Industrial HVAC&R systems in Australia are switching to low charge ammonia

According to Greg Clements, sales director for compression at GEA in Australia, the Australian HVAC&R industrial sector is transitioning to next-generation ammonia (R717) technologies that feature lower loading, higher efficiency and greater safety.

Clements explained to Jan Dusek, co-founder and COO of ATMOsphere, in an exclusive interview at the Air Conditioning Refrigeration and Building Services (ARBS) show in Sydney, which took place May 28-30. ATMOsphere is the publisher of NaturalRefrigerants.com.

In the interview, Clements also shared an update on GEA’s operations in Australia and discussed the country’s growing interest in heat pumps.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Can you give us an update on GEA’s operations in Australia over the last few years?

Greg Clements: As with everyone, the pandemic has been difficult. However, many lessons were learned, including how to run a business differently. In some ways, I would say that we are now operating smarter and more cost-effectively than we were before the pandemic.

Industrial refrigeration has actually boomed throughout the pandemic, which has been interesting. Ultimately, people need to eat, and for people to eat, food must be refrigerated. I think this trend will continue as Australia’s population grows, especially in cities. While the Australian market is generally considered mature, there are still opportunities for growth in some sectors. More people means more food.

How would you describe your current business and in what areas do you see growth?

GC: Our Australian operations consist of three main products: screw compressors, reciprocating compressors and chillers – all products contain ammonia, although high pressure applications may include CO₂ (R744). We see the market moving away from traditional liquid power to new generation systems with lower input, higher efficiency and greater safety.

Low charge ammonia systems are becoming increasingly popular and as a result our reciprocating compressor technology is developing which is well suited to low charge systems. In particular, part load technology with piston compressors. And when you combine it with variable speed technology, you get all the benefits of reduced energy consumption. If you look at what has happened over the last two to three years, low charge ammonia is undoubtedly at the forefront.

“If you look at what has happened over the last two to three years, low charge ammonia is undoubtedly at the forefront.“

Greg Clements, GEA Australia

We recently heard that low charge ammonia is gaining popularity in Australia. Is that it on the ammonia front or is there more going on?

GC: Our indoor charge refrigeration units are also gaining popularity. These plug-and-play units include a compressor, drive motor, oil separators, instrument panel, evaporator and condenser. You simply drop it into place – whether indoors or outdoors – connect the plumbing and power and you’re ready to go. Depending on the application, ammonia refrigerant is placed in the unit and then the cooled glycol or water is pumped out from the rest of the facility’s system.

With this approach, you don’t have to pump tons of refrigerant around the facility, and the system can have a refrigerant load of as little as 50 kg (110 lb), all in the engine room. There is no excess refrigerant in the system. It is always used. All problems related to liquid delivery systems are gone.

GEA is also expanding its product portfolio in Australia with the introduction of heat pumps. How do you think this market is changing?

GC: Compared to Europe, the heat pump market in Australia is less advanced for a number of reasons. That said, the data I have collected over the last six years shows that interest in heat pumps in this country has increased significantly. The groups of stakeholders showing interest have also changed significantly since 2018. Previously it was basically just contractors, but now it’s also consultants and end users.

We already have a number of heat pump projects in the market, including a soft drinks manufacturer, an abattoir and a chocolate manufacturer, demonstrating the versatility of our technology.

GEA is conducting an extensive development program for its heat pumps to provide greater diversity in terms of temperature and application. For example, the RedGenium heat pump has limits on how low it can go on the cooling side and how high it can go on the heating side. Much work is being done to harness the temperature and pressure difference so that it can be used in a wider range of applications.

In terms of temperature capabilities, thanks to RedGenium and its Grasso V XHP compressor at 63 bar (913 psi) we can reach temperatures of up to 95°C (203°F) on the heating side.

In Australia we currently offer the same range as in Europe. In the future, our focus will be on improvement, not expansion.

Do HFCs still compete on larger HVAC&R projects in Australia?

GC: I believe that HFCs are unfortunately still relatively present in the commercial sector and there is still much work to be done in this sector. However, there is not much to do in the industrial sector.

Generally speaking, everything GEA does is based on natural refrigerants, and the choice of natural refrigerant depends on the application.

For example, for lower capacity designs, transcritical CO₂ is definitely competitive. However, once a certain efficiency threshold is exceeded, ammonia has no competition. If you look at its heat transfer capacity per kilogram of refrigerant, it has no competition with ammonia.

“Generally speaking, everything GEA does is based on natural refrigerants, and the choice of natural refrigerant depends on the application.“

Greg Clements, GEA Australia