Nov. 10, 2005
- Cologne/Mainz-Kostheim, Germany - Linde Kältetechnik GmbH & Co. KG, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), has recently received the prestigious Cooling Industry Award 2005 for its innovative use of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a refrigerant for normal-temperature refrigeration. Linde Kältetechnik won the award in the category of Environmental Pioneer ¿ Refrigeration.
London-based trade publication, Refrigeration and Air conditioning (RAC) Magazine organizes the annual Cooling Industry Award to recognize the best new processes for environmentally sound cooling solutions in 12 categories.
Linde Kältetechnik is the first manufacturer in the world to succeed in combining a low-temperature system with a new design of normal-temperature refrigeration pack that works with CO2 in a transcritical cycle.
This revolutionary technology brings benefits to users. When compared to existing systems that use secondary refrigerants, the CO2 unit uses up to 10 percent less energy. Other advantages are lower installation and running costs, a smaller refrigerant charge coupled with higher capacity, and lower cost of the natural refrigerant.
A number of retail stores are already experiencing these benefits and the savings of the new system. Since the first project worldwide was launched at the Swiss COOP Tägipark in late November 2004, Knauf Schmiede in Luxembourg and Aligro in Switzerland have decided to adopt the combination of a low-temperature system and the new normal-temperature system working with CO2.
In the citation on Linde Kaltetechnik¿s revolutionary development, the judges said: "There is no doubt; this is a major step forward in the application of carbon dioxide in refrigeration. The transcritical cycle has always posed a major challenge, but it appears Linde has overcome the problems and harnessed a technology that has enormous potential."
Describing the new transcritical CO2-based refrigeration system as a genuine first that has the potential to change the face of the industry, the judges were impressed by the close collaboration and pioneering spirit of the 15-member development team.
"We are very proud of what we have developed and achieved. The Cooling Industry Award supports us in continuing to drive our technology forward," said Udo Laeis, the company¿s director of product management for refrigeration systems and plant engineering. With its mission of creating groundbreaking inventions and a commitment to experimentation and innovation, the company is carrying on the celebrated tradition of its original founder, refrigeration pioneer Carl von Linde.
Linde Kältetechnik GmbH & Co. KG is a business unit of Carrier Corporation, headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut, that is the world¿s largest provider of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration solutions with operations in 172 countries. Carrier is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., a diversified company that provides a broad range of high technology products and services to the aerospace and commercial building industries worldwide.
