Cooling Matters• News-CO2linecomponents,NewSGPsightglasses• Products-VZHvariablespeedcompressor• Applications-ICFFlexline™• FittersNotes-Linecomponents

Danfoss News for the Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Industry

V o l u m e 1 • 2 0 1 3

New SGP sight glass with higher pressure rating

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With the continual drive for every increasing efficiency and safety, within the

refrigeration and air conditioning industry, it is sometimes hard to keep up

with all the new developments whether it be with products or legislation.

At Danfoss we realise it is important for everyone to be kept up to date so we

invest a lot of time and effort in producing informative and relevant training

offers for the Industry.

Improving system efficiency and safety is not always about fitting the latest

technology or gadget, very often it is about understanding and correctly ap-

plying all of the system components so that they work effectively giving a well

balanced system.

It can be the incorrect fitting or selection of a simple line component that caus-

es a system to run inefficiently, equally it could be poor maintenance that has

allowed the system to deteriorate, what is important is being able to under-

stand the signs and deal with them correctly.

In this issue of Cooling Matters we look at what Danfoss has in place to help

you with these kind of challenges, from "online" and "face to face" training to

our comprehensive range of literature, including the "Fitters Notes" and our

extensive range of mobile Apps. You can also read about an ICF Flexline™ ap-

plication at an Ice Cream factory.

We offer a range of knowledge and information to support you in your daily

tasks, so why not take advantage of what Danfoss has to offer .

News-CO2linecomponents 3

Training-Seewhat'savailablefromDanfoss 4

VZH-Variablespeedcompressor 6

ICFFlexline™-IceCreamfactoryapplication 8

F-Gas-NewEUproposal 9

FittersNotes-Linecomponents 11

Compass-Thecompressorselectiontool 13

KoolApp™-AnoverviewoftheDanfossmobileApplibrary 16Co

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Danfossintroducesanewhighpressuresightglass,typeSGP,whichoffersaMWPof52bar.

Available as flare, solder or socket versionsthereare3typesofsightglass;

SGPX/SGPRX-withoutmoistureindicator.SGPI/SGPRI-forrefrigerantwithmineraloil,e.g.HCFC.SGPN/SGPRN-fornonflammableHFCandCO2.

Themaximumworkingpressureof52barmakestheSGPsuitableforuseintheliquidlineofR410Aandsub-criticalCO2systems.

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SH485: the innovative 40 ton scroll that brings more for lessIdeal for large chillers and rooftop units, the SH485 com-bines several major innovations. Its large capacity anduniquefeatureshelpOEMstoreducedevelopment,installa-tionand servicingcostswith superiorpart-loadefficiencycoupled to enhanced reliability, optional electronicmoni-toringandcommunicationabilities.Witha40toncapacityintheshellofa30toncompressor–thecompactdimen-sionssimplifythedesignofsystemswithmanifoldconfigu-rations.Moreimportantforourcustomers,itprovidesgreatsavings, low sound levels, increased lifetime and lowermaintenancecoststoend-users.

High pressure line components for CO2

A superior solution of safety and convenience The Danfoss ICLX valves are 2-step servo-operated mainvalveswithpilotsolenoidvalves.FromDN32uptoDN150,ICLXvalvesuseanexternalpressureconnectionforopen-ing (which means that no opening pressure differenceacrosstheICLXvalveisrequired).

ICLXopensintwosteps:

• Steponeopensto10%ofthecapacity,whenthepilotsolenoidvalvesareactivated

• Steptwoopensautomaticallyafterthepressurediffer-entialacrossthevalvereaches1.25bar

Danfoss has introduced GBC ball valves and NRV checkvalves,withaMWPof90bar,suitableforCO2applications.

TheGBCballvalveisavailableinsizes6-22mm&1/4-7/8inandhasCEapproval.Thevalvehassingledirectionalflowwhichis indicatedbyanarrowonthevalvebody.Rigorous testing, including field tests, have proved thevalvescompatibilitywithCO2andthelubricationoil.TheNRVcheckvalveisavailablewith10mm&3/8incon-nectionsandcomeswithbothCEandULapproval.Thevalveallowsinternalpressurereliefwhenthesystemisatstandstillorduringmaintenance.Intensive testing has again proved the compatibilitywithCO2andthelubricationoil.

Both valves are 100% high pressure tested to 130 bar onproductionline.

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Employee knowledge is a valuable assetAt Danfoss we understand the benefits of a well trained and knowledgeable staff for not only ourselves but also the wider industry. It is for this reason that Danfoss is ded-icated to providing quality training.

From"face to face" towebinarsandonlineeLessonsDan-fossoffers awealthof training for all levels.Whether yourequire a basic introduction to refrigeration or advancedtrainingoncoldroomdesignandselectionwehavesome-thingforyou.

AllofthedifferenttypesoftrainingarebroughttogetheronasingleplatformcalledDanfossLearning,whichisavailableonline,inmanylocallanguages,24/7.

With Danfoss Learning you can access all of the trainingavailableinyourcountrywhetheritisaneLesson,webinaror'facetoface'training,simplysignupforthecourseyouwant.Oh,andincaseyouwerewondering,Danfossneverchargesforthesecourses!

