When peak temperatures are reached in warm environments, the new units operate at a degree of efficiency that is significantly higher (up to 20%) than that obtained with conventional DX CO₂ systems. The high efficiency is not limited to the warmest seasons, but is maintained throughout the year. This improvement has been obtained without the use of water for subcooling or evaporative cooling as these solutions may not be practical and in some countries the use of water for such application is forbidden.

As the “flat” curve of capacity plotted versus temperature of external air indicates, the E5S/E5S-B family also encompasses good adaptation of capacity with load in winter and during mid-season, which makes the capacity control easier.

Moreover, a new software tool allows the accurate simulation of performances for any climatic condition and is available for direct demonstration and calculation to interested customers and consultants.

Adapting the design for warm environments

The concept that was adopted in the development of the E5S/E5S-B family is well known at enEX and has been applied to several units that are already operating. However, the basic idea was further optimized for the E5S/E5S-B family by taking into account how the temperature of the air used for cooling of the condenser/gas cooler varies with the different seasons of the year.

“Conventional DX CO₂ refrigeration units are designed for Nordic countries, where high ambient temperatures are never reached”, says Sergio Girotto, founder and president of enEX. “A refrigeration system which was designed for a climate where the yearly average temperature is below 10°C is not the optimal choice in a warmer climate. The fact that, in summer, Italy and many other European countries often experience temperatures close to 36-38°C has always represented a limiting factor for the spread of DX CO₂ eco-friendly technology. Consequently, an adaptation of the design was necessary”.

enEX experience with CO₂ refrigeration

enEx is a pioneer in the field of CO₂ refrigeration. It has gained a valuable experience in the most demanding markets and has produced more than 150 CO₂ refrigeration units, installed in different climatic conditions.

enEX specializes in the design and manufacturing of bespoke systems, among which highly optimized heat recovery systems, low pressure receiver units, refrigeration systems for combined MT/LT refrigeration and air-conditioning for small shops. All the products are based on the use of CO₂ as a refrigerant. They are available with 3 different design pressure level suction and liquid receiver side, 45, 60 and 80 bar, while high pressure design is 120 bar as a standard.

A standardised range of booster units was developed jointly with Huurre Group for the Scandinavian market. These units are designed for 2 different pressure levels LP/IP side : 60 bar and 45 bar.

The array of products that enEx offers, which ranges from few tens of kW up to several hundreds of kW, covers most applications required in refrigeration:

• single stage
• 2-stage internal compound
• cascade
• booster
• chiller

About enEX

enEX is specialized in the design, prototyping and manufacturing of environmentally friendly air-conditioning, ventilation, refrigeration, and heat pumps. It is a pioneer in the field of CO₂ refrigeration and a leading refrigeration racks and heat pumps manufacturer. Due to the big increase in demand enEX has recently moved into a new facility, whose larger size will allow a significant increase in its production capacity. Obviously, the heating system for the offices of the new building uses an enEX air25 CO₂ heat pump!