These systems are breaking through traditional limitations and posing a serious challenge to ammonia’ s |
refrigeration sector, CO2 is increasingly
emerging as a challenger to ammonia, a
natural refrigerant that has traditionally
|
efficiency, and suitability for large-capacity systems and wide temperature ranges. The expansion of CO2 in industrial |
due to system
capacity
requirements
|
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long-held dominance. At the same time, |
dominated large-scale applications. |
refrigeration is not uniform across all |
or operational |
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increasing regulatory scrutiny is putting |
Despite growing interest in CO2 systems, |
applications. Cold storage warehouses |
complexities. |
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fluorinated refrigerants under pressure. |
ammonia remains the most widely used |
– particularly those under 70 000m ² – |
Rather than |
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What forces are propelling this change – |
refrigerant in industrial settings, particularly |
are seeing increasing adoption of CO2 |
competing |
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and what obstacles still stand in the way? |
in North America. Its stronghold is supported |
systems. In contrast, CO2 use in large-scale |
directly with |
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Transcritical CO2 systems are gaining
ground rapidly in industrial settings across
key global markets. The ATMOsphere
|
by its proven performance, high operational |
processing plants remains limited, often |
ammonia,
CO2 systems
are growing
|
© Cold Link Africa |
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Natural Refrigerants: State of the Industry
2024 report reveals that Europe now counts
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where
synthetic
|
Andre van der Merwe, managing director of Evapco. |
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around 4 900 industrial facilities using |
refrigerants like HFCs once dominated. This |
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CO2 refrigeration – up 48 % from 3 300 in |
evolving dynamic suggests that the rise of |
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December 2023. While these industrial sites |
CO2 is less about direct competition with |
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represent just 5.1 % of Europe’ s estimated |
ammonia and more about filling gaps where |
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95 600 transcritical CO2 installations, the |
other solutions fall short. While ammonia |
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growth is striking. |
continues to dominate in large-capacity and |
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The overall trend is one of rapid |
process-heavy facilities, CO2 is establishing |
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and sustained growth. In the industrial |
itself in applications where low-charge |
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ammonia might have once been considered |
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Despite growing interest in CO2 systems, ammonia remains the most widely used refrigerant in industrial settings. CO2 Rack 1. |
Image supplied by SCM Ref Africa |
– suggesting a shift in how system designs
are approached across the industry.
LESSONS FROM EUROPE’ S MATURE CO2 MARKET: THE MODULAR ADVANTAGE
In more mature industrial CO₂ markets
like Europe, modular system designs
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