Sources for Tecumseh Products Company say the compressor and condensing unit manufacturing company favors the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision announced yesterday to add three new hydrocarbon refrigerants as acceptable alternatives in household and small commercial refrigerators and freezers through its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program.
The move to approve the use of isobutane (R600a), propane (R290) and the blend R441A provides both environmental benefits and inherent refrigeration system advantages. The final SNAP ruling will provide Tecumseh and its U.S. commercial refrigeration OEM customers new opportunities to differentiate by offering more environmentally-friendly product solutions.
“Tecumseh has been developing and marketing compressors and condensing units that utilize hydrocarbon refrigerants for more than a decade, primarily in South America and Europe,” says Keith Gifford, Tecumseh Director of Global Marketing.
“Armed with this experience, we’ve been working with our U.S. OEM customers for months to develop new solutions that will incorporate hydrocarbon-ready compressors including our new AE2.”
Sources say performance advantages will also become potential marketing differentiators for U.S. equipment manufacturers. For example, R290 can work at higher pressure ratios and lower evaporator temperatures than R22, while it also reaches a cooling capacity 170% higher than R134a at similar displacements. Additionally, R290 systems require a 40% lower refrigerant charge in comparison to R22 and R134a systems.
Tecumseh’s “Green Technology” initiative commits cross-functional global resources to design, develop, manufacture and market compressors, condensing units and complete refrigeration systems that are optimized for use with low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants. Tecumseh now has more than 150 different model combinations that are capable of utilizing HC refrigerants, including the totally redesigned AE2.
The all-new AE2 compressor, launched in early 2011, is the most efficient compressor of its size on the market and is now available for OEM testing and approval. The AE2 is optimized for the use with R290 in all applications and its new expanded range allows refrigerant capacities which have traditionally been served by larger compressors.
“Tecumseh was at the forefront of the changeover to R134a refrigerant many years ago,” Gifford said. “We’re now focused on continuing that leadership position with the U.S. EPA approval of HC refrigerants R290, R600a and R441A, including a commitment to help educate and train refrigeration design engineers and technicians on the proper use, application and servicing of hydrocarbon compressors and condensing units.”
A new Tecumseh Technology Center is slated for an early 2012 opening in Ann Arbor, Michigan, joining other certified Tecumseh labs in France, Brazil and India. It will provide state-of-the-art product development capabilities, complete hydrocarbon testing capability and enhanced environmental simulation facilities.
Normal.dotm00131180Penton Media Inc.1122112.00false18 pt18 pt00falsefalsefalseFounded in 1934, Tecumseh Products Company is a leading global manufacturer of hermetic compressors, condensing units and systems for use in residential and commercial refrigeration and air conditioning applications.