Nomatterwhatthedeliverymethodisyoucanbeassuredthatallofourcourseshavebeendevelopedinaccordancewithbestpracticeprinciples,byexperiencedtrainerswhoknowtheirfieldtothesmallestdetail. It isyourguaranteethatyourtimespenttrainingwithDanfossistimewellspent.

So what is available?Wehavedevelopedonlinecoursesinfourareas:Refrigera-tion&AirConditioning,Heating,PowerElectronicsandIn-dustrialAutomation.Butoursectoristhetruepowerhouse.Courses about cold rooms, heat pumps, CO2 applications,selection programs, installation techniques, fault detec-tion…ifyoucanthinkofatopic,itwillbecoveredThereare currentlymore than60eLessonsand self studypowerpointcoursesavailableinEnglishmanyofwhichhavealreadybeentranslatedintoGerman,French,Spanish,Por-tuguese, Italian, Russian, Danish, Swedish and Finish. Thecourses include such topics as "Basic refrigeration tech-nique","ColdRoomcoolingloadcalculations","CondensingUnit installationandservicingguidelines"and"CO2FoodRetailrefrigerationsystemsandproductselection".

Mostofthecourseslastfor30or45minutesandendwithamultiple-choicetest.Asuccessfulcompletionofthecourseallowsyoutoprintacertificateshowingyourresult.

We’veeven set aminimumscore for eachmodule,whichshowsusthattheparticipanthasunderstoodit.Ifyou’renothappywithyourscore,oryouhaven’tpassed,that’snotaproblem.Youjustgothroughallorpartoftheonlinecourseagain,andtakethetest(withdifferentquestions)againasoftenasyoulike.

Here we see a screen shot of one of the animations from the "Basic Refrigeration Technique" course.

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Youcanfindoutmore informationaboutallof theonlinecoursesavailablebydownloadingthecoursecataloguedi-rectlyfromtheDanfosslearningwebsite;

www.learning.danfoss.com

"Webinars" and "face to face" training.OnceregisteredwithDanfossLearningyouwillbeabletoalsoaccess"webinars"and"facetoface"trainingthatisre-leasedforyourlocalarea.Itshouldbenotedthatwherethe"webinar"isofferedbyoneofourDivisions(AutomaticCon-trols, Commercial Compressors etc.) it will most likely bepresented in English, however, locally offered "webinars"willbeinyourlocallanguage."Face to face" training is always offered in the local lan-guage.

Whenyouregisterfora"webinar"or"facetoface"trainingyouwillreceiveanemail invitationgivingyoualltherele-vantdetails for the training, includingdates, times,venueetc.andforthe"webinars"instructionsonhowtoconnecttothesession.

Here we can see a recent offering from our Commercial Compres-sor Division for VZH inverter scroll training.

Within the "CourseCatalogue"menuofDanfoss Learningthereisalsoanoptiontomakea"LearningRequest"where-byyoucanaskforspecifictrainingeitheraspublictraining,where the training is available to everyone, or as privatetraining for specific users only.Wewill assess all requestsandwhereappropriatemakeanofferingavailable.

Sowhynot take advantageof the trainingofferings fromDanfossandsignuptoDanfossLearningtoday.

www.learning.danfoss.com

Rememberitisfreetoregisterandenrolonthecourses.

Danfoss LearningYour online access point to knowledge

Other training aids and material available from Danfoss

Apartfromtheformaltrainingofferswealsohaveawealthof othermaterial available. Visit the "Training and Educa-tion"pagesofyoulocalDanfosswebsitewhereyouwillbeable todownloaddocuments such asour famous "FittersNotes"or"Refrigeration-anIntroductiontotheBasics".

YouwillalsofindPostersandvideo'sandanimationsaswellastheDanfoss"Cool-Game".ThereareproductanimationsthatareavailabletodownloadandcanbeembeddedintoPowerPointpresentations.

Wealsooffera rangeofmobileApps forAndroid and iPhone under the name of"KoolApp™",furtherinformationontheseAppsisavailableonthebackpage.

Finally youwill find a rangeof useful videos on Youtube,simplysearchforDanfoss.

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VZH: the breakthrough for highly efficient HVAC systems

The Danfoss inverter scroll VZH combines the benefits of Danfoss inverter solutions with unmatched performance and capacity modulation possibilities.The VZH range, from 13 to 26TR, provides the largest cooling capacity with a single hermetic inverter compres-sor. And in parallel makes Danfoss the supplier offering the widest inverter compressor range in the market.

Why a second generation of variable speed compressor?Oneof theDanfoss focuses today is tooffereffectiveandreliable solutions to drive innovation and differentiationwhiletakinguptheclimateandenergychallenges.Variablespeedsolutionsarethebestmeanstodelivertheefficiencyandperformancelevelsrequiredfordifferentcli-matesandpartloadconditionsinvariedapplicationsinairconditioningsuchas:VRF,airhandlingunits,chillers, roof-tops,packagedsplitsorITandprocesscoolingunits.Theinvertertechnologyalsoprovidesotherimportantben-efitssuchasprecisetemperaturecontrol,especiallyimpor-tantforthecoolingofITequipment,industrialprocesses,orhumiditymanagementforbuildingsuchasmuseumsorli-braries,etc.The Danfoss second generation of inverter solutions arenowsteppingbeyondfromtheenergypointofview.VZHseriesincludestworangesoptimizedforlowandhighpres-sureratios.

