ACR Journal

October 2022 | November 2022 NEWS 06 Volume 8 No.4 Driving down emissions for hospital A Norwegian hospital has upgraded to an environmentally friendly CO 2 based HVAC-R system using technology from Welshpool-based Invertek Drives. Sinop Technoblock, a specialist refrigeration company in Norway, was appointed to undertake the work at St Olav Hospital in Trondheim to reduce carbon footprint and target significant energy savings. The project includes a laboratory, an on-site hotel and a canteen, which all have numerous cold rooms. The retrofit incorporated Reftronix CO 2 controllers for packs and cold rooms and Invertek Optidrive Eco VFDs for the compressors. The combination of controllers and VFDs ensures the precise control of the complete refrigeration process as well as remote access to live data, alarms and settings. The Optidrive VFDs accurately control the speed of the compressors depending on the temperature required and other conditions. This data is picked up by the controller which communicates with each of the drives. Optimising the speed of each of the compressors motors makes them more energy efficient than the conventional start/stop used in HFC refrigerant systems. Kjell Robert Overlev, founder of Sinop Technoblock, said: “To go with Reftronix and Invertek Drives was really a very easy decision. Their solutions and full integration with the inverters set them miles ahead of the alternatives.” A total of 10 400V Optidrive Eco VFDs have been used. These include four 2.2kW, four 1.2KW, one 5.5kW and one 11kW. Henrik Christensen, general manager at Reftronix, said the combination of their controller and the VFD ensured the refrigeration system was as accurate and efficient as it possibly could be. “We’ve worked with Invertek for a number of years and this has proved the right decision for us. They have the right inverter for the global HVACR-R industry, a fact proven by the large number of global compressors manufacturers who have endorsed their products,” he said. Invertek has also developed a VFD dedicated to BLDC compressors, CDUs and heat pumps. Coolvert is aimed at OEMs who want a compact and highly efficient drive. It can work with any controller and can be incorporated in systems where there is limited space, such as fridges and refrigeration systems used in supermarkets. www.invertekdrives.com Nominations open for J&E Hall Gold Medal The Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) is seeking nominations for the J&E Hall Gold Medal, which recognises the most noteworthy practical contribution to the field of innovation in refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump technology. The award has been sponsored by J&E Hall International for 44 years with a prize award of £5,000, and is open to individuals or teams responsible for recent practical technology advancement in one or more of the following areas: • Practical applications of innovative designs • RACHP installations, developments, and technologies that have made an original contribution to the field • Systems that demonstrate substantial potential and evidence that they will be completed successfully • Outstanding and significant work in a new or unusual area of design and installation Nominations are requested by October 15 and the winner will be announced during the IOR Annual Dinner which will take place on February 23, 2023, at the Leonardo Royal Hotel London St Pauls in London. More information and a nomination form is available at https://ior.org.uk/IOR-awards or email ior@ior.org.uk.