EPTA PARTICIPATES IN THE LIFE22-CCM PROJECT: ON THE FRONT LINE WITH TURBOALGOR TO REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE REFRIGERATION SECTOR

Epta renews its commitment to reducing the environmental impact of refrigeration, participating in the new Life22-CCM project co-financed by the European Community and managed by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency.

Launched on 1 July 2023, with an estimated duration of 36 months, the programme seeks to technologically upgrade the transcritical systems and develop efficient solutions able to increase the performance of the CO2 refrigerant fluid, minimising GHG (greenhouse gases) emissions.

Epta Group, already a protagonist of numerous successful European projects, shares the need to pursue these objectives without delay and has undertaken a collaboration with Turboalgor, key player in the design of refrigeration components, which coordinates the entire programme and the LIFE consortium, and sees the participation of C3 Concrete Cube Certainty and Noesis.

LIFE22-CCM: A FURTHER STEP TOWARDS CLIMATE NEUTRALITY

The LIFE22-CCM project is a further step towards climate neutrality of the EU, in line with the European strategy which, through Green Deal, F-Gas Regulation and strict standards, provides for the reduction of greenhouse gases by 2030 by at least 55% compared to 1990 and the total elimination of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) by 2050.

The participation of Epta aims at showing the technical feasibility and the commercial viability of two solutions patented by Turboalgor namely FPE (Free Piston Expander) and its FCU (Fluid Control Unit) control valve, installed and tested in different powers on the transcritical CO2 systems of the Group, thanks to the identification and elimination of the technological barriers which have limited its adoption to date.  

The solution, which involves a new patented thermodynamic cycle with two heat exchangers, an FPE and an FCU, estimates an increase of up to 19% of the energy efficiency and cooling capacity of up to 25% in the actual system operating conditions.

By virtue of the preliminary results, Epta, which has always been engaged in improving the efficiency of its natural refrigeration systems, is exploring the potential of these new technologies. If the estimated performance is confirmed, this could become the preferential route for all transcritical CO2 systems.