The inverter drive modulates the cooling capacity from100%downto25%withasinglecompressorandfrom100%downtocloseto10%fortan-demconfigurations,whichsuitwellforavarietyofdemandingapplicationswherelowpartloadsareneeded.

Unmatched performance levelsTestsandcalculationsdemonstratethatenergysavingsofover 30% can be achieved when using the VZH invertercompressorandcomparedtoaunitequippedwithafixedormechanicallymodulatingcompressor.Comparedtotan-demconfigurations around12 to 15%annual energy sav-

ingscanbegainedwhatevertheclimateconditions.

Figure 1: Performance comparison by com-pressor type

Average consumption index based on simulations for 10-30TR compressors used in applications with low pressure ratio (rooftop)

Index 100 = VZH energy consumption.

Temperature profile Milano - Italy.

Severalaspectsofthecompressordesignmakethispossi-ble:

• optimizationfordifferentpressureratios,• permanentmagnetmotortechnology,• capacitymodulation,• manifoldingcapability.

The optimization for different pressure ratios and perma-nentmagnetmotors are themajor contributors to theseperformancelevels.

Theefficiencycomparisonbetweenasynchronousandsyn-chronousmotors shows instantaneously thegreat advan-tagesobtainedwhenusingapermanentmagnetmotortechnologywith:.

� Uniform motor efficiency in operation always above92%eveninpartload.Thisleadstoalowerpowercon-sumption(seefigure2)� Coolantstayscooler:motorbeingmoreefficient,itwilltransferlessheattotherefrigerantandthusenhancedthecompressionefficiency.

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Figure 2: motor efficiency by motor type:

Permanent Magnet Motor and Asynchronous Motor

2 ranges optimized for different pressure ratios:Scroll compressordesigns areoptimized for agivenpres-sure ratio. The isentropic efficiencyof a scroll compressorreachesamaximumat thebuilt-inpressure ratio.Whenacompressor is operating below this built-in pressure ratiotherearelossescalledovershoot(dischargegasisatapres-sureabovethecondensingpressure)orbackflow(dischargegas is below condensing pressure). So the possibility tochoose the adapted built-in pressure ratio when using ascrollisdecisivetothesystemefficiency.

Figure 3: scroll compressor isentropic efficiency by pressure ratio

TheVZHoffersthechoiceof2built-inpressureratiostoop-timizetheefficiencyofthesystemaccordingtotheapplica-tion:

- Highpressureratio–mainlyforchillerA/Wapplication- Lowpressureratio–mainly forA/Aunit (rooftop)andchillerW/W

Faster time to marketOneoftheuniquevaluesoftheDanfossinvertertechnolo-gy is the prequalified packagewhere compressor and in-verterdrivehavebeenoptimizedtoworkperfectlytogeth-er. This in-built know-how makes life easier for themanufacturerssavingtimeinunitdevelopment,andensur-ingamorerobustandreliablesolutionisdesigned.Itisalsoa more secure solution for the specifying engineers andend-users,whocanbeassuredofafullytestedandqualifiedsolution,anddesignedfromtheoutsetasadedicatedprod-uct.

Extended capacityWhenintandemconfiguration,theVZHcompressorsrangecanreachupto52TRtocoola2000m²building.Danfoss offers its customers a patentedmanifolddesigntooptimizebothperformanceandcost.

Summary

Product Performer®VZHR410A-scrollcompressors

Application CommercialAirConditioning

Models(3-phase)

VZH088VZH117VZH170

Capacity From13 to 52 tons*@100HzatstandardARIconditions

Features Daring efficiency:• Over30%thankstopermanentmag-

netmotorandoptimizedpressurera-tios

Precision cooling:• +/-0.3°C/0.1°F

Faster time to market:• 6monthsreductionwithprequalified

compressoranddriveExtended modulation and capacity:

• 25-100RPS• Pre-equipped for tandem configura-

tionswithapatentedmanifolddesign*(47-183kW)

Saving time and moneyICF Flexline™ Valve Station Application in Ice Cream Factory

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During a recent refitting of an ice cream manufacturing plant, the application of ICF Flexline™ valve stations from Danfoss led to a significant reduction in production down-time. It was estimated that approximately 80% im-provement was realized when compared to traditional valve assemblies. Also, due to the small footprint of ICF Flexline™ valve stations and their ready-built feature, in-stallation was made much easier and faster. This lead to substantial savings in installation costs, component costs, and loss of valuable production time.

TheicecreamfactoryinVladivostok,Russia,wasfoundedin1986. Over the years, increased requirements for productqualityandchangingtechnicalstandards,aswellaschang-es inmarketdemand,mandated that theycarryouta fulltechnicalre-equipmentoftheirmanufacturingplant.

Themaingoalsofthere-equipmentweretoreduceenergyconsumption,toinstallmodernandefficientequipment,tooptimize temperature levels and to add the possibility ofproducingmorevarietiesofdeep-frozenproducts.

Theammoniarefrigerationplantwithcompoundandsin-gle-stagecompressorunitsissuppliedbycirculationpumps.Itsupportsthreedifferenttemperaturelevels:-45°C/-49°F,-40°C/ -40°Fand-30°C/ -22°F. Ice-water iscooledbyaliquidseparator.Thetotalcoolingcapacityoftheunitis2.5MW.

Fig 1: Principle of the evaporation system based on ICF Flex-line™ valve stations.

