Danfoss recently conducted an online survey to gauge industry acceptance of CO<sub>2</sub> refrigeration systems in North America.
Intended to serve as an industry indicator, the survey collected input from commercial and industrial refrigeration OEMs, consultants, contractors, and end users.
<strong>CO<sub>2</sub> in commercial refrigeration </strong>
According to the survey, the commercial refrigeration industry continues to see CO<sub>2</sub> as a viable mainstream technology for refrigeration (82 percent of OEMs; 91 percent of consultants and end users), and about half of OEMs responding see CO<sub>2</sub> refrigeration as being at least 16 percent of their business within the next five years. In a similar study conducted in 2012, less than 20 percent of OEMs saw CO<sub>2</sub>comprising at least 16 percent of their business.
The majority of commercial refrigeration consultants and end users are today engaged in CO<sub>2</sub> projects, citing pending legislation/regulations and corporate sustainability goals are key drivers in the decision to use CO<sub>2</sub>. However, at the same time, they identified the high initial system cost as a primary barrier to deployment.
“The results of this survey validate the ongoing growth we are seeing in CO<sub>2</sub> projects across North America,” said Peter Dee, sales and services director – food retail, Danfoss. “Globally, Danfoss has been involved in more than 10,000 CO<sub>2</sub> refrigeration projects, and we are using this experience to continue investing in technologies like our new CTM Multi-Ejectors that help to minimize the challenges and application barriers to CO<sub>2</sub>. We have also recently launched our CO<sub>2</sub> Mobile Training Unit to address the critical need for training.”
<strong>CO<sub>2</sub> in industrial refrigeration </strong>
The survey also identified similar acceptance in the industrial refrigeration market. Fifty-seven percent of responding OEMs and contractors and forty-three percent of consultants and end users indicated they have already either been involved in a CO<sub>2</sub> refrigeration project or have plans to be. However, OEMs and contractors do not see CO<sub>2</sub> becoming a significant part of their business in the near future.
OEMs and contractors identified the removal of ammonia, in terms of improved safety and reduced ammonia charge, as key drivers in using CO<sub>2</sub>. Consultants and end users agreed, but also cited pending legislation/regulation as important factors. In contrast to the commercial refrigeration industry, industrial refrigeration respondents said the primary barrier to further CO<sub>2</sub> use is the result of end user and contractor familiarity and training.
This industry indicator on CO<sub>2</sub> was conducted as a follow up to a similar survey conducted by Danfoss in 2012 to gauge the market acceptance of CO<sub>2</sub> refrigeration. The survey was distributed via email to approximately 1,100 people that do business in commercial or industrial refrigeration applications.
<a href="
http://refcatalog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Refrigerants-CO2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-4000" src="
http://refcatalog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Refrigerants-CO2-500x281.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="281" /></a>
<a href="
http://refrigerationandairconditioning.danfoss.us" target="_blank">Read More</a>