The rapid development of hydrocarbon technology and its wider application in China, was in evidence at the 23rd China Refrigeration Exhibition 2012, held from 11-13 April in Beijing, where many Chinese stakeholders voiced their support for hydrocarbons as viable options to replace HCFCs in China’s air conditioning industry. Several Chinese AC compressor manufacturers and refrigerant suppliers are vigorously pushing the technology forward.
The China Refrigeration Exhibition is one of the leading international exhibitions for the HVAC&R sector. This year the exhibition attracted about 1,100 participating suppliers and manufacturers and 50,000 visitors from all around the world.
Hydrocarbon refrigerants are being gradually introduced in air conditioner production lines as a replacement of CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs. Rapid research and development in hydrocarbon technology by several leading AC manufacturers in China has awakened many the Chinese industrial stakeholders and the Chinese government to the fact that hydrocarbons are a viable option to replace HCFCs.
China’s HCFC Phase-out Management Plan stipulates that 18 of its R22 air conditioner production lines will be converted to R290 by the end of 2015. At the exhibition, many exhibitors presented their latest research into the production of R290 air conditioners, R290 compressors and hydrocarbon refrigerants.
Hydrocarbon products on display
GREE: At UNEP’s “Ozone2Climate Technology Road Show 2012”, which took place alongside the exhibition, GREE showcased their VDE certified R290 air conditioner. GREE’s R290 production line can currently produce split fixed frequency and inverter household air conditioners, portable air conditioners, window ACs and dehumidifiers, all using R290 as the refrigerant. Whilst the fist batch of R290 ACs was originally exported to Maldives in May 2011, the European Union is GREE’s main export market for the R290 AC. In the Chinese market, GREE is gradually shifting its AC production to HCFC-free air conditioners and in the near future R290 AC will be the main alternative.
Midea/GMCC: Midea’s GMCC R290 Compressor Line officially became a Montreal Protocol Implementation Demonstration Project funded by the United Nations Multilateral Fund (MLF) in 2011. During the “2012 Ozone2Climate Technology Roadshow and Industry Roundtable” held by UNEP Midea presented their research into the development of an R290 air conditioner compressor, for which the company is now ready to start commercial production.
Yueon: Shandong Yueon Chemical Industry CO. LTD. Yueon is one of China’s largest hydrocarbon refrigerant producers. The company presented their JINLAIER R290, R600a and R1270 refrigerants at the exhibition. Shandong Yueon has invested CNY100 million (about €12 million) to enlarge the production scale of R600a and R290 in recent years. The company declared that its annual R290 output will grow to 10,000 tons per year from annual 5,000-6,000 tons now, and the R600a output will reach 18,000 to 20,000 tons from the present 10,000 tons.
HIGHLY: Shanghai HIGHLY Group Co., Ltd. is the world’s second largest air conditioner compressor supplier. At the exhibition, the company presented its G, L, H and TH series compressor models. Although its compressor range at present still focuses on traditional refrigerants, their R290 compressor research already covered all these models. HIGHLY has also obtained several patents regarding CO2 and hydrocarbon technology in China and CO2 and R290 compressors have become HIGHLY’s key research field.
Hydrocarbon refrigerants are being gradually introduced in air conditioner production lines as a replacement of CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs. Rapid research and development in hydrocarbon technology by several leading AC manufacturers in China has awakened many the Chinese industrial stakeholders and the Chinese government to the fact that hydrocarbons are a viable option to replace HCFCs.
China’s HCFC Phase-out Management Plan stipulates that 18 of its R22 air conditioner production lines will be converted to R290 by the end of 2015. At the exhibition, many exhibitors presented their latest research into the production of R290 air conditioners, R290 compressors and hydrocarbon refrigerants.
Hydrocarbon products on display
GREE: At UNEP’s “Ozone2Climate Technology Road Show 2012”, which took place alongside the exhibition, GREE showcased their VDE certified R290 air conditioner. GREE’s R290 production line can currently produce split fixed frequency and inverter household air conditioners, portable air conditioners, window ACs and dehumidifiers, all using R290 as the refrigerant. Whilst the fist batch of R290 ACs was originally exported to Maldives in May 2011, the European Union is GREE’s main export market for the R290 AC. In the Chinese market, GREE is gradually shifting its AC production to HCFC-free air conditioners and in the near future R290 AC will be the main alternative.
Midea/GMCC: Midea’s GMCC R290 Compressor Line officially became a Montreal Protocol Implementation Demonstration Project funded by the United Nations Multilateral Fund (MLF) in 2011. During the “2012 Ozone2Climate Technology Roadshow and Industry Roundtable” held by UNEP Midea presented their research into the development of an R290 air conditioner compressor, for which the company is now ready to start commercial production.
Yueon: Shandong Yueon Chemical Industry CO. LTD. Yueon is one of China’s largest hydrocarbon refrigerant producers. The company presented their JINLAIER R290, R600a and R1270 refrigerants at the exhibition. Shandong Yueon has invested CNY100 million (about €12 million) to enlarge the production scale of R600a and R290 in recent years. The company declared that its annual R290 output will grow to 10,000 tons per year from annual 5,000-6,000 tons now, and the R600a output will reach 18,000 to 20,000 tons from the present 10,000 tons.
HIGHLY: Shanghai HIGHLY Group Co., Ltd. is the world’s second largest air conditioner compressor supplier. At the exhibition, the company presented its G, L, H and TH series compressor models. Although its compressor range at present still focuses on traditional refrigerants, their R290 compressor research already covered all these models. HIGHLY has also obtained several patents regarding CO2 and hydrocarbon technology in China and CO2 and R290 compressors have become HIGHLY’s key research field.
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Apr 17, 2012, 00:00
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