Air-cooled screw chiller

Kaltra expands its presence in South and Eastern Africa


In the light of growing South and Eastern African sales, Kaltra strengthened its regional presence in cooperation with MTCA – one of the regional leaders headquartered in Port Louis, Mauritius. MTCA is well-experienced with installing, commissioning, and servicing Kaltra chillers and has a strong background in the maintenance of chillers of other brands, including replacing microchannel condenser coils.

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Air-cooled chiller Lightstream Screw Evo

New-gen Lightstream Evo chillers to be introduced in April 2024

Kaltra completes its portfolio of air-cooled units with third-generation Lightstream Screw Evo — an air-cooled chiller based on semi-hermetic screw compressors and running on green refrigerants. These chillers significantly exceed EcoDesign 2021 efficiency levels (Directive 2009/125/EC) owing to several innovations incorporated in their design.

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Precision air conditioner

Kaltra introduces the new generation of its Delta CRAC units


The new generation of precision air conditioners includes Delta DX II lineup equipped with fixed-speed scroll compressors and Delta DXi II with inverter-driven compressors. The range with fixed-speed scrolls consists of 28 models from 35 to 135kW in downflow or upflow configurations. Inverter-driven units are available in a capacity range of 30-140kW.

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Air-cooled chiller

Free cooling Lightstream Turbo II now available on R1234ze


Last month, Kaltra added a free cooling version to its Lightstream Turbo II R1234ze range, targeting hyperscale data centers and critical IT infrastructures.

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MCHE assembly

Superhydrophobic microchannel heat exchanger for heat pump performance enhancement


Amid the global shift towards carbon neutrality, air-source heat pumps (ASHP) have emerged as efficient and environmentally beneficial to traditional boilers, attracting substantial attention in recent years. Contrary to the cooling process, where the condenser is inside, the heating process uses an indoor condenser and an outdoor evaporator in ASHPs.

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Water-cooled chiller

Kaltra debuts water-cooled Easystream Evo chillers/heat pumps on R454b


Designed to meet ambitious efficiency targets and equipped with rotary scroll compressors incorporating intermediate discharge valve (IDV) technology, Easystream Evo is the first series of Kaltra’s 4th generation chillers/reversible heat pumps. It offers cooling capacities from 50kW up to 250kW and up to 20% higher energy efficiency ratios (EER) in the standard version and up to 33% higher EER in its flagship version than the previous range. Even higher efficiencies can be reached in part-load operations.

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Controlled-atmosphere brazing furnace

MCHE brazing process in detail

Brazing is the joining of metals – aluminum, in the case of microchannel heat exchangers – with the use of molten filler metal. During melting, the filler metal spreads between the closely fitted parts and forms a fillet around the joints. This creates a metallurgical bond when cooled.

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MCHE factory machinery

Kaltra improves delivery time for heat exchangers

With expansion of production facilities which included installation of two new CAB furnaces with large indexing grids and intended for high-volume production runs completed in Q2 2023, Kaltra reduced manufacturing time for microchannel heat exchangers by 30%.

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MCHE replacement coils for York chillers

Kaltra supplied replacement coils for large chiller installation in Florida, USA


Florida is a high-corrosivity region due to several factors, mainly due to marine atmosphere with high airborne salinity, and falls into the range provided for an ISO C3 category classification and even C4 for coastal areas. For C3 category environments, aluminum coils like microchannel heat exchangers without protective coating are unsuitable but are often used because of their low cost compared to coils with electrophoretic epoxy-coated ones. Traditional uncoated copper-aluminum coils demonstrate even worse corrosion resistance in C3/C4 regions.

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Kaltra USA

Kaltra to open a subsidiary in the USA

To expand its presence and the scope of its business in the USA, Kaltra announced opening a hub office in Tacoma, WA, which would primarily be focused on sales and service of heat exchange products.

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Air-cooled chiller

First Ultracompact-V II chillers delivered for Stettler Mauritius – the world’s leading manufacturer of sapphire products


In May 2023, Kaltra delivered its first Ultracompact-V II chillers, recently upgraded for higher operating efficiency with new control software, twin-slab condenser coils, and high-efficiency packages (optional). These improvements aimed at increasing both cooling capacity and seasonal energy efficiency by 10% and 15%, respectively, compared to the previous generation of Ultracompact-V chillers.

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Microchannel evaporator

Refrigerant distribution optimization for microchannel evaporators


Microchannel evaporators are being increasingly used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems, since they aid in reducing refrigerant charge, enhancing heat transfer performance, lowering tube-side pressure drop, and reducing system size. However, as with other types of evaporators, microchannel evaporators face the issue of refrigerant maldistribution. This phenomenon leads to unequal superheated vapor at tube exits and prevents optimum utilization of the heat exchanger surface.

