Italian component manufacturer Carel has adapted its MPXPRO case controller ‒ compatible with propane (R290) and CO₂ (R744) ‒ for the U.S. market, according to Diego Malimpensa, Managing Director of Carel USA West Coast.

The controller, launched at Chillventa 2024, manages electronic expansion valves with PWM (pulse width modulation) technology. At the 2025 AHR Expo, Carel premiered the +net box, an additional module that extends MPXPRO’s communication options beyond those available in Europe. The 2025 AHR Expo was held in Orlando, Florida, from February 10–12.

“The MPXPRO monitors the energy flow to control the load and guarantee closure in the event of a power failure,” Malimpensa told NaturalRefrigerants.com. “Adding the +net module Americanizes it by allowing Modbus/IP and BACnet/IP communication capabilities.”

Other CO₂ news: Carel also showcased two additional CO₂ products new to the States.

• The company has released its standalone transcritical CO₂ ejector manager, capable of driving Carel’s electronic modulating ejector or a third-party equivalent, to the U.S. market.
• The company’s Heosbox water-cooled CO₂ subcritical condensing unit, launched last year, will soon be UL-certified and available for U.S. installation, according to Malimpensa. The unit supports semi plug-in showcases in waterloop systems, providing either 14kW (4TR) of medium-temperature cooling capacity or 10kW (2.8TR) of low-temperature capacity.

Complete oversight: Carel also showcased its new software environment, STone, an open programmable controller allowing total store control.

• “It’s controlling not only everything inside the refrigeration system but all the auxiliaries inside the supermarket, too,” Malimpensa said. “This is a new cross-market for us since we normally supply a programmed controller for refrigeration and a programmable one for HVAC.”

Chillventa 2024: The company debuted two new controllers last fall, the HeosPro for R290 cabinets and µRack CO₂ for condensing units.

• Both controllers provide mobile app monitoring with near-field communication (NFC) and Bluetooth compatibility.
• “The A3 compliant controller facilitates cabinet makers using up to 500g of propane in one circuit for a less complex, more efficient refrigeration unit,” Sebastiano Di Lena, Group Marketing Manager for Food Retail at Carel, told NaturalRefrigerants.com.
• Di Lena remarked that Carel developed the µRack CO₂ controller based on client requests. It can manage up to four compressors, with up to two suction lines and single-stage heat reclaim.

Quotable: “Between local and European companies, CO₂ technology is available now in the United States,” Malimpensa said. “Everyone is asking for it. The question is: Are we able to deploy it the right way? Is it simple enough? Americanized enough?”

“Everyone is asking for [CO₂].”

Diego Malimpensa, Managing Director of Carel USA West Coast