German manufacturer Secop has launched a new range of propane (R290) condensing units, which are designed and optimized to meet the requirements of the new European Ecodesign Directive.
“The current regulatory environment and changing market dynamics drove us to develop a new range of condensing units,” Secop said in a post on its website. “These units all have the same standard-setting quality as our hermetic compressor range.”
The R290 condensing units are suitable for applications like keg coolers, ice cream display coolers, reach-in refrigeration cabinets, walk-in freezers, under-counter refrigerators and showcases. They have cooling capacities up to 1.68kW for medium temperature and 0.94kW for low temperature.
The R290 condensing unit range is based on Secop’s DLE, NLE and SCE compressor families and “ensures an excellent combination of low environmental impact and maximum performance.” Key benefits to the new R290 condensing unit range include “extreme durability, wide operational range and easy installation,” Secop said.
Secop’s compressor portfolio includes both propane models and R170 for low-temperature applications. The company’s variable-speed SLVE18CN R290 compressor, launched in November 2020, can save up to 40% in energy compared to standard fixed-speed compressors. It can also reduce the refrigerant charge needed by 63% and the refrigerant cost by up to 80%. These were the results when Secop tested and optimized a commercial multi-deck cabinet with a volume of 1,062L (280.5gal) and a working temperature of 2°C (35.6°F).
In October 2021, Secop also launched an ethane (R170) compressor for ultra-low temperature applications like mRNA COVID-19 vaccine storage. This R170 compressor is capable of delivering temperatures between -70°C and -86°C (-94°F and -122.8°F). It’s battery driven, meaning that it is well suited for mobile systems and off-grid locations; previously, it had been difficult to guarantee very low storage temperatures, such as the -70°C that Pfizer’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine requires.
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