Compressor suppliers in high gear serving global refrigeration needs: control systems and new refrigerants part of response to changing times.

A Charoen Pokphand plant in Thailand was one of the winners of the 2008 Technology Awards from the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), announced at its winter meeting held in New York during January.

Apichit Lumlertpongpana, managing director, and Wichai Rungruangprug, engineering manager, I.T.C., Bangkok, accepted first place honors in the new industrial facilities or processes category for their design of the Charoen Pokphand poultry processing facility in the suburb of Chokchai.

The design focused on a refrigeration system and low-temperature air conditioning for the plant, which has a slaughter capacity of 360,000 birds per day. By installing smaller compressors, smaller suction pipes and insulation material, the system saved some $200,000 on equipment and material. Estimated annual energy savings are nearly $300,000 a year, with projected reduction of carbon dioxide emissions amounting to 1,900 metric tons per year. Water usage has been reduced by 91.3%.

Efficiency is paramount today when it comes to equipping frozen food processing and storage facilities--including compressors. Manufacturers are finding ways to make them more efficient than ever, as witness FES Systems, York, Pennsylvania, USA, with its GForce[TM] system.

The recently-introduced GForce microprocessor control panel keeps refrigeration equipment operators in literal "touch" with their refrigeration systems. Its user-friendly touch-screen control panel is designed to do the following operations:

* Screw compressor control

* Reciprocating compressor control

* Compressor sequencing

* Condenser fan/pump sequencing

* Air unit cooling and defrost control

* Pump package control

* Chiller control

* Refrigerant leak detection

* KW limiting/load shedding

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"All of these functions and many more are possible in a single, or distributed across multiple, GForce panels," said James Rohrbaugh, FES Systems' product manager for controls. "The GForce control is not only available on new compressor systems, but can also replace existing controls and can be installed on the following compressor types: Grasso, Mycom, Howden WRV & XRV, Dunham-Bush, Kobe, Sullair A, B and C, Frick RWB, RWF, RXB, RXF and RDB, and Vilter 440, 450 and 450XL. And the list keeps growing."

"An ethernet port makes the panel easily compatible with outside communications," continued Rohrbaugh. "Through a secure Ethernet network, new or existing, a remote user is able to view and access the panel as if standing right in front of it. Any Java-enabled web browser can be used; no additional software is needed."

The GForce panel screen is weather and chemical resistant, and it can withstand even a high-speed impact from a blunt object. The display's backlight will last tens of thousands of hours; the panel's screen saver feature makes sure these are hours of real use. For cleaning the screen, a washdown mode is included. After cleaning, a series of touches in sequence at specific points on the screen will return it to the normal responsive mode.

A dedicated network can be built using only an Ethernet switch and standard Ethernet CAT5 cable running to each GForce panel and to the remote viewing computer. The panel's Ethernet port also supports Modbus/TCP/IP industry standard protocols for providing access to an FES Systems MicroLINK SCADA system, a PLC, the plant's DCS, or any other supervisory system.

A ComMENT Network interface option available for GForce panels makes new FES Systems compressors backward compatible with existing Micro-III based sequencing via the FES Systems ComMENT Network.

FES designs, builds and services refrigeration systems serving the food, beverage, chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical markets in North and South America, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Rim. For additional information visit its web-site at www.fessystems.com.

Other established and start-up companies are also working hard to keep up with demands of the evolving compressor market. That includes Tecumseh Products, Tecumseh, Michigan, USA, which is now aggressively pursuing overseas ventures.

Tecumseh Products India, which supplies air conditioning and refrigeration compressors, has expanded its manufacturing facility by setting up a rotary compressors plant in Hyderabad with an investment of Rs 1 billion ($25.2 million).

The installed capacity of the manufacturing plant, expected to commence production in two months, is 750,000 compressors a year. This is in addition to the existing reciprocating compressor plant, which has a capacity of 900,000 units per annum.

