LU-VE Group (through LU-VE Exchangers and Spirotech India) is part of the INDEE Project. The project has been approved by Government and the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of Norway, through SINTEF (Foundation for Industrial and Technical Research Norway) and NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology). The project is part of a plan to promote the use of natural refrigerants, instead of synthetic refrigerants, due to their high global warming potential (GWP).
The INDEE pilot facility is installed in ITT (Indian Institute of Technology Madras) in Chennai (India). LU-VE Group provided the gas coolers (SAV5 model with electronic fans for CO2 transcritical applications) and CO2 de-superheaters (SAV31 model). The structure has been realized by Enex (high-efficiency refrigeration systems using natural fluids). Other components have been provided by Danfoss (ejectors), Dorin (compressors) and Klimal (heat recovery system).
Knowledge transfer on CO2 refrigeration technology is the objective of INDEE Phase 1 at IIT Madras The main aim (INDEE Phase 1). The pilot facility simulates an integrated supermarket HVAC&R unit, designed to maintain three different temperature levels to cover the cooling demand of three different applications such as freezing, refrigeration and air conditioning.
During INDEE Phase 2 (to be approved) industrial demonstrators will be identified and actively support will be given during the design-, commissioning- and usage phase, to disseminate the performance data of the pilot plants. These plants and the increased number of skilled refrigeration engineers will lead to a faster introduction of natural working fluid in India and reduce the current dependency on high cost refrigerants.
