Commercial refrigeration manufacturers Hillphoenix and Hussmann, a subsidiary of Panasonic, are preparing to introduce new CO2 (R744) condensing units (CDUs) to the North American market.
At the 2026 FMI Energy and Store Development conference, representatives from both companies spoke with NaturalRefrigerants.com about their upcoming releases. The event was held September 28‒30 at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida.
Hillphoenix’s offering: The company is launching the Advansor FlexOne CO2 CDU at the NACS (National Association of Convenience Stores) show, being held October 6‒9 in Las Vegas, according to Senior Product Manager Senthilkumar Shanmugam.
The air-cooled unit is designed for outdoor installation and is available in medium- or low-temperature (MT/LT) configurations, with capacities ranging from 10,000‒40,000BTU/h (0.8‒3.3TR/2.9‒11.7kW).
“We’ve tested the unit in ambient conditions of up to 110°F [43°C],” Shanmugam said, adding that Hillphoenix is evaluating a second CDU version for ambient temperatures as high as 115°F (46°C).
Hillphoenix expects to sell 100‒300 units in 2027, based on demand from small-format retailers and supermarkets seeking to add capacity or shift loads during remodels, he added.
Two new offerings: Hussmann plans to make the Panasonic-based 10HP CO2 CDU available in North America by the end of 2026, according to Michael Lehtinen, Senior Product Leader of CO2 Solutions and Support at the company. Hussmann is also adding a liquid overfeed CO2 rack to its lineup, with a capacity of up to 350,000BTU/h (29.2TR/102.6kW).
The 10HP CDU supports capacities of up to 50,800BTU/h (4.2TR/14.9kW) for MT applications and 29,700BTU/h (2.5TR/8.7kW) for LT applications. Hussmann made its 4HP CO2 CDU available in North America at the end of 2024.
The company offers the CDU in stacked or low-profile configurations. “One of the big differences between CO2 products and traditional HFC products is that CO2 is always taller,” Lehtinen said. The low-profile configuration provides flexibility for applications with limited clearance, such as walk-in cooler installations and remodels.
To support a grocer’s sustainability efforts and extend the life of existing equipment, Hussmann’s liquid overfeed CO2 rack connects to a store’s existing HFC refrigeration system, according to Lehtinen. He explained that the design reduces the amount of HFCs in the store and the potential for leaks by replacing HFC refrigerants on the retail floor with liquid CO2.
