Italian OEM Carel has launched the HeosBox, a subcritical CO2 (R744) condensing unit for waterloop applications suitable for all store sizes and cabinet types, including cold rooms.
The HeosBox CO2 is an energy efficient all-in-one alternative to the use of propane (R290) plug-in and semi plug-in cabinets in food retail, according to Sebastiano Di Lena, Group Marketing Manager for Food Retail at Carel.
Di Lena was speaking at the ATMO World Summit taking place online on March 30–31 and organized by ATMOsphere (formerly shecco), the publisher of R744.com. Di Lena presented the news together with Marco Fusca, Application Manager for Food Retail at Carel.
The HeosBox CO2 condensing unit from Carel is designed for subcritical operation with a design pressure of 80bar (1160.3psig). It therefore requires a chiller to provide the cold water needed for the waterloop system. This could be achiller that uses R290 or another refrigerant. The waterloop design provides potential synergistic effects where the cold water can be used to integrate with the air-conditioning system. Another benefit to the HeosBox CO2 is the opportunities for heat reclaim that the CO2 system provides. The reclaimed heat can then be used for process water, domestic water, underfloor heating, snow melting and more, Di Lena said.
Being a decentralized system, the HeosBox CO2 condensing unit is more efficient than a centralized system because the evaporation temperatures can be adjusted based on the conditions of each cabinet, Di Lena explained. The system is also equipped with full continuous modulation technology, further increasing its efficiency. Additional cost-saving benefits are ease of installation and use, as well as an advanced controller system with active monitoring.
The HeosBox CO2 is available in four models with capacities up to 14kW (4TR) for medium temperature and 6kW (1.7TR) for low temperature. The evaporating temperature range is -32°C to 3°C (-25.6°F to 37.4°F). For the HeosBox CO2 to operate efficiently in the subcritical range the receiving brine temperature must be between 0°C and 18°C (32°F and 64.4°F).
It has a single-valve design and single-stage twin-rotary compressors with brushless DC motors for a wide modulation range. For evaporators, it’s available with single or multiple evaporator designs. All components are developed by Carel.