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Sales report

Kaltra pleased with its performance in FY22 Q2

Kaltra, the leading provider of HVAC equipment and microchannel heat exchangers, today reported financial results for the second quarter of 2022 and increased its year-earnings outlook.

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Financial results Q2 2021

Kaltra reports record sales in the first quarter of 2023


Kaltra has reported a record first quarter with net sales increase of 89% over Q1 2022 and 45% over the previous quarter. Excluding the impact of currency and acquisitions, organic sales increased by 87%. Despite a significant rise in energy costs, Kaltra has delivered sequential sales growth during the past ten quarters.

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Replacement coil

Reduced prices for replacement coils for seasonal peak


Cooling season 2023 in the Global North is about to start, and chiller owners and facility operators conduct seasonal maintenance. As is often the case, various issues are detected, including leaks or other damages beyond repair in condenser coils.

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Industrial dry cooler

Kaltra updates its Mistral series dry coolers


The Mistral series is the most popular range of dry coolers offered by Kaltra that includes flat and V-shaped models with finned-pack copper-aluminum coils and capacities of up to 3MW in dry operation.

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Microchannel evaporator

Microchannel evaporators: a study for efficiency optimization


Microchannel evaporators provide several advantages over traditional coils, the most important of which are high heat transfer rates and low internal volume, and have been widely studied with a focus on refrigerant distribution and condensate behavior. The present study reviews the impacts of refrigerant charge quantity and arrangement of refrigerant inlets and outlets on evaporator performance.

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Powerstream Turbo II chiller

Kaltra offers reengineered Turbocor-based chillers


With the launch of Powerstream Turbo II water-cooled chillers this month, Kaltra extends and improves its portfolio for IT- and process cooling applications. In terms of energy efficiency, new chillers are a step ahead of mainstream units available on the market, far exceeding seasonal efficiency levels of EcoDesign 2021 specification.

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Precision air conditioner

Modernized Delta DX/DXi II range to be presented in February


The portfolio of most demanded direct expansion precision air conditioners is to be modernized in February 2023 and receive the latest generation scroll compressors with inverter drives (ranging in cooling capacity 30-140kW) and fixed-speed (35-135kW), new, compact enclosures, high-speed PLC controllers, and finned-pack or microchannel evaporators (for single-circuit units with capacity up to 75kW).

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MCHE production

Kaltra reported 2022 full-year financial performance


Kaltra GmbH and its subsidiaries (“Kaltra”) announced fiscal net revenue up 15% from the prior-year period and 4% above the previously provided outlook. This demonstrates a solid end to the fiscal year despite navigating a volatile macro-environment and softening demand in the second half.

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Serpentine condenser

Serpentine condensers gain retail cooling market


Retail chains in many countries are reviewing their carbon footprint and are focusing on refrigeration systems, particularly on choosing non-HFC, environment-friendly gases. While transiting to lower GWP refrigerants, among which flammable and mildly flammable gases like propane and HFOs, refrigerant quantity and, correspondingly, gas circuit volumes become essential factors in systems’ design.

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Controlled-atmosphere brazing furnace

Two more CAB furnaces for MCHE brazing are to be installed in Q1 2023



Continuously rising demand for microchannel heat exchangers compels Kaltra to expand manufacturing by installing two additional controlled-atmosphere brazing (CAB) furnaces with the overall potential to double heat exchanger production.

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Altmunster office

Relocation of Kaltra Altmünster office


With business growth in South Germany, Austria and neighboring areas, Kaltra relocated its office in Altmünster to a new, spacious location to meet this expansion and extend the resources offered to customers.

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Air-cooled screw chiller

Kaltra supplies high-efficient chillers for Sloterdijk, a business district in Amsterdam


Kaltra is finalizing manufacturing for air-cooled chillers with high-efficiency packages ordered by its customer in the Netherlands, intended to service a business center in Sloterdijk, Amsterdam municipality.

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Dry cooler

Kaltra begins production of dry coolers with stainless steel heat exchangers


In Q3 2022, Kaltra extended its range of flatbed Mistral-F dry coolers by introducing models equipped with new finned-pack heat exchangers with stainless steel tubes and aluminum fins.

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Air-cooled chiller

Kaltra introduced inverter chillers on refrigerant R32


The lineup of scroll chillers, Ultracompact II, was added by models equipped with inverter-driven compressors running on refrigerant R32, covering capacities from 50 to 150 kilowatts. New R32 chillers fully comply with current Ecodesign regulations, performing with SERP HT values of up to 6.30.

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E-coated microchannel heat exchanger

What is and how works e-coating?


What Is E-coating?

E-coating (electrocoating, electrophoretic deposition) is an immersion wet paