Daikin Sees NatRefs, Including CO₂, as ‘Permanent Solution’ for Maritime Shipping Containers

Japanese manufacturer Daikin Industries sees natural refrigerants, including CO₂ (R744), as a “permanent solution” for maritime shipping containers, or reefers, according to Takahiro Takeuchi, Sales for Marine Reefer Container Cooling Systems at the company.

Takeuchi told NaturalRefrigerants.com that the company does not offer a CO₂ reefer at this time and it does not have plans to launch one. Daikin’s “intermediate solution” is to use HFO 1234yf to replace R134a.

“We view CO₂ as a possible ‘PFAS free’ solution for reefer containers, especially if the PFAS ban is applied to selected existing low GWP refrigerants (HFC/HFOs),” Daikin said in its autumn 2024 newsletter.

According to the Greener Reefer Transition Alliance, both Daikin and Carrier Transicold, part of Carrier Global Corporation, individually presented information on CO₂ reefers at Intermodal Europe 2024. The event took place November 12‒14 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Transitioning from AC: Daikin feels that CO₂ could provide a sustainable solution based on its “extensive knowledge and experience” in air-conditioning products.

• Daikin has announced that it will launch a CO₂ VRF (variable refrigerant flow) for space heating and cooling in April 2025 for the European market.

Improving technology: In 2018, the world’s largest container shipping company, Maersk Line, deployed reefers using Carrier Transicold’s NaturaLINE CO₂ refrigeration unit. However, according to WorldCargo News, both companies recognize that the current CO₂ solution consumes too much energy.

• NaturaLINE, at an ambient temperature of 38°C, provides 9.4kW (2.7TR) of cooling capacity at 2°C (35°F), 6.0kW (1.7TR) at −18°C (0°F) and 4.4kW (1.3TR) at −29°C (−20°F).
• Carrier Transicold believes it can reduce the power consumption of CO₂ reefers for part load cargos to under 2kWh using power-saving software and fan motors with variable-speed technology.
• “Our goal is to continuously innovate and launch solutions that enhance operational efficiency while aligning with the industry’s growing emphasis on sustainability,” said Willy Yeo, Director of Sales Marketing and Strategy for Global Container Refrigeration at Carrier Transicold.

The R290 option: The GIZ (German Society for International Cooperation), is collaborating with Thermo King, a brand of Trane Technologies, to develop a proof of concept for propane (R290) reefers.

• GIZ is conducting an operation, maintenance and risk assessment for R290 reefers using the existing ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Standard 20854:2019.
• The prooof of concept will be benchmarked against Thermo King’s R134a Container Fresh and Frozen (CFF), with the goal being for the R290 unit to be 10% more energy efficient than the CFF.
• “The project aim is to show the shipping industry that R290 reefers are possible,” said Kirsten Orschulok, Greener Reefers Project Lead at GIZ during a presentation at the ATMOsphere (ATMO) Europe Summit 2024. The event was organized by ATMOsphere, publisher of NaturalRefrigerants.com, and held November 25–26 in Prague, Czech Republic.

Quotable: “The intermodal sector is abuzz with exciting developments that promise to reshape logistics and shipping,” says the Greener Reefer Transition Alliance in a LinkedIn post. “Sustainability continues to drive change in the industry, with steps underway to address the challenges.”

“Sustainability continues to drive change in the industry.”

Greener Reefer Transition Alliance