Canadian component manufacturer NDL Industries has released its largest-diameter stainless-steel ball valve for industrial or large commercial transcritical CO2 (R744) systems.
The valve, on display at the AHR Expo 2024 in Chicago January 22–24, sports a DN65 diameter (about 2.5in/63.5mm). It is rated for 120bar (1,740psi) and a temperature range of −40 to 150°C (−40 to 302°F).
“We see there’s a need for a larger diameter” ball valve for CO2 applications, said Lukas Gurevicius, Product Manager for Vancouver, British Columbia-based NDL.
NDL is the manufacturer of the first CRN (Canadian Registration Number)-approved ball valves for transcritical CO2, which can hold five times its maximum working pressure, the company said. The ball valves are also CE (Conformite Europeenne) and RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive) compliant.
“We see there’s a need for a larger diameter.”
Lukas Gurevicius, Product Manager for NDL
Along with stainless-steel ball valves, NDL produces stainless-steel check valves and service valves, as well as copper ball valves and check valves, which can all be used for CO2 applications. The company also offers high-pressure copper fittings that are specifically designed for use in CO2 refrigeration systems, and it provides CO2 copper tees designed for installation of service valves. NDL has been making CO2 products for the past 18 months.
NDL sees some interest in CO2 in the U.S. among its OEM, contractor and distributor clientele and is “looking for more,” said Gurevicius. “We see [U.S.] companies are planning to start working with CO2 or some have made their first machines to learn how CO2 works. It’s picking up in the U.S., but it’s not as big as it is in Europe.”
