.

For more complex installations (e.g. higher number of units, peripherals’ control … etc.. ), Daikin can offer the Intelligent Chiller Manager option, allowing energy optimisation of the system and, when necessary, full customisation of the control solutions to the specific installation’s needs.