Kelvion, a global manufacturer of industrial heat exchange solutions headquartered in Germany, has been a key player in the HVAC&R sector for over a century. The business was acquired by Triton Equity Partners in 2014 and rebranded as Kelvion the following year.
Since then, Kelvion has continuously expanded its product portfolio to meet the growing demand for sustainable solutions. This includes air coolers designed for CO2 (R744)-based systems and brazed-plate heat exchangers with working pressures up to 140bar (2,030psi), which were used in a recently installed 7MW (1,990TR) CO2 industrial heat pump developed by Fenagy for a Danish district heating network.
In a recent interview with NaturalRefrigerants.com, Timo Kivilaht, Senior VP of Global Solutions Engineering at Kelvion, discussed the company’s history with natural refrigerants, the current trends influencing the HVAC&R sector and its ongoing efforts to support customers in reaching their sustainability goals.
Kivilaht will also be speaking at the upcoming ATMOsphere (ATMO) Europe Summit 2024 in Prague where he will participate in an investor panel discussion. The conference will take place November 25–26 and is being organized by ATMOsphere, the publisher of NaturalRefrigerants.com.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
When did Kelvion begin working with natural refrigerants, and what factors drove this decision?
Timo Kivilaht: Kelvion has been working with natural refrigerants since the company was founded in 1920. Cooling with CO2 and ammonia [R717] is not new to us, but in the past five years we’ve seen a significant increase in market demand, driven largely by the EU F-gas Regulation, which will phase out the use of HFCs across the bloc, and international commitments under the Paris Agreement.
As sustainability becomes a higher priority globally, natural refrigerants will increasingly be viewed as the standard in refrigeration technology. We expect to see demand continue to grow, particularly in Europe. In Asia and North America, there will be a slower but steady increase in the demand for naturals.
How has Kelvion’s product portfolio adapted over time to address the increasing demand for natural refrigerants, both in terms of technology and customer needs?
T.K.: The evolving regulatory landscape has presented challenges for the industry, but it has also accelerated the shift toward sustainable alternatives. This has necessitated the continuous evolution of our technology, including the use of specific materials and adapting our standard heat exchange product ranges. For example, Kelvion has recently expanded its coil range, which now includes direct expansion evaporators designed specifically for CO2.
With this, we aim to provide our customers with more options that align with their sustainability goals while enhancing efficiency and safety.
We are currently working to expand our offerings to include high-pressure heat exchangers for the CO2 and ammonia markets and reversible heat exchangers for CO2 heat pump applications and low-charge systems. Additionally, we have implemented gas coolers to meet requirements up to 130bar [1,885].
Which industries and regions are showing the strongest demand for natural refrigerants, and how is Kelvion positioning itself to meet the specific requirements of these markets?
T.K.: We’re seeing the strongest demand from manufacturers of HVAC&R equipment for cold storage facilities, supermarkets and district heating. We’re also seeing demand from data centers as PUE and WUE [power usage effectiveness and water usage effectiveness] are key performance indicators for sustainable data centers.
In terms of [regions], Europe is leading the way, with notably high demand from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, as well as Scandinavian countries. We’re also seeing growing interest in Southeast and Northeast Asia, where CO2 and ammonia are slowly gaining traction. In the U.S., we have seen a significant increase in demand for CO2 over the past two years.
To meet these evolving demands, Kelvion is closely monitoring market trends and continuously refining its portfolio. By offering the broadest range of heat exchanger solutions on the market, including the market’s largest CO2 brazed-plate heat exchanger, we can cater to almost every industry’s needs.
“As sustainability becomes a higher priority globally, natural refrigerants will increasingly be viewed as the standard in refrigeration technology.”
Timo Kivilaht, Senior VP of Global Solutions Engineering at Kelvion
What are the main challenges preventing wider adoption of natural refrigerants, and what strategies is Kelvion implementing to help overcome these barriers?
T.K.: Natural refrigerants come with their own set of technical challenges: CO2 operates under high pressure, ammonia is toxic, and hydrocarbons like propane (R290) are flammable. Kelvion has developed a comprehensive range of solutions to overcome these challenges.
Our products are engineered to ensure safe and reliable operation while also reducing emissions and operating costs. By continuously innovating, we are helping our customers navigate these barriers and transition toward more sustainable refrigeration solutions.
Not only are we adapting our products to meet current market demands, but we’re also anticipating future needs. We have established a dedicated sustainability department within our organization to continue research and development activities in this field.
Kelvion is fully committed to leading the change in green technology.