Tecumseh's other manufacturing plant (compressors for commercial refrigeration), in Ballabgarh (Haryana), is equipped to produce 2.4 million units per annum. A subsidiary of Tecumseh Products (USA), the Indian operations came through the acquisition of manufacturing plants of Sriram Refrigeration in Hyderabad and Whirlpool in Ballabgarh in 1997.

"The Indian subsidiary is now the fastest-growing unit, contributing about 12% to our global sales of $1.5 billion," said William J. Merritt Jr., vice president of sales and marketing for the parent company. "We see a tremendous opportunity to further our business as the Indian economy is growing at a faster rate. We expect India to drive growth."

That means staying on the cutting edge, Merritt added: "We are keen on expanding the manufacturing plants in India further to produce the latest products like scroll technology-based compressors locally. The financial details are being worked out. We have similar plans for Brazil, France and North America. But the focus will be on India."

Tecumseh India Managing Director Prabhakar Kadapa said the company will also introduce high efficiency compressors and higher capacity air conditioning compressors in the domestic market. "India is also emerging as a major hub for export of all our products," he stated.

Tecumseh India exports over 60% of its products to South Africa, West Asia, China and Turkey. In India, Tecumseh has partnerships with major brands including LG, Whirlpool, Voltas, Electrolux, Fujitsu, Blue Star and Videocon. Worldwide, it has multiple manufacturing plants producing 70,000 compressors every day.

Midea Electric Appliances, Shanghai, China, meanwhile, has announced it intends to form a refrigeration compressor manufacturing joint venture with a unit of Toshiba Corp., with planned total investment of 492 million yuan ($68.7 million) by October.

The venture, based in the central Chinese province of Anhui, will be 95% owned by Midea and have annual production capacity of five million compressors. Toshiba Carrier Corp. will hold the remaining five percent. Midea will inject 309 million yuan into the venture, which will secure loans to fund the remainder of tile planned total investment.

Building on more than 18-years of experience in the development, design, supply and installation of industrial refrigeration systems and components, Briede International, Inc., San Antonio, Texas, USA, continues its commitment to meeting specific refrigeration requirements.

Briede has partnered with a number of companies, including Hasegawa Refrigeration, LTD., FES Systems, Howden, Hansen Technologies, H.A. Phillips, and Refrigerating Specialties. From reciprocating compressors, screw compressor packages, condensers, condensing units, evaporators, chillers, pressure vessels and freezers to controls, valves and replacement parts, Briede offers economical and reliable solutions for the meat and poultry processing industries as well as other food sectors.

As the exclusive Hasegawa SURELY[R] distributor for North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean, Briede offers the complete range of Hasegawa SURELY single-stage and two-stage reciprocating compressors for a wide range of applications. It also sells a complete range of screw compressor packages for single-stage, booster and high-stage applications.

Hasegawa manufactures the SURELY VK / VKL series reciprocating compressors that boast high volumetric efficiencies, compactness, light weight and ease of operation methods. Features include:

* 4, 6 and 8 cylinder compressors for single-stage or two-stage operation

* VK series has a 3 11/32" bore and 2 1/2" stroke

* VKL series has a 3 11/32" bore and 3 11/32" stroke

* 1,800 RPM maximum speed

* Heat-treated precision cast aluminum alloy pistons and piston rings for superior wear resistance.

* Trochoid gear-type oil pump with automatic reverse rotation mechanism

To better serve its Latin American and Caribbean clients, Briede has established Briede Internacional America Latino to partner with local contractors and distributors to assist clients in bringing their refrigeration requirements to fruition while providing quality and personal service both before and after the sale.

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For more information, contact the company by calling +1 210-520-2900, or visit www.briedeinternational.com or www.brientsa.com.

Sanyo of Japan will soon feature its C[O.sub.2]-based compressors for stationary applications on the Internet at R744.com. The company has been active in the development of the CO2 technology market since the EcoCute hot water heat pumps entered the scene in Japan in 2001.