The AHR Exposition has announced that the Danfoss ApexxTM VSH compressor is the Product of the Year, chosen from among 106 entries for the Exposition’s Innovation Awards. This singular award recognizes the company and product that have introduced the greatest innovation in the HVAC/R industry during the past year.
The anxiously awaited announcement was made Jan. 27 at the 2009 AHR Exposition, America’s largest HVAC/R event, before more than 34,000 visiting industry professionals and more than 1,600 exhibiting companies.
“We are proud to receive the Product of the Year Award. It recognizes a great development effort with many Danfoss people contributing at our laboratories, factories, and in our marketing organization,” said John Galyen, president for Danfoss Refrigeration & Air Conditioning-North America. “We work closely with our customer partners to help them deliver end products that yield energy savings, higher performance, and better reliability. We call our approach EnVisioneering, and this is proof positive that it delivers superior products.”
The Danfoss ApexxTM VSH compressor and drive package that is honored with the award is the world’s first high-capacity variable speed scroll solution for commercial R-410A air conditioning and heat pumps.
Danfoss was also the recipient of the Exposition’s 2009 Innovation Award for the Cooling category, making the product the seventh in as many years to win an Innovation Award for Danfoss, a record unmatched by any other company in the industry.
The VSH combines a high efficiency scroll compressor with a specially designed variable frequency drive, and the drive for each package is designed and optimized to specifically match the characteristics of the compressor it is mated with. The drive’s frequency output, from 30 to 90 Hz, controls the capacity delivered by the compressor, and enables the system to always deliver the capacity that meets load demand—no more, and no less.
Air conditioning systems are designed to be able to meet peak demand conditions, but more than 85% of the time, systems work under partial demand conditions. Because Apexx VSH output continuously matches the load, significant energy savings result. Also, much-reduced cycling under partial loads lengthens compressor life, requires less maintenance, and results in enhanced comfort.
Compared to traditional fixed-speed systems, energy savings with a VSH compressor can exceed 20%.
“Apexx VSH achieves much higher efficiency than the next best alternative by supplying, under part load conditions, only the capacity actually needed, but using heat exchangers sized for full load,” said Dr. Mogens H. Rasmussen after receiving the award on behalf of Danfoss. He also pointed out that the application of VSH enables more energy-efficient control strategies for condenser fans, air blowers, and chiller pumps.
“At lower speeds, below 50 Hz, a patented oil injection system eliminates scroll leakage, minimizes efficiency loss, and results in lower discharge pressure. As a consequence, the VSH exhibits high compressor efficiency throughout the speed and capacity range,” Rasmussen added.
Contributing further to ASHRAE energy efficiency, inrush current to a starting Apexx VSH is typically reduced by 70% compared to a fixed-speed compressor, and still more utility savings accrue because the power factor with VSH compressors remains above 0.90 regardless of the load.
VSH compressors cover a design capacity range of 12 to 23 TR (R-410A). Higher capacities are achieved by manifolding or multi-circuiting with fixed speed compressors.
The AHR Exposition Innovation Award was presented to Danfoss at a ceremony in Chicago during the 2009 Exposition. The winning product was selected by a jury of ASHRAE engineers.
“The jury was impressed that VSH users experience better comfort and considerably less operating cost with VSH because there is no wasted capacity as there is with fixed speed compressors and scroll unloading strategies,” said Stephen Gugliotta, director of sales for Danfoss Air Conditioning. “We are proud to receive this award because it is welcome proof of the continuing Danfoss commitment to energy efficiency achieved through engineering innovation.
In another singular achievement, Danfoss also received the Expo’s 2009 Innovation Award for refrigeration for introduction of the AKD 102 variable speed drive, specifically engineered for supermarket refrigeration. In addition to bringing home seven Innovation Awards in as many years, Danfoss is the only company in the industry to win two Innovation Awards in one year.
“These achievements, and the Product of the Year Award, are ones of which we can truly be proud,” said Gugliotta.