2018 AHR Expo announces new products

The 2018 AHR Expo (short for International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition) has released information on new and upgraded products and technologies that will be on display at the conference, which will be held Jan. 22-24, 2018 at McCormick Place, Chicago, and is held concurrently with ASHRAE’s Winter Conference.

The 2018 event, co-sponsored by ASHRAE and AHRI, will feature 2,000+ exhibitors, 100+ seminars and product presentations, and more than 65,000 attendees, including contractors, engineers, facility managers, distributors, OEMs and other HVACR industry professionals.

Some of the exhibits will include:

• VFDs (variable frequency drives) for HVAC applications—specifically designed for building automation applications, helping minimize energy costs and maximizing occupant comfort.
• Upgraded Wi-Fi-connected thermostat technology that allows for control via iOS or Android apps, plus email notifications and advanced voice control.
• A digitally controlled mixing valve that provides temperature control for domestic hot water applications.
• New bionic impeller technology with a special blade design, modeled after the tubercles on a whale to ensure an optimized airflow angle and reduced flow separation on the blade surface.
• A self-contained HVAC system for hazardous locations, designed to prevent an explosion by using only non-arcing components installed in a small, light increased safety enclosure.
• An oscilloscope for testing motor shaft voltages, allowing contractors to determine if motors are at risk of premature bearing failure due to bearing currents.
• New electrical test meter technology for true-RMS measurements in crowded junction boxes or along conductors with inaccessible ends points, saving time, minimizing potential errors, and reducing the possibility of arc flash.
• Software that allows engineers and designers to create air systems including both air handlers and rooftop units, including the tools to design complex hydronic, steam, plumbing and VRF (variable refrigerant flow) systems along with control schematics.
• An array of tools, including wire strippers; thermal imaging technology with Wi-Fi that uses an IR camera with an integrated touch-screen; a handheld particle counter for indoor air-quality investigations; and a copper line cleaning tool that removes contaminants from existing refrigeration and air conditioning lines.

More information is available at ahrexpo.com.