A/C loop R-744 - Valeo
Net-Zero Product
Refrigerant GWP: 1
Refrigerant safety class: A1
Awards/ merits: Automechanika Innovation Awards 2018
Company Headquarters: Germany
Transport Air Conditioning
Transport air-conditioning refers to air-conditioning found within the cabin of cars, lorries, buses and trains. The transport sector is particularly problematic in terms of emissions due to high leakage rates.
Cool technology options include CO2 and hydrocarbons. Though at the present there are no hydrocarbon based mobile air-conditioners sold on the OEM market for passenger cars, the use of hydrocarbons is technically feasible, as demonstrated by the large number of cars that have reportedly been converted from CFCs
and HFCs
to hydrocarbons. Refrigerants should only be used in equipment that has been designed for their use, to ensure efficiency and safe use.
HFO-1234yf is being widely adopted in passenger car air-conditioning as an alternative to HFC-134a. However, HFO-1234yf and other HFOs
are not considered Cool Technologies due to concerns over their long-term environmental impact. Some German car companies are using CO2 in a number of car series, based on concerns over the safety of HFO-1234yf. CO2 is expected to become a more attractive proposition as the electric car market grows.
More Information
AC 136 HP CO2 system - Eberspächer
Cool Technologies Product
Refrigerant GWP: 1
Refrigerant safety class: A1
Rated cooling capacity range (in kW) 22 kW heating and cooling,
Energy source: Electric
Additional information: Prototype available, commercially available as of 2021
Company Headquarters: Germany
Ammonia-Water Absorption MAC Unit for Camper Vans
Case Study
MT Innovation, an Italian research and development company, has developed a prototype mobile air-conditioning (MAC) unit for camper vans using an ammonia-water (R717-R718) absorption system. The unit provides 3kW of cooling and 6kW of heating capacity, consuming significantly less electricity than traditional camper van MAC systems. It can also supply domestic hot water.
The system is designed with a modular structure, separating the fluid supply circuit from the refrigeration section, making it adaptable to different vehicles. The prototype measures 60 × 40 × 35 cm and weighs less than 30kg, with the production version expected to be 30% smaller.
The ammonia-water absorption cycle operates by using ammonia as the refrigerant and water as the absorbent. Heat input, which can be sourced from waste heat in gas-powered vehicles or a small burner using gasoline, hydrogen, or natural gas, drives the cycle. MT Innovation patented the unit in 2020 and received funding from the Italian Ministry of Economic Development in 2021. A working prototype is set to be presented to companies in September 2024.
Ammonia-water absorption technology has not previously been applied in MAC systems, but the use of natural refrigerants in the sector is increasing.
Apple Inc.
Cool Technologies Product
Refrigerant GWP: 1
Refrigerant safety class: A1
Dimensions: Height (in mm): 330, Width (in mm): 290
Company Headquarters: United States
BVG
Case Study
BVG is Germany’s largest local transport company. In 2010, the company installed CO2 air-conditioning in seven buses in Berlin. The A/C systems were provided by Konvekta. Most new city buses and all long-distance buses in Germany are equipped with A/C systems with an average HFC leakage of 13-14% a year, or a total of 140,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
CO2 Heat Pump for electric buses (part of Citaro bus) - Daimler
Net-Zero Product
Refrigerant GWP: 1
Refrigerant safety class: A1
Energy source: Electric
Company Headquarters: Germany
CO2 BOXÉR compressors - Dorin
Cool Technologies Product
Refrigerant GWP: 1
Refrigerant safety class: A1
Rated cooling capacity range (in kW): from 4 to 55kW
Heating capacity: from 4 to 45kW
Dimensions: Height (in mm): 220, Width (in mm): 590, Weight (in kg): 65kg in aluminium execution – 88kg in cast iron execution
Company Headquarters: Italy
Additional information: Prototype available
Energy source: electric
Compressor hermetic rotary Panasonic C-CV753L0V - Panasonic
Net-Zero Product
Refrigerant GWP: 1
Refrigerant safety class: A1
Rated cooling capacity range (in kW) 13.2 kW (Speed 60rps/Suction temp: 32.2˚C/Gas cooler outlet: 32.2˚C/Tev -10ºC/Discharge 110 bar)
Dimensions Weight (in kg): 39.2kg
Company Headquarters: Spain
Energy source: Electric
Training: Full technical assistance available to customer
Awards/Merits: Nine years of field track record
Deutsche Bahn
Case Study
Deutsche Bahn, a German railway company and Europe’s largest railway operator, aims to use natural refrigerants for air conditioning in new trains by 2020. The first DB Bahn train to be fitted with CO2 air conditioning was a Siemens VT642 train, in Chemnitz (Saxony) in 2016. Since then the company has carried out a few more projects with a CO2 air-cycle system.
ECOLINE - Bitzer
Cool Technologies Product
Bitzer offers two CO2 compressors for use on buses, ships, cabins and trains. The ECOLINE H Series and the ECOLINE Transcritical.
GWP 1