Thenewrefrigerationunithadtobeinstalledwithintheex-istingroomsintheplant.However,sincetheICFFlexline™valvestationsareverycompactinsize,thiscouldeasilybeaccommodated. Thiswasoneof thebenefits the systemengineersitedasareasonfordevelopingasolutionbasedontheDanfossICFFlexline™valvestations.

Fig 2: The use of ICF Flexline™ valve stations on the distribution lines of evaporators in storage rooms

Duetothelackofspaceandthelimitedtimeavailableforinstallationwork,thecombinedICFFlexline™valvestationwasappliedonthedistributionlinesofthestoragecham-bers.TheICFFlexline™valvestationswereinstalledontheliquidammonialinesfortheevaporators(fig.1and2)andthehotammoniagaslinesusedfordefrostingtheevapora-tors(fig.1and4).

Fig 3: ICF valve stations fitted on evaporator defrosting lines

Asimilarsolutionisusedinthedeepfreezepackingshopinthe ice cream factory. ICF Flexline™ valve stations are in-stalledinthedistributionsectionsoffast-freezers.Thecom-pactdesignofthevalvestationsmeantthattheinstallationtookup six times less space than traditional valveassem-blies.Also,ICFFlexline™valvestationsrequireupto80%

ToliquidSeparator

FromliquidSeparator

Fromdis-chargeline

PMLX/GPLX

ICF20-4-9

ICF20-6-2

CVP

ICS

New EU proposal to significantly reduce the emissions of fluorinated gases (F-Gases)

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theproductionprocessfortheinstallationwassignificantlyreduced.

Fig 4: ICF Flexline™ valve stations on defrost lines

TheICFFlexline™valvestationdesignisbasedonamulti-portedbodylessthanafootlongthatwillacceptacombi-nationoffunctionmoduleschosenspecificallyforthecus-tomer’sapplications.ThemodularfunctioninsertsthatcanbemountedonanICFFlexline™bodyincludestopvalves,strainers,solenoidvalves,checkvalves,combinationstop/checkvalves,andmotorizedorhandexpansionvalves.SideportscanalsobeusedasshowninFig.1,2and3.Onceor-dered,thevalvestationisdeliveredbyDanfossfullytestedandreadytobeinstalledwithjusttwoweldsandnodisas-semblerequired.

TheinstallationofICFFlexline™valvestationswasmadefastand convenient due to the unification of parts, the com-pactnessandthesmallamountofammoniausedintherun-ningofthestations.

ForhelpincreatingthisarticlewethanktechnicaldirectorofthecompanyOOO“OK”,M.Sc.Mr.KalunovandtheheadofthecompressorshopattheicecreamfactoryMr.Mutz-henko.

At the beginning of November 2012 the European Com-mission presented a proposal to significantly reduce the emissions of fluorinated gases (F-Gases). In the following article you will find the latest information concerning this subject.

1. Preamble

TheEUproposalisagreatstepintherightdirection.Activeenvironmental protection must be a priority. This paperproposesthatthe25thanniversaryoftheMontrealProtocolsets thecourse forbetter climatic conditionsand itofferseconomicopportunities.

TheemissionsofF-Gaseswith theirGlobalWarmingPo-tential(GWP),canbeupto23,000timeshigherthanthatofCO2 have increased by 60% since 1990 , while all othergreenhousegasemissionshavebeenreducing.

Asof2015,thetotalconsumptionofHFCswillbelimitedandgradually reduced to a fifth of current volume. ThismeasurebuildsonthesuccessfulwaiverofR22,whichwasachievedintheEUtenyearsearlierthanenvisagedintheinternationalschedule.

2. Objective

Thisregulationproposalmaintainsthecurrentprovisionsofthe F-Gas Regulations,with adjustments to ensure betterimplementationandenforcementofthelegislationbyna-tionalauthorities.ThecurrentF-GasRegulationsarelistedbelow:

> F-gas Regulation Reg 842/2006 EC

> Regulation 1516/2007Standardleakagecheckingrequirementsforstationaryre-frigeration, airconditionandheatpumpequipmentcon-tainingcertainfluorinatedgreenhousegases

> Regulation 1493/2007Theformatforthereporttobesubmittedbyproducers,im-porters and exporters of certain fluorinated greenhousegases

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> Regulation 1494/2007Theformoflabelsandadditionallabellingrequirementsasregardproductsandequipment

> Regulation 308/2008Formatfornotificationofthetrainingandcertificationpro-grammesoftheMemberStates

> Regulation 303/2008Min. requirements for certificationof companies andper-sonnel’s

> Regulation 307 /2008Minimum requirements for training programmes and theconditions formutual recognition of training attestationsforpersonnelasregardsair-conditioningsystemsincertainmotor vehicles containing certain fluorinated greenhousegases

3. Impact

Oneofthemaintopicsisthebanofrefrigerantsduringthetimeperiod2015to2020.Furthermore,aphasedownofHFCbasedonGWPisplanned.

Summarized:3.1Therewillbespecificbans:> R404Awillbebannedinspecificsystemtypes,andlaterallHFC’swithGWP>150inspecificsystemtypessystemssuchas(;domesticrefrigeratorsandfreezers,sealedcom-mercialsystems).> Servicing systems with 1.3kg or more R404A will bebannedfrom2020.

3.2TherewillbeaphasedownofHFCsbasedonGWP> Starting with stabilization in 2015, ending with 21% in2030.

