Danfoss introduced EcoFlow™ during the 2010 AHR Expo, Jan. 25-27 in Orlando, Fla., which, as a result of innovative thinking, a revolutionary design and patented technologies, solves one of the main challenges within air conditioning: achieving balanced distribution of refrigerant in air-conditioning systems and avoiding maldistribution in evaporator circuits.
Conventional mechanical or electronic expansion valves and distributors cannot equally distribute refrigerant throughout the evaporator, resulting in less than optimal performance, including an efficiency drop between 20 and 40 percent, compared to the total potential of the evaporator.
“The solution is adaptive distribution,” says Stephen Gugliotta, vice president of Danfoss Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Controls, North America. “Packed with innovative features and patented technologies, EcoFlow is the easiest expansion valve to use. Simply install it on the evaporator and leave it to do its business. Gone are the days of calibrating and fine tuning expansion valves to ensure optimal performance. EcoFlow handles everything automatically, constantly monitoring the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator and adjusting the flow to each circuit independently.”
This functionality is possible because of patented technologies, which enable the valve to calculate and adapt the refrigerant flow to each circuit using only one superheat sensor mounted at the evaporator outlet.
By detecting imbalances in the individual circuits, the EcoFlow system corrects uneven refrigerant distribution and reduces superheat temperature, resulting in a consistently stable superheat level in each circuit that then enables near-perfect performance in the entire evaporator, regardless of type. In addition, the EcoFlow is equally applicable in systems ranging between 1 and 7 tons capacity.
The valve’s unique adaptive distribution can boost evaporator performance in excess of 30 percent, increasing the SEER rating of the entire air-conditioning system.
EcoFlow technology also gives other system benefits, such as providing a unique solution for defrosting when used in the outdoor section of heat pumps. Through individual circuit control, the valve can be programmed to skip feeding individual circuits and compensate by increasing the flow through others. In this way, the number of defrost cycles can be dramatically reduced, leading to greater heating efficiency, increased component reliability and improved home comfort.
EcoFlow is also extremely efficient in systems fitted with microchannel heat exchangers. Although well on their way to becoming the new standard within residential air conditioning, microchannel systems are known to suffer from significant refrigerant imbalance.
Because the system continuously monitors the performance of the evaporator and instantly equalizes the flow of refrigerant – eliminating refrigerant maldistribution, EcoFlow allows the true potential of the evaporator to be released, thereby increasing both evaporator and overall system efficiency. This enables developers to design more compact systems with obvious cost reductions with respect to materials and production.
“By introducing EcoFlow, Danfoss is further helping to increase energy efficiency in air-conditioning systems and is continuing to advance environmental protection,” concluded Gugliotta. “This product is just another testament to our EnVisioneeringSM principles, and how design flexibility can benefit system application.”