Trends in Refrigeration

System Architecture
and CO2

Andre Patenaude
Emerson Climate Technologies
What’s Hot in Supermarket Refrigeration?

• MT Cases With Doors

• Mechanical to Electronic Control
• LED Lighting
• Connected Devices/Mobile
• Low Condensing
• Technician Shortage
• ECM Fan Motors for
• ASHRAE Commissioning Guide
Condenser and Case Fans

• Information Age (Traceable,

• EPA Proposal to Delist
Feedback)
R404A
• Millennials (e-Commerce, Local,
• R-22 Retrofits
Organic)
• Natural Refrigerants
• “Smaller” Format Stores
• LCCP Analysis
• Foodservice Integration
 $35k/Year Energy Savings per Store
by Implementing Low Condensing
Boston Temperature Profile Compressor Performance
1500
Capacity
Opportunity for Savings
Hours/Yr

1000
Power
500 50°F 70°F 90°F 110°F
Condensing Temperature
0
5°F 25°F 45°F 65°F 85°F ≈20% Increase in Compressor Efficiency
for a 10º Drop in Condensing Temperature

% Time Below 60 °F Typical Boston Supermarket

$35K
50 Min Cond 35%
90% Savings
70 Min Cond 14%
80%
70% 90 Min Cond
50%
$0K $50K $100K $150K

20% Total Annual Cost (@ $0.9/kWh)

CoreSense Provides Step Change in
System Reliability and Troubleshooting
Convenience, Fresh, Specialty and
e-Commerce Shake up Grocery Landscape
Energy Usage Will Become Primary
Source for CO2 Emissions
Understanding Assumptions Critical
for “Apples to Apples” Comparisons
 Refrigerant Change Being Driven by
Regulations and Voluntary Actions
Regulations Organizations

Montreal Protocol North American Proposal INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON

Targets Ozone Depletion Targets CO2 Emissions climate change
(R-22) Signed in 1987 (High Global Warming)

HFC Ban & Tax

Carbon Tax F-Gas Regulation

Natural Refrigerants Gaining Traction
in North American Supermarkets
Leading Edge Field Trials CO2 Installed Base
H-E-B
Austin, TX
R290
Micro-Distributed

Sprouts
Dunwoody, GA
Transcritcal CO2
Booster Source: Shecco Guide 2012: Natural Refrigerants for Europe

100
Albertsons
Carpinteria, CA
Ammonia/CO2 Hybrid
50

Walgreens
Evanston, IL
Net Zero Store,
Geothermal, CO2
Source: ATMOsphere America 2014 – Hillphoenix Market Progress
General Uses for CO2

 Fire Extinguishers

 Beverages

 Plants

 Solvents

 Modified Atmospheric Packaging

 Refrigeration
Where Does CO2 (R744) Come From?
 By-product of:
– Fermentation of Ethanol
– Combustion of Fossil Fuels
– Liquefaction of Air
 Naturally Occurring in Wells
 The Atmosphere Comprises Approximately 0.04% CO2 (370 ppm)
 Manufacturing Process:
– Filtration, Drying and Purification
• Results in Different Grades of CO2 for Different Applications:
– Industrial Grade, 99.5%
– Bone Dry, 99.8%
– Anaerobic, 99.9%
– Coleman Grade, 99.99% (Used in Refrigeration)
– Research Grade, 99.999%
– Ultra Pure, 99.9999%
Benefits of Using CO2
as a Refrigerant

 CO2 is a natural refrigerant with very low global warming potential

– ODP = 0; GWP = 1
 Non-toxic, non-flammable
 CO2 is an inexpensive refrigerant compared with HCFCs and HFCs
 CO2 has better heat transfer properties compared to conventional
HCFCs and HFCs
 More than 50% reduction in HFC refrigerant charge possible
(high volumetric cooling capacity)
 CO2 lines are typically one to two sizes smaller than traditional
DX piping systems
 Excellent material compatibility
 System energy performance equivalent or better than traditional
HFC systems in cool climates
Basic Considerations When
Using CO2 as a Refrigerant
 The critical point is the condition at Triple Point and Critical
which the liquid and gas densities are Point on a Phase Diagram
the same. Above this point, distinct
liquid and gas phases do not exist.
 The triple point is the condition at which
solid, liquid and gas coexist.
 The triple point of carbon dioxide is high
(60.6 psi) and the critical point is low
(87.8 °F) compared to other refrigerants. Critical Point
87.8oF (1056 psig)

