The payback of the Turboalgor Kit is approximately 4 years for lower power kits (LT1-LT2) and approximately 2 years for higher power kits (LT4-LT5), with reference to a conventional refrigeration system and net of any available tax incentives.
The Turboalgor system has the technical-scientific characteristics to be part of the European 'Industry 4.0' plan. In addition, based on local legislation, there is the possibility of further tax breaks, such as those available in Southern Italy (Sabatini Law).
The Turboalgor Kit has all the certifications required for its type of product, including PED certification. The original refrigeration system, following the addition of the Turboalgor Kit, must be re-certified through an analysis of the technical documentation of both the pre-existing refrigeration system and the Turboalgor Kit and verification by the competent body of the pressure test carried out during testing.
Each Turboalgor Kit can be installed on a refrigeration system even in multi-compressor mode, provided you choose the right size Kit to work in the power range required by the compressors working simultaneously. We are always willing to assess on a case-by-case basis the connection of our product in systems with large cooling capacities having several compressors in parallel, and find the technical solution that meets the customer's energy saving needs.
As the Turboalgor Kit is fluid-dynamically coupled to the refrigeration system, it works in autonomous mode; the only external power supply required is a single-phase 220V power supply, with an absorption of approximately 0.2 kW (lubrication pump). It is also possible to purchase the remote monitoring system together with the kit, which allows real-time consultation of the operating data of the kit and of the entire refrigeration system.
The Turboalgor Kit can be installed in refrigeration systems with inverter-equipped compressors. As in the case of multi-compressor refrigeration systems, in order to have a constant saving value provided by the turbo-compressor, the frequency modulation of the inverter should not fall below 35-40 Hz. If this were to happen, the Turboalgor Kit would not have any operating problems, but there would be a decay in energy saving due to the significant decrease in mass flow in the refrigeration circuit.
The Turboalgor Kit can be combined with any type of refrigeration compressor in the original system, be it scroll, reciprocating, screw or centrifugal. So far, we have developed Turboalgor Kits for compressors operating in the range from approximately 10 kW to 300 kW electrical power input. In the case of screw compressors equipped with an economiser and/or two-stage compressors equipped with an under-cooler, it is essential to provide Turboalgor Technical Department with the following information in advance:
The preliminary feasibility analysis conducted by the Technical Department will allow you to decide if your refrigeration system meets the prerequisites for the installation of the Turboalgor Kit.
Condensation temperature affects the performance of the Turboalgor Kit: the higher the condensation temperature, the greater the energy savings. All data we provide, unless otherwise specified, refer to condensation temperatures of 40°C; with condensation at 35°C the benefits are approximately 80% of those obtainable at 40°C, with condensation at 30°C the benefits become approximately 60%. On a theoretical level, while there are of course no limits on the maximum condensation temperature, the minimum condensation temperature can be estimated to be around 20°C-25°C.
The Turboalgor Kits available on the market today are designed to operate in low temperature systems, from about -45°C to about -25°C evaporation temperature, and in medium temperature systems, from about -25°C to about -10°C evaporation temperature. Therefore, to be able to apply Turboalgor technology today, the average evaporation temperature of the refrigeration system must be less than or equal to -10°C. In the near future, the Turboalgor Kit will also be able to be used for evaporation temperatures between -10°C and + 7°C, typical of industrial chillers, both with HFC (R134a, R410a, etc.) and HFO (e.g. R1234yf and R1234ze) refrigerants.
Our expectation is that the turbocharger will have the same life as the refrigeration system, i.e. an average of 20 years. A critical part of the turbomachinery is the bearings: Turboalgor uses bearings found in automotive turbines, with proven reliability over many years. Moreover, in this case the turbine operates at low temperatures and relatively low speeds, parameters that increase the turbine's service life.
The general rule is that a maximum of three evaporators driven by independent thermostats are permitted; multiple evaporators driven by a single thermostat (e.g. four evaporators operating in parallel in a cell with only one control thermostat) equals one evaporator.
The liquid line from the compressor rack to the evaporators must have a maximum length of approximately 30 metres and must be insulated with insulating material at least 25 mm thick. Should this distance be greater than 30 metres, consideration should be given to the possibility of installing the Turboalgor kit not close to the compressor rack, but in a position where the length of the liquid line between the kit and the evaporators is approximately 30 metres. If the distance is necessarily greater than 30 metres, consult Turboalgor's Technical Department to see if the increased length can be compensated for by increased insulation thickness.
To be able to install the Turboalgor Kit, it is necessary that the installed refrigeration compressor, under the characteristic operating conditions of the refrigeration system (i.e. evaporation temperature and condensation temperature), has an electrical absorption of at least 10 kW: this is equivalent to having a 20-30 HP compressor. Below this limit it is not possible to apply Turboalgor technology due to technical reasons relating to the size of the turbo-compressor and the consequent achievable efficiency.
The turbocharger is lubricated by means of a circuit independent of that of the main refrigeration system: the lubrication system consists of a storage tank, a magnetic drive pump, a suction filter and a discharge filter. That said, the same lubrication oil is always used for lubrication of the turbo-compressor as for the main compressor, so depending on whether the refrigeration system has a reciprocating compressor or a screw compressor, Turboalgor will use the same oil for lubrication of the turbo-compressor.
The addition of the Turboalgor Kit to an existing refrigeration system typically requires 2 working days. However, the downtime required is reduced to a maximum of approximately 4 hours (depending on the type and size of the system), after which the refrigeration system can be restarted while the mechanical and electrical installation of the Turboalgor Kit is completed. The downtime is necessary to perform the recovery of the refrigerant in the storage tank, the installation of the suction-side and liquid-side bypass systems, and for the subsequent system draining phase.
Turboalgor is the company at the head of COLD ENERGY, a project financed by the European Community with the aim of reducing consumption and emissions and improving the efficiency of cooling systems.
Turboalgor contributes to increasing the competitiveness of European companies in the refrigeration industry.
Using cutting-edge technology, Turboalgor is able to cut carbon emissions, in line with EU directives.
With its three application solutions, Turboalgor can intervene on both new and existing systems.