TORAD Inc. has announced that its patented spool compressor reached a peak overall isentropic efficiency of 72.5% using Solstice® ZE (R-1234ze), a refrigerant with zero global warming potential. The 20 TonR unit was tested under ARI standard conditions of 45°F/130°F, achieving an Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) of 12.2 and a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 3.58.
According to the company, this performance milestone demonstrates the viability of environmentally sustainable commercial HVAC systems without the typical cost barriers of next-generation refrigerants.
TORAD stated that its spool compressor technology supports the development of advanced chiller designs aimed at improving system efficiency while balancing cost and environmental requirements.
“The successful combination of the spool compressor and Solstice® ZE creates a cost-effective path to meet challenging global regulatory demands for sustainable cooling solutions and dramatically lowering Green House Gas Emissions,” said Greg Kemp, TORAD CEO and Founder.
The company acknowledged the engineering support of Johnson Controls International, Solstice, Shrieve, Syensqo, GGB, CLAYENS and Force Technology in achieving this result.