Panasonic, one of Japan’s leading suppliers of CO2 systems for commercial refrigeration, is currently testing a new 80 HP transcritical CO2 rack system aimed at the Japanese logistics and cold storage sectors, heard participants at the ATMOsphere Japan conference on natural refrigerants, held on 12 February 2019 in Tokyo.
«This rack system was developed in China,» Manabu Onishi, general manager, cold chain business division, Panasonic Appliances Company, told the event, held at the Shinagawa conference centre.
«This year, the 80 HP transcritical CO2 rack system was delivered to Japan for field testing domestically. It is currently being tested. Bassed upon the test results, we would like to further expand our rack system business in Japan.»
The transcritical CO2 rack system was first unveiled at the China Refrigeration 2018 exhibition, held in Beijing last April. The system was first installed at CSF Market in Beijing that July.
The CO2 transcritical rack system is part of Panasonic’s three-pronged CO2 technology development strategy, Onishi explained.
The system purports to increase energy efficiency for end users through heat reclaim.
Onishi said Panasonic aims to «maximise capacity» to widen its offering of CO2 solutions to more customers, especially in the logistics and cold storage sectors. (See Panasonic’s presentation here.)
Specifications for the 80 HP system provided during the presentation include:
Evaporating temperature range: -45°C ~ -20°C
Ambient temperature range: -15°C ~ +43°C
Compressor quantity (MT/LT): 4 (2/2)
Cooling capacity (at an evap. temp. = -32°C): 63 kW
Cooling capacity (at an evap. temp. = -40°C): 43.2 kW
