Italy-based HVAC manufacturer Enerblue has expanded its Silver Range propane (R290) chillers to a capacity of 900kW (255TR).
The fully-customized unit is designed for a very large cold store and it is also suitable for data center applications, as well as industrial process cooling, Enerblue told NaturalRefrigerants.com.
The expanded range addresses demand for higher-capacity cooling systems using natural refrigerants as the industry is transitioning away from high-GWP refrigerants, Pure Thermal, Enerblue’s distributor in the U.K., wrote on LinkedIn. Before the expansion the Silver Range chiller had a maximum capacity of 768kW (218 TR).
Silver Range at a glance: The R290 chillers have two circuits and a total refrigerant charge of 47.5kg (105lbs) and are built to operate at an ambient temperature as low as −10°C (14°F).
- According to Enerblue, the 900kW capacity is a point of reference based on water inlet/outlet temperatures of 12/7°C (54/45°F).
- At full load, the units produce approximately 600kW (171TR) of cooling capacity at an ambient temperature of 35°C (95°F) and user-side inlet/outlet temperatures of -5/-10°C (23/14°F), said Enerblue.
- The chillers are air-cooled with semi-hermetic screw compressors and inverter regulation on one or two compressors (full inverter). The full inverter technology adjusts compressor speed to match cooling demand and reduces energy consumption and power peaks.
Turning waste into heat: Total heat recovery can reuse up to 100% of otherwise wasted heat for space heating or domestic hot water up to 60°C (140°F)
- Meanwhile, the unit delivers a thermal output of approximately 800kW (228TR).
Putting the technology to work: Two Silver Range 900kW units are already delivering production and process cooling for a food production site in the U.K., according to Pure Thermal.
- The chillers are supporting the site’s hot water and heating services.
- “These units have been operating for three years and the client has been impressed with performance,” wrote Pure Thermal. “Another two units are in manufacture for delivery in early 2027.”
- Enerblue said that so far they have sold five units of this size, including the four units in the U.K. and one in Germany.
R290 goes big: As propane chiller technology continues to develop, manufacturers are bringing higher-capacity units to the market.
- Lithuanian manufacturer Refra released a line of R290 chillers and heat pumps offering a heating capacity of up to 516kW (147.7TR) and a cooling capacity of up to 410kW (116.6TR).
- In 2025 German manufacturer Skadec built and tested two 1.5MW (426TR) air-cooled propane chillers. To accommodate higher cooling demand, multiple 1.5MW chillers can be connected, with the configuration achieving a combined cooling capacity of 3MW (853TR).
Quotable: “Large-capacity natural refrigerant chillers are available to provide future-proof high-performance cooling systems across HVAC and process applications,” said Pure Thermal on LinkedIn.
