German OEM ebm-papst has built a new propane (R290) heat pump demonstration unit featuring its CompaNamic oil-free turbo compressor.
The demonstration unit is a monobloc air-to-water heat pump with a capacity of 23kW (6.5TR). It can produce hot water at 70°C (158°F) and operate in ambient conditions ranging from −10 to 30°C (14 to 86°F). Ebm-papst is one of the leading fan manufacturers in the HVAC&R industry and said its focus with the demonstration unit is “on the interaction between the fan, evaporator system, refrigeration circuits and electronics.”
The industry may be more interested in the inclusion of the CompaNamic compressor, which was first announced in October 2024 and can also be used with R1234ze refrigerant. At the time, ebm-papst said the compressor was “ideal” for heat pumps and refrigeration systems in larger buildings and industrial applications. Ahmet Çokşen, the company’s Head of Product Management for HighSpeed Solutions, said the CompaNamic was expected to enter serial production in 2028.
“Anyone who wants to help shape the heat pump of the future must understand the entire system,” said ebm-papst Managing Director Hannes Säubert in a statement. “The heat pump demonstrator lays the foundation for this. It helps us build system expertise and support our customers even more effectively as equal development partners in the future.”
A nascent market
The market for oil-free turbo compressors using natural refrigerants has developed slowly since the CompaNamic debuted. Czech manufacturer Mirai Intex, which specializes in ultra-low-temperature systems, announced it was developing a propane turbo compressor in 2024. At Chillventa 2024 in October, the company told NaturalRefrigerants.com that the German hydrocarbon chiller manufacturer Secon would be one of the first to test its new compressor, which could be had with a capacity of either 230kW (65TR) or 350kW (100TR).
More recently Danfoss showed an isobutane (R600a) Turbocor compressor at the 2026 Mostra Convegno Expocomfort in March. Frank Ford, Head of Sales and Marketing at Danfoss, told NaturalRefrigerants.com that the Turbocor TNS385, so named because the compressor has a maximum cooling capacity of 385kW (109TR), has been under development since 2023.
The TNS385 is currently being evaluated in a larger chiller system used in a space-cooling application in Europe. Danfoss is targeting commercial availability of the TNS385 in the fourth quarter of 2027.
