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A prototype NH₃ chiller featuring a microchannel condenser to replace R22 systems was showcased at the ARBS 2010 trade exhibition that was held last week in parallel with the 9^th Gustav Lorentzen conference in Australia. + IMAGE GALLERY

ammonia21.com had the opportunity to visit ARBS 2010, the Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Building Services trade exhibition held last week in parallel with the 9^th Gustav Lorentzen conference on Natural Working Fluids in Sydney, Australia. The exhibition provided a marketplace atmosphere in which to view and discuss latest HVAC&R building services products and services from over 200 local and international exhibitors.

Although ammonia (R717) was the most poorly represented natural refrigerant at ARBS compared to other natural refrigerants, Bitzer Australia was one of the exhibitors to use the event to present innovative products and latest developments.

R717 innovation by Bitzer

Celebrating 50 years in Australia, Bitzer had a very large stand placed at the entrance of the exhibition hall. There the company showcased a prototype NH₃ chiller to replace R22 systems for various applications with different capacities. Thanks to the innovative microchannel condenser the chiller is more efficient while smaller in size.

The prototype was developed in the context of Bitzer Australia’s ammonia development programme, which addresses the need to design chillers that enable contractors and end-users to respect the R22 phase-out, while also respecting environmental and legislative challenges.

The innovative R717 technology features:

• Applications: Food processing, food distribution, as well as process cooling & HVAC

• Capacity range: 20kW - 140kW, 2C SST 40C SCT

                                   20kW - 80kW, -10C SST 40C SCT

• Microchannel condenser coils

• Zero Global Warming Potential (GWP)

• Zero Ozone Depletion Potential (GWP)

• High energy efficiency compared to HFC chillers

• Critical charge