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DANFOSS LEADING TECHNOLOGY CHARGE DOWN UNDER Danfoss is at the heart of a supplier push to build momentum in Australia and New Zealand for the acquisition of CO2 technology. – By James Ranson & Klara Skačanová ood Retail Business Development Manager Inderpal (Indy) Saund knows better than most what challenges lie ahead – not least high ambient temperatures and less than adequate government support in Australia – but is more excited about the company’s CO2 transcritical projects in the works for 2016.
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Figures show there are at least eight CO2 transcritical installations in Australia and 16 in New Zealand, where ambient temperatures are typically lower. Australia has a number of CO2 systems (both subcritical and transcritical) installed in a number of retailers. This has given a good basis of information on how CO2 systems run in warmer climates. Danfoss’ Australian journey with the refrigerant commenced in 2006 in Sydney, working with Bitzer on a cold store installation that utilised CO2 on one side and hydrofluorocarbon R404A on the other. “This was essentially the testing ground for CO2 in Australia,” Indy said. “We saw around 20% energy savings despite higher capital costs but it was the basis to start investigating CO2 further in Australia and New Zealand.” From there, Danfoss moved into the supermarket sector with Coles (Wesfarmers), who Indy describes as “the leaders at the time”. Danfoss worked with compressor manufacturer Bitzer to install subcritical CO2 systems in Australia, using Melbournebased contractor Frigrite, as well as in New Zealand. “New Zealand has a similar climate to Europe. I’m talking Northern Europe like the UK, so it makes it very suitable for transcritical solutions. And they were already used to using subcritical systems, so it was quite easy to make that transition.” “For a long time people were saying that transcritical systems weren’t OK for these parts of the world, because the ‘CO2 equator’ rules it out. But all those theories have been whitewashed, because it’s been proven in warm climates that we can get similar results and run the transcritical systems.” continued on p.62
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Accelerate Australia & NZ Autumn 2016
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