Embraco, a brand of Nidec Global Appliance, highlighted its focus on integrated solutions for the light-commercial refrigeration sector with its Sync It All platform at Chillventa 2024, which is designed to improve the efficiency of refrigerated cabinets by synchronizing key components.
The Sync It All portfolio comprises Embraco’s AIR fan, SYNC controller and YouControl software, which work in tandem with the company’s variable-speed compressors. Embraco says Sync It All simplifies operations and delivers significant energy savings – anywhere from 12 to 30%, depending on the application and baseline.
First unveiled at the AHR Expo in Chicago, Sync It All is seen as the next step in Embraco’s strategy to improve energy efficiency. Alessandro Pedrazzi, Business Development and Marketing at Nidec Global Appliance, described this as a natural progression after earlier advances.
“The first step was transitioning from an HFC compressor to propane [R290], which resulted in a 15% efficiency improvement,” he told NaturalRefrigerants.com at the trade show in Nuremberg, Germany. “Shifting from fix-speed technologies to variable-speed provided an additional 10% efficiency gain. Now customers are requesting a third step for efficiency improvement.”
He noted that improving electronics can offer at least a double-digit boost to compressor performance and can help to “democratize efficiency” by making inverter technologies easier to use.
Smarter control
Embraco says Sync It All improves performance by offering smarter, more synchronized control of refrigeration components. Peter Buksar, Technical Support and Application Engineering Manager at Embraco, emphasized that while inverters play a role, controllers like SYNC offer a more comprehensive view of what’s happening in the system.
“Sync It All speeds up the management of variable-speed compressors and boosts overall efficiency,” he said.
This integrated approach responds to tightening energy regulations, noted Gilmar Pirovano, Director of Sales and Application Engineering for Commercial Appliances EMEA at Nidec Global Appliance.
“Despite advances in compressor efficiency, we’re still only achieving a B-class energy rating,” Pirovano explained. “To reach higher efficiency, all major components need to work together in a more harmonized way.”
By using one supplier for components like compressors, inverters, fans and controllers, Sync It All offers not only improved performance but also greater convenience. Embraco’s YouControl software is also designed to further enhance usability and allows users to monitor performance and adjust system parameters easily.
“To reach higher efficiency, all major components need to work together in a more harmonized way.”
Gilmar Pirovano, Director of Sales and Application Engineering for Commercial Appliances EMEA at Nidec Global Appliance
Proven energy savings
During a presentation at Chillventa’s Specialist Forum, Marino Bassi, Key Account Senior Advisor at Embraco, shared several case studies demonstrating Sync It All’s performance:
- An open multideck refrigeration case that switched from two fixed-speed propane compressors to Embraco’s VNEX variable-speed compressors with Sync It All controls and fans achieved 17.2% energy savings.
- A two-door food service freezer reached 27.2% savings by transitioning from a high-efficiency on-off compressor to Embraco’s VEH variable-speed compressor and SYNC controller, with an additional 3.4% saved by using Embraco’s AIR fan motor.
- A multipurpose island unit using two Embraco compressors and Sync It All controls realized 12.5% energy savings compared to a competitor’s controller.
Demand for integrated solutions
Embraco’s focus on integrated solutions extends to its expanded range of condensing units and monobloc units, which was also featured at Chillventa. According to Pedrazzi, these systems are helping to meet the needs of OEMs transitioning to variable-speed technology.
He also noted that rising demand for these technologies in North America has driven the company to start production of its propane condensing units at its facility in Mexico. The aim is to meet demand locally.
“In North America the condensing unit market is evolving quickly, with a lot of interest in propane,” he said. “While the market there is a little bit behind Europe, it is making the transition faster.”
“In North America the condensing unit market is evolving quickly, with a lot of interest in propane.”
Alessandro Pedrazzi, Business Development and Marketing at Nidec Global Appliance
Compressor advancements
In addition to Sync It All, Embraco announced new developments in its compressor portfolio. The company will launch a propane scroll compressor for cold rooms in mid-2025 to meet the growing demand for natural refrigerants in higher-capacity applications, said Buksar.
Embraco also introduced updates to its VNEX series of variable-speed compressors, which now offers larger models reaching 21cc displacement, up from the previous 17cc.
To make variable-speed technology more accessible, Embraco has reduced the size and cost of the inverter for its VEM series compressors.
