U.S.-based manufacturer Emerson has unveiled new Copeland scroll compressor technology for CO2 commercial refrigeration systems that it says enables reduced cost and system complexity while keeping efficiency high in any climate.

Highlighting the announcement, made at a launch event on September 16 in Aachen, Germany, is a new line of Copeland CO2 scroll compressors for CO2 booster systems that incorporates “smart electronics.” Notably, the compressors comes with  a new way of dealing with flash gas in its transcritical models – a new technology called dynamic vapor injection (DVI); this injects vapor refrigerant directly from the flash tank (or from an economizer) into the scroll compressor via an injection valve, eliminating the need for parallel compression.

In addition, Emerson launched a new range of refrigeration units based the new CO2 scroll technology and specifically designed for small to medium-sized shops.

The introduction of Copeland CO2 scroll compressors will start in the European market and will gradually be extended globally over the coming years, Emerson said, adding that the new refrigeration units will be released to the European market only.  

“Our customers are facing three key challenges: demanding regulations, the desire for more sustainability, and the impact of urbanization. With our Copeland CO2 scroll technology, we are offering a solution to all these challenges,” said Thomas Tomski, Vice President End Users, Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions, in a presentation during the launch.

“Our customers are facing three key challenges: demanding regulations, the desire for more sustainability and the impact of urbanization. With our Copeland CO2 scroll technology, we are offering a solution to all these challenges,”

The new Copeland CO2 scroll compressors come in three ranges, one for transcritical (medium temperature) applications, and two for subcritical (low temperature) operations, all offering fixed and variable speed models.

“All compressors are extremely compact, lightweight, and quiet compared to equivalent semi-hermetic compressors commonly used in CO2 refrigeration,” said Emerson, “They generate less vibration and pulsation in refrigeration systems, improving reliable and safe system operation. This is particularly advantageous for use in noise-sensitive urban environments.”

The medium-temperature range with fixed speed (ZTI) covers a capacity from 8 to19kW (2.3-5.4TR). The variable speed models (ZTW) offer a wider capacity range, from 4 up to 36kW (1.1-10.2TR).

The two low-temperature compressor ranges offer from 6 to 15kW (1.7-4.3TR) in fixed and variable models, extending capacity up to 27kW (7.7TR). One range operates with a standstill pressure of up to 110bar, while the other works with a standstill pressure up to 45bar.

With the DVI feature Emerson has “built the principle of parallel compression into a compressor design; this has resulted in the ability to develop a design that is a lot more simple than before so you can see it as a two-in-one design,” said Sylvain Lamy, Vice President of Marketing, Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions.

Overall, the Copeland CO2 scroll compressors offers cost savings up to 14% and seasonal efficiency gains up to 8% versus compression technologies “commonly used in today’s CO2 booster systems,” said Emerson.

The new compressors also come with the new Copeland XC Pro system controller, which monitors, collects and analyzes a wide range of system data,

The new Copeland CO2 scroll refrigeration units encompass four models for medium temperature applications in theEuropean marketplace. With cooling  capacities ranging from 15 to 50kW (4.3-14.2TR) of cooling power, they are suited for decentralized system architectures in small to medium-sized supermarket and convenience stores.

Equipped with the new scroll compressors and DVI functionality, the units can work efficiently in ambient temperatures up to 44°C (111°F), said Emerson.

The units also feature frequency inverter drives, enabling a wide range of capacity modulation.  Pre-configured parameter settings enable plug- and-play installation.

Notably, the units are engineered with a modular design concept for different modes of installation: packaged or split, indoor or outdoor, with a gas cooler that can be placed horizontally, vertically, and self-standing. This makes them suitable “for urban environments as well as for retailers expanding their shops’ refrigeration capacity where space is limited,” said Emerson.

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