Zudek, an Italian manufacturer of ammonia (R717)-based industrial refrigeration systems, showcased a 300kW (85TR) prototype of its new air-cooled ammonia (R717) chiller Windmatik for HVAC applications at ISH 2025.
The new roof-mounted unit offers an outlet temperature range from −8 to 12°C (18 to 54°F), with applications for cooling commercial buildings, multi-tenant units, data centers and industrial operations. Jakob Terčon, Business Development Manager at Zudek, told NaturalRefrigerants.com that the cooling capacities for the chiller will range from 300kW to 1 MW (284TR).
After working on the design for the past year, Terčon indicated that the new HVAC ammonia chiller would be available for market purchase sometime between October 2025 and March 2026.
“Although it is based on our Airmatik air-cooled chiller, the layout is substantially different,” Terčon said. “It has a standardized modular design with a smaller footprint for the same kilowatt cooling capacity, with the V-shaped microchannel condenser on the top rather than the side of the unit.”
“This prototype will go to our distributor, Rütgers, in Germany for a full year of testing,” Ivan Zudek, a former Partner in the company, told NaturalRefrigerants.com. He indicated it would either cool servers in a data center or provide cooling in a large-scale HVAC application.
HVAC friendly: “We designed the unit around what the HVAC industry is already familiar with while preserving the sustainability and efficiency of ammonia refrigerant,” Terčon said.
- Windmatik features up to three semi-hermetic inverter-driven compressors, with 20kg of ammonia per circuit, keeping the total charge below 70kg for the 1MW configuration.
- Other features include EC fans with smaller blades than the Airmatik, aluminum microchannel condenser coils and a PLC-based control system with remote monitoring.
Reliability and efficiency: According to Terčon, the flooded evaporator design of the new unit allows better oil return than direct expansion technology, increasing its efficiency and reliability.
- It contains industrial components, which increases its life expectancy, Terčon noted, adding that it operates in ambient temperatures up to 50°C (122°F).
- The energy efficiency ratio (EER) varies based on the application, with an EER of up to 3.5 for HVAC cooling with a 7°C (45°F) outlet water temperature, up to 3.9 for data-center cooling at 12°C, 2.6 for icy water at 1°C (34°F) and 2.0 for industrial operations at −6°C (21°F).
International expansion: Recently, Zudek established Zudek International, a new subsidiary based in Cambridge, United Kingdom, to sell Zudek ammonia chillers and other equipment directly to contractors and end users.
- “Project management and service teams working with end users will give us a local presence, cut distributor competition and allow us to grow,” Ivan Zudek, the new Marketing Director of the subsidiary, told NaturalRefigerants.com.
- From the experience gained in the U.K., Zudek International plans to move into additional global markets, selling and servicing Zudek equipment manufactured in Italy to customers abroad.
Quotable: “This is a low-charged roof-mounted ammonia HVAC unit that provides reliable high-efficiency operation,” Terčon said. “It is durable and safe. If there is a leak, it will not create an explosive atmosphere with the outdoor ventilation, especially given ammonia is lighter than air.”
“This is a low-charged roof-mounted ammonia HVAC unit that provides reliable high-efficiency operation.”
Jakob Terčon, Business Development Manager at Zudek