Triple Point
-70.6oF (60.9 psig)
Basic Properties of R744, R404A
and R134a Refrigerants
Refrigerant R744 R404A R134a
-109.3 °F -50.8 °F -14.8 °F
Temperature at (-78.5 °C) (-46 °C) (-26 °C)
atmospheric pressure (Temp. of (Saturation (Saturation
dry ice) temp.) temp.)

87.8 °F 161.6 °F 213.8 °F

Critical temperature
(31 °C) (72 °C) (101 °C)

1,055 psig 503 psig 590 psig

Critical pressure
(72.8 barg) (34.7 barg) (40.7 barg)

0.44 psig 0.0734 psig

60.6 psig
Triple point pressure (0.03 bar (0.005 bar
(4.2 barg)
abs) abs)
Pressure at a saturated
815 psig 144 psig 68 psig
temperature of 20 °C
(56.2 barg) (9.9 barg) (4.7 barg)
(68 °F)
Global warming potential 1 3922 1430
Pressure — Enthalpy
Diagrams for CO2
Selecting the Best System:
Secondary vs. Cascade vs. Booster

TRANSCRITICAL
SECONDARY CASCADE
BOOSTER

CO2 DX

CO2 DX
CO2 DX
CO2 Secondary System

Source: The Green Chill Partnership and Hill Refrigeration

 The high-stage system (HFC, HC or ammonia) cools the liquid CO2 in the secondary circuit like a simple chiller system.
– CO2 is cooled to 26 °F (275 psig) for the MT load and -13 °F (181 psig) for the LT load.
 The CO2 is pumped around the load.
 It is volatile, so unlike a conventional secondary fluid such as glycol it does not remain as a liquid. Instead, it
partially evaporates.
 It therefore has a significantly greater cooling capacity than other secondary fluids.
 This reduces the pump power and the temperature difference at the heat exchanger.
Selecting the Best System:
Secondary vs. Cascade vs. Booster

TRANSCRITICAL
SECONDARY CASCADE
BOOSTER

CO2 DX

CO2 DX
CO2 DX
Typical Retail Cascade
(Hybrid) System
 High-stage (HFC) System:
– provides cooling for the medium-temperature load
– removes the heat from the condensing CO2
in the low stage at the cascade heat
exchanger
 Low-stage (CO2) System:
– CO2 condensing temperature is maintained
below the critical point
– CO2 pressures are similar to R-410A
– Utilizes CO2 as a direct expansion refrigerant
– Uses efficient and quiet CO2 subcritical
compressors
– CO2-specific evaporators
– Electronic expansion valves with EEVs for steady,
automatic control of superheat leaving the
evaporators
– All liquid lines must be insulated
 Typical Cascade System
Operating Pressures
Normal Operating Suction: 200-275 psig Low Discharge: <400 psig
High Suction: >275 psig
Low-Side Pressure Relief (Recip.): 350 psig Normal Operating
Low-Side Pressure Relief Discharge:
Low Suction: (Scroll): 475 psig 400-500 psig
<200 psig
300
+2°F
350
+11°F
300
+2°F
350
+11°F
High Discharge:
250 400 250 400
-8°F +19°F -8°F +19°F >500 psig
200 450 200 450
-20°F +26°F -20°F +26°F

150
-34°F
500
+33°F
150
-34°F
500
+33°F
Pressure
Regulating
100 550 100 550
-51°F +40°F -51°F +40°F Relief Valve:
50 600 50 600 560 psig
CO2 CO2
+45°F +45°F

0 650 0 650
+51°F +51°F Main Pressure
Low-Side High-Side Relief Valve:
Suction Discharge, Separator 625 psig
(psig) (psig)

Low Side (Suction) High Side (Discharge and Receiver)