3.1 Specific bans

InTable1asummeryoverviewofthenewequipment’sre-strictionsareshown:

Products and equipment Date of prohibition

DomesticrefrigeratorsandfreezerswithHFCswithGWPof150ormore

1January2015

Refrigeratorsandfreezersforcommercialuse(hermeticallysealedsystems)

1January2017forHFCswithGWPof2500ormore1January2020forHFCswithGWPof150ormore

Movableroomair-condi-tioningappliances(her-meticallysealed)withHFCswithGWPof150ormore

1January2020

Table 1: Summery overview over the equipment restrictions

Inaddition,rechargingofexistingrefrigerationequipmentwithachargesizeover5tonnesofCO2equivalentwithHFCofveryhighGWP(>2500)willnotbepermittedfrom2020onwardsasmoreadequateandenergyefficientdrop-inre-frigerantsoflowerGWParealreadywidelyavailableonthemarket.ForR404AtonnesofCO2equivalentis1.28kg

3.2 Phasedown of HFCs based on GWP

Thephase-downmechanisminvolvesagraduallydecliningcap on the total placement of bulk HFCs (in tons of CO2equivalent)onthemarket in theEUwitha freeze in2015,followedbyafirstreductionin2016andreaching21%ofthelevelssoldin2008–11by2030.Producersofproductsandequipmentwhofacearestrictedsupply of F-Gases will switch to alternative technologieswherefeasible.

Year Schedule

2015 100%

2016 93%

2018 63%

2021 45%

2024 31%

2027 24%

2030 21%

Tables 2/ 3: GWP weighted phase-down schedule:

Thephase-downmechanismisbasedtoalargeextentonthe experiencegained fromphasingdown the consump-tionofODS.CompaniesthatplacebulkHFCsontheEUmar-ketmust have rights to place bulk substances on the EUmarketforthefirsttime.TheCommissionallocatesfreequo-tastocompaniesbasedonpast reportingdata,withare-serve for new entrants. Companies must make sure thatthey have enough rights to cover their actual placing ofproductsandequipmentonthemarket.Theymaytransferquotasamongthemselves.TheCommissioncheckscompli-ancethefollowingyear,withindependentverification.Around100 companies are expected toparticipate and athreshold ensures that companies that only place smallquantitiesonthemarketareexempted.HFCs imported inpre-chargedequipment should alsobecounted under the phase-down and so complementary

measuresareindispensabletotacklethesegasestoensuretheenvironmentalintegrityofthephase-downmechanismandalevelplayingfieldinthemarket.Therefore,non-her-metically sealedHFC applianceswould still be able to beproducedin,orimportedinto,theEUbuttheywouldhavetobefilledattheplaceofinstallation.

4. Entry into Force & Status

ThisproposalwillnowbesubmittedtotheEuropeanParlia-ment and the Council for consideration and adoption byway of the ordinary legislative procedure. The legislationshallapplyfrom1.January2014.Thecurrentversionislikelytohaveseveralchangesbeforetheproposalbecomeslaw.FurthereveryMemberStatehasthepossibilitytoprepareitsownmoreevenstricterlegisla-tion.

5. Danfoss Information Package

Danfosscanofferarangeofdetailedinformationconcern-ingourproducts for alternativeenvironmentally freindlierrefrigerants.

R407A&R407FEnvironmentallyfriendlysubstiutesforR404A

R600a&R290DanfossyourHydrocarbonSolutionProvider

CO2

Danfoss-YourCO2SolutionProvider

R32More environmentally friendly ACSystems&Heatpumps

ThetextproposalsofthelegislationareavailableontheEu-ropeanCommisionwebsite@

http://ec.europa.eu

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Line components

FilterDriers

Most filter drier manufacturers say that installing a highqualityfilterdrierisworththeaddedcosttoensurepropersystemprotection.Butwhatdoesqualitymeanintheworldoffilterdriers?Whatspecificationsareimportantandwhatcriticismsarevalid?Thoughfilterdriersareoftenviewedasverybasicproductswithnodifferentiation,eachmanufac-turer has chosen a specific design for a reason. Tomakesense of the various claims, it’s important to understandwhathappensinsideafilterdrier.

Afilterdrierisdesignedtoprotectasystemfrommoisture,acids,andsolidcontaminants.Moisturecancloganexpan-sion devicewith ice, reduce system efficiency due to thethermodynamicpropertiesofwater,orcombinedwithhightemperaturesandpressuresandoilsinthesystem,canformacids, which damage the compressor and other compo-nents.Solidcontaminantscanclogexpansiondevicesandwearcompressorsprematurely.Soquitesimply,filterdriersshouldbejudgedontheirabilitytoprotectthesystem.

Ifyouweretolookinsideseveraldriers,youwouldseesimi-laritiesanddifferences,beginningwiththedesiccantcore.Somemanufacturersusedesiccantbeadswhileothersuseasolid core.Many contractorshaveheardofbeads cominglooseordustdevelopingfrombeadsrubbingtogether. Inmoststeel-shelldriers,currentdesignsare robustenoughtoholdbeadsinplace,andsomemanufacturersusebeadsthathavebeencoatedtopreventdustdevelopingfromfric-tion.However,coatingthebeadslimitsthespeedofmois-tureadsorption,whichcompounds the issue thatbeadeddesignshaveunusedspacearoundthebeads,andthuslessdesiccantvolumethansolidcoredesigns.

It can often be the case that the importance of line components to the safe and efficient running of a refrigeration sys-tem is overlooked. In the following article we take a look at the filter driers, sight glasses, stop valves and non return valves, with some useful tips on selection and installation.

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Solidcoresareactuallymadeofloosefillthatismixedwitha binding agent to mold the core into a desired shape,strongenoughtostandon.Toavoidcompromisingdryingcapacity,thebindingmaterialshouldbekepttoanabsoluteminimum. For example, Danfoss uses about 6% bindingmaterial compared to 20% for another leading solid corebrand.Coresgenerallyhaveadivotatoneend,whichisnotintendedtocatchdirtasmostexpect;theflowisactuallyintheotherdirection,andthisgapislefttodrawtherefriger-antthroughthecore,ratherthanlettingitflowaround,en-suringgoodcontactwiththedryingmaterial.Buttheworkactuallyhappensatthemolecularlevel.

Molecular sieve has micro-pores perfectly suited to capture wa-ter molecules, but allows larger refrigerant molecules flow free-ly

Youmayhavenoticedthewordadsorption insteadofab-sorptionwasusedabove.Desiccantmoleculesdonotab-sorbmoisture,whichwouldmeanmoistureisdissolvedintothecore,buttheyadsorbmoisture,whichmeanswatermol-eculesarecaughtandbondedtothedesiccant.Molecularsieveisacompoundwithpocketsperfectlysuitedtocatchwatermolecules,buttoosmalltocapturerefrigerantmole-cules. Thiscompoundvariesinqualitybetweenmanufac-turers, and thequantityof corematerial is less importantthanthequality.Somemanufacturersneedtwiceasmuchmaterial to accomplish the same drying capacity, so thenexttimeyouhearthatonebrandhasmoredesiccantthananother,askinsteadaboutmoisturecapacity.

Molecularsieveishighlyefficientatcapturingmoisture,butnotacid.Manyfilterdriermanufacturersofferablendwitheitheractivatedaluminaorcharcoal tocaptureacid.MostOEMschoose100%molecularsievedriers,sincetheyhavecontrolledmanufacturingenvironmentswhereriskofcon-taminantsenteringthesystemisminimal.Foraftermarketservice,mostcontractorschooseablendofmolecularsieveandactivatedaluminaforbothhighmoisturecapacityandacidadsorptioncapacity,giventhatservicingasystemal-waysmeansthepotentialforsomecontaminantstoenter.

Oneimportantpointtonoteisthatmaterialslikeactivatedalumina that adsorb acid are polar, and can also captureother polar substances like oil additives. Some filter driermanufacturersdonotpublishthis,butitisapropertyofthematerial,notanymanufacturer’sparticularproduct,soDan-fossrecommendsusingpureoilswithoutadditiveswithfil-terdrierswithacidadsorptioncapabilities.Whileacombi-nationofoiladditivesandadesiccantblendfilterdrierwillnotharmasystem,someacidcapacitywillbeoccupiedbytheadditiveandanybenefitthatyoumayexpectfromtheadditivewouldbediminished.

Thereareseveralfiltermaterialsavailabletoday.Fiberglassishighlyefficient,butsinceitcanbeanirritant,somecom-ponentmanufacturerschoosetoworkwithothermaterials.Youmayhaveheardthatfibersfromfilterscancomelooseandclogexpansiondevices.Thishappenedwithearlyde-signs, though the major manufacturers producing steelshell driers have addressed this with additional filteringscreens.Feltpadsareanothercommonandeffectivefilter.

Twocriteriaareimportantinfilterperformance:dirtcapaci-tyandfilterefficiency.Toput it simply, thedrierneeds tocapture contaminants without clogging and creating apressuredrop,anditneedstofiltersmallenoughparticlestopreventproblems.Danfossresearchhasshownthatpar-ticles smaller than 25microns pass harmlessly through asystem,withnodangertoanycomponents.Butfilterdrierswith20micronfiltersclogfaster,whichcreatesanefficien-cy-zappingpressuredrop,withoutanybenefit to the sys-tem. Therefore, it’s important to choose the right level offiltration:25microns.

Copperspundriersgenerallyhaveloosefillingsofbeadeddesiccantandfibrousfilters.Thoughtheygenerallycostlessthansteeldriers,dryingandfiltrationcapacityalsotendtobelower.Inallbutthesmallestsystems,OEMsprefersteelshelleddriersbothduetothemorerobustconstructionandperformancebutalsotoavoidthepricevolatilityofcopper.

Danfoss solid core filter drier exploded view - flow is from left to right

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Sohowcanyoudecideifthefilteryouareholdinginyourhandisaqualityproduct?Lookfortherightlevelofmois-turecapacity,acidcapacity,andfiltrationthatyouneed.Forcontractors,thatmeansahighqualitysolidcoresteeldrierinordertohavehighmoisturecapacity,ablendofmolecu-larsieveandactivatedaluminaforbothwaterandacidad-sorption,anda25micronfilterwithsufficientdirtcapacity.Bymissingthisadvice,youcouldendupwith lessprotec-tionthanyoubargainedfor.

SightGlasses

Thereare3mainareasinarefrigerationsystemwheresightglassesarelikelytobeused.

• intheliquidlinebetweenthefilterdrierandtheexpan-sionvalvetomonitortheconditionandmoisturecon-tentoftherefrigerant.

• inthereceivertomonitortheliquidlevel(sockettype).• inthecompressor/oilseparatortomonitortheoillevel

(sockettype).

Typicallysightglasseswillbesuppliedaseithersolder,flareorsocketconnectionversionsandbeavailablewithorwith-outamoistureindicator.

Wherethesightglass isbeingfitted in the liquid line,be-tween the filter drier and expansion valve, a versionwithmoisture indicator isused. Inthiscasethesightglassper-forms 2 functions,monitoringwhether themoisture con-tentoftherefrigerantiswithinanacceptablerangeandalso

allowingyoutoseethatliquidrefrigerantisalwayspresentattheexpansionvlave.

Sightglassesarequippedwithsensitiveindicatorsthatre-flectsacolor,whichdependsonthemoisturecontentoftherefrigerant.Thevaluesunder“green/dry”aretobeconsideredasper-fectconditionmeaning fullprotectionagainstharmfulef-fectsfrommoisture.If thegreen colour starts to fade, themoisture content isreachingacriticallevel.If thecolourchangestoyellowit isaclearsignal, thatthecapacityof thefilterdriers is exceededand shouldbe re-placedassoonaspossible.

Excessivemoisturecontentcancauseicingoftheexpansionvalveiftheevaporatingtemperatureis0°Corlower.Inad-dition,excessivemoistureinthesystemcanreactwiththeoilnormallyusedinmodernrefrigerationsystems(polyes-teroil)toformacids.

When selecting a sight glasswith indicator the followingshouldbeconsidered:

• Typeofrefrigerant• Connectionsize• Thelevelatwhichadangersignalisrequired

Youshouldpayparticularattentiontothelevelatwhichthedangersignalisrequired.Itcanoftenbethecasethatmois-ture indicationofsomesightglassesshowasystemtobedryatmuchhigher levelsofmoisturecontent.AtDanfosswehavedesignedthesemoisture indicators to reflect therequirementsof therefrigerationcomponentmanufactur-erswhichareespecially importantwherecompressorsareconcerned.Somakesureyouchoosethesightglassthatin-dicatesthesafestlevelofmoisturecontent,don'tputanex-pensivecompressoratrisk.

Bubbles inthesightglass indicatesapossibleshortageofrefrigerant,thattherefrigerant inthe liquid line isnoten-tirelyintheliquidstateorthatthedrierisblocked.

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Anyofthesesituationsisnotgoodforthesystem,sotheyshouldbeinvestigatedfurthertofindthecause.

InstallationInstallationof thesightglasswilldependonwhetheryouareusingthesolderorflareconnectionversion.Whenfit-ting a solder version there are certain precautions youshouldtake.

A "wet rag" should be wrappedaround the valve body when so-dering.

Alwayspointtheflameawayfromthesightglass.

Itisrecommendedthatthevalveispurged with dry nitrogen whenbrazing topreventwater conden-sationundertheglass.

Whenfitting theFlareversionyou should ensure that bothspannersareonthesamesideof the valve when tighteningtheflarenut.

Youshouldalsobeawarethatthereisamaximumtighteningtorque for all sight glassesbasedontheconnectionsize.

Pleasecheckthetechnicaldataforthisinformation.

Ifthediameterofthepipeistoolargetofitasightglassinlineyouhave2options.

Youcanbrazeasaddletothepipeandthenfitasocketsightglass, alternatively you can instal a solder sight glass in asmallerparallelpipe.

When fitting a socket sight glass it isrecommendedthatyouuseahexago-nalspanner,againthereisamaximumtighteningtorque for thesocketsightglasses.

Whenfittingasightglasstoareceiverorcompressorasock-etsightglasswithoutamoistureindicatorisused,asmen-tionedaboveahexangonalspanner isrecommendedandbe awareof themaximun tightening torque for the sightglassused.

Ballvalves

TheGBCBallValveisamanuallyoperatedshut-offvalveandisavailableinastandardversionorahighpressureversion.The standard version is suitable for R134a, R407C, R507,R404,& R410Awhile thehighpressure version (90bar) issuitableforCO2..

Dependingonwhetheryouareusingthestandardorthehighpressureversionyoushouldbeawareofthedifferenc-eswhenfittingthesevalves.

ThestandardGBCballvalveissuitableforbi-directionalflowandcanbedeliveredwithorwithout an external accessport.

The high pressure GBC ballvalves are only for single di-rectionflowandarenotavail-able with an external accessport.Theflowdirectionensuresthecorrectpositioningofareliefhole,intheball,toreleaseanyentrappedliquid.

When brazingGBC valves you should always remove thecapandinsurethatthevalveisintheopenposition.A"wetrag"shoudbewrappedaroundthevalvebodyandalwayspointtheflameawayfromthevalve.Itisimportanttopreventoverheatingwhenbrazingother-wiseyouriskdamagingtheo-ringwhichmaythencausealeak.

The Compass Compressor Selection Tool Goes Global Compass,TheCOMPressorAlternativeSelectionSoftwareforcomparisonandselectionofcompressorshasnowbeenlaunched for free use worldwide by refrigeration profes-sionals.

Compassisafast,intuitiveandsimpleonlinetoolforcom-paringand selecting thebestDanfossCompressor-matchtoanycompetitor.

ThecurrentversionofCompasscanoperatewithImperial(US)units andwith60Hzmainsvoltage. Thecomparisontoolwillbeupdatedascompetitordataismadeavailable.ThetooldoesnotreplaceanyofthecurrentDanfossselec-tionorcalculationsoftwarelikeCoolselectororForesee.

Key Features TheDanfossCompasssoftwareprovidesaquickandeasysearch-and-findfunctioninthemostcomprehensivecom-pressordatabaseavailableinthemarket.Youcansearchforcompressors justby typing ina few letters fromthe labelandthetoolwill thengiveyouthebestmatchedDanfossalternative. Because the online software is linked to theDanfossproduct catalogueon thewebsite, you can evengetdetailedinfornationonthesuggestedDanfossalterna-tivelikedatasheets,descriptionsandphotos.

ToaccessCompassvisityourlocalDanfosswebsiteandse-lect"Software"fromthelefthandmenuofthe"Refrigera-tionandAirConditioning"pages.

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Ifyouarebrazingastandardvalvewithanexternalaccessportyoushouldalsoremovethecapfromtheaccessport.

Itisrecommendedthatthevalveispurgedwithdrynitro-genwhenbrazing.

Checkvalves

NRVcheck valves ensure that refrigerant canonlyflow inonedirection and areused in liquid, suction andhotgaslines.ThereisstandardpressurerangeforHFCrefrigerants(R134a,R507,R404A,R407C&R410A)andalsoahighpressurever-sionforCO2

TheHFCrangeisavailableasastraight-wayversionwithsol-derorflareconnectionandanangle-wayversionwithsol-der connection. The straight-way solder versions can besuppliedwithoversize connectionsprovidingflexibility inuse.WhensizingtheNRVyoushouldaimforthehighestcapac-ityatlowestpressuredropacrossthevalvebeforeitcloses.

ThehighpressureNRV10sHisavailableforusewithCO2(90bar).

ThisvalvecanbeusedasaninternalreliefvalvewhenfittedinparallelwithGBCballvalvesorserviceshut-offvalves,attheinletandoutletofcomponentstobeserviced.

Thevalvecanalsobeusedinhotgasdefrostinglines.

Danfosscanacceptnoresponsibilityforpossibleerrorsincatalogues,brochuresandotherprintedmaterial.Danfossreservestherighttoalteritsproductswithoutnotice.Thisalsoappliestoproductsalreadyonorderprovidedthatsuchalterationscanbemadewithoutsubsequentialchangesbeingnecessaryinspecificationsalreadyagreed.Alltrademarksinthismaterialarepropertyoftherespectivecompanies.DanfossandtheDanfosslogotypearetrademarksofDanfossA/S.Allrightsreserved.Co

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DANFOSSA/SNordborgvej816430DenmarkWWW-Address:>www.danfoss.comE-mailAddress:>danfoss@danfoss.com

The KoolApp™ Library will continue to expand in the future so please keep yourself updated by regularly visiting the KoolApp™ website!

www.danfoss.com/koolapp

KoolApp™ Refrigerant SliderThe Danfoss KoolApp™ RefrigerantSlider turns your smartphone into auser-friendly, quick pressure-to-tem-peraturerefrigerantconverter.

Inthecurrentversionthereare76dif-ferent refrigerants including both“natural”and“traditional”refrigerants.

KoolApp™ CoolGame Test your refrigeration know-howcompared to colleagues around theworld. Establish your own league

KoolApp™ Fitters AppAreyouexperiencingtroubleinshoot-ing the problems down? This handypocket-guide in trouble shooting isintended for helping you to, on-site;identifytheproblemsthatcausedtherefrigerationplanttomalfunction.

Identifytheproblematicarea;isitthelow-pressure or high-pressure partwhichiscausingtrouble?Youthengetalistofsymptomsandforeachsymp-tomyou,inturn,getalistofpossiblesolutions!

KoolApp™ CompassThe tool provides a quick and easyway to search the most comprehen-sivecompressorcomparisondatabaseavailable on the market. You cansearch for any compressor regardlessofitsbrandjustbytypinginafewlet-

KoolApp™ - KoolCode Save time and increase productivitywith the Danfoss KoolCode App for”on the spot” ADAP-KOOL® controllerinformation.

DownloadthisApptogetasimpleoff-linetooltoeasilylookupalarm,error,status, and parameter codeswithoutbringingalongtheprintedmanualorlaptop.

KoolApp™ Danfoss IR AppItisa“OnePlatformapp”foryou,whoareworkingwith IndustrialRefrigera-tion.In theDanfoss IRAppwewill collectapps/tools that we hope will makeyourworkwithindustrialrefrigerationproductsfromDanfosseasier.

All you have to do is download theDanfossIRapp,andyouwillalwaysbeupdated on the apps developed forDanfossIndustrialRefrigeration.

KoolApp™ - Information at your fingertipsDanfoss offers an app library of several practical tools for the refrigeration professional on the go both for iPhones and Androids.

against you colleagues or classmatesorplayagainsttheworld!

Thegamingconceptisthatyoubuildaspecific refrigeration circuit as fast aspossible by placing the componentsinthecorrectplaceinthesystem.

ters fromtheproduct label.Compasswill then give you the bestmatchedDanfossalternative.