CO2 technology and Winter Sport Venues: a perfect matching -G. Pisano-
Efficient
refrigeration systems are at the heart of such sites as they typically
feature large energy draws. Another key driver is connected to comfort
and safety of the large amount of people typically gathering thereby.
CO2 is non toxic and non flammable so it can be considered as a very
good refrigerant for such applications. However, its main limiters were
the unavailability of large trans-critical compressors needed to cost
efficiently cope with the large duties normally involved as well as
possible efficiency penalties for those systems operating all year
around, e.g. during warmer seasons.
However,
with the usual strong focus on market requests, DORIN has once again
shaped the future and recently developed and launched the largest CO2
trans-critical compressors range, with displacements up to 60 m3/h and
100 hp electric motor size: this made it possible to cost-effectively
introduce CO2 trans-critical technology into industrially sized systems,
such as refrigerated warehouses.
At the same time,
leading rack builders have managed to boost the energy efficiency of
their systems by implementing new components, such as ejectors, and by
integrating comfort heating in their equipment, making the venues
totally energy self sufficient by only using the refrigeration units
heat reclaim.
The
aforementioned improvements (large DORIN CO2 compressors, ejectors,
heat reclaim) made it possible to use CO2 trans-critical technology in
various sites, including the famous SNØ Arena, in Norway. This venue
features 35.000 m2 total snow area with an elevation of 90 m powered by
3.5 MW refrigeration duty delivered only by 3 CO2 trans-critical racks.
The
units have already been successfully commissioned and the site is up
and running with excellent performance levels. This definitely confirms
that CO2 can be safely, cost effectively and efficiently used in winter
sport venues refrigeration systems.