• Typ. Operating Suction • Typ. Operating Discharge
200–275 psig 400–500 psig
Courtesy of “The Green Chill Partnership and Hill Refrigeration”
Selecting the Best System:
Secondary vs. Cascade vs. Booster

TRANSCRITICAL
SECONDARY CASCADE
BOOSTER

CO2 DX

CO2 DX
CO2 DX
CO2 Booster Refrigeration System
in Transcritical Operation

 CO2 is circulated in
LT and MT sections
 Gas cooler in supercritical
mode
 Condenser in subcritical mode
 Three separate sources of suction gas
for MT compressors
 LT requires two stages to keep compression
ratios low and discharge temperatures from
exceeding the oil’s temperature limit
CO2 Booster Refrigeration System
Transcritical Compressors
 Higher gas density of CO2 results in
smaller compressor displacement with
equivalent R404A motor size
 PRV Relief Valves: 66/135 bar
(957/1,958 psig) for low/high side
 Max. Operating Pressure = 120 bar
(1,740 psig)
 Inverter Release: 25–70 hz
 CoreSense Protection
CO2 Booster Refrigeration System
High-Pressure Control

 Helps maintain sub-cooling in condenser

when in subcritical mode
 Create pressure drop into the flash tank
 Optimizes COP during transcritical
operation
Five Ways of Improving
Efficiencies in Warm Ambient Regions

 Spray Nozzles
 Adiabatic Gas Coolers
 Parallel Compression
 Sub-Cooling
 Ejectors

Suction Gas

Exit

High Pressure
CO2 Booster Refrigeration System
Case Controls and EEV Cases
 Case controls and EEV (PWM or
stepper)
 Due to high heat transfer coefficient of
CO2 vs. HFC, if the same HFC rated
evaporators are used, greater
capacities and lower TD would result
with improved efficiency
 Smaller tubing coils can be used to
reduce material cost and footprint
 CO2 Booster Refrigeration System
Subcritical Compressors
 LT subcritical compressors are
same as those used in cascade
systems
 Discharges into suction of
transcritical

 High side: 43 bar / 630 psig

 Low side: 28 bar / 406 psig
 Low side “PRV” supplied with
– 34.4 barg (500 psig)
 Oil: RL68HB POE
CO2 Booster Refrigeration System
Emerson’s Connected Offering
Emerson Offering
 Centralized Controller
 Distributed Controller
 Transcritical Compressors
 Subcritical Compressors,
Semi and Scroll
 Oil Level Controls
 Compressor VFD
 Condenser Motor VFD
 High-Pressure Controller
 Bypass Valve Controller
 High-Pressure Valves
 Case Controllers
 Electronic Expansion Valves
 System Protectors
 Pressure Transducers
 Leak Detection
Selecting the Best System:
Secondary vs. Cascade vs. Booster

Conclusions
Transcritical systems are usually used in areas where the ambient temperature is
generally low (i.e., predominantly below 68 °F to 77 °F), such as northern Europe, Canada
and the northern U.S. New system designs and technology are improving efficiency in
warmer climates.

Cascade and secondary systems (subcritical CO2) are usually used in high ambient
areas such as southern Europe, the mid- to southern U.S., and much of Central and South
America, Asia, Africa and Australia.

The use of transcritical systems in high ambients generally results in low efficiency; hence,
cascade or secondary systems are preferred in those areas.
CO2 Handbook
Launched at Chillventa (Oct. 2014)

1. Introduction

2. CO2 Basics and Considerations

as a Refrigerant
3. Introduction to R744 Systems

4. R744 System Design

5. R744 Systems — Installation,

Commissioning and Service
System Architectures —
Multiple Choices Being Evaluated
Thank You!

Questions?

DISCLAIMER
Although all statements and information contained herein are believed to be accurate and reliable, they are presented without guarantee or
warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. Information provided herein does not relieve the user from the responsibility of carrying out its
own tests and experiments, and the user assumes all risks and liability for use of the information and results obtained. Statements or
suggestions concerning the use of materials and processes are made without representation or warranty that any such use is free of patent
infringement and are not recommendations to infringe on any patents. The user should not assume that all toxicity data and safety measures
are indicated herein or that other measures may not be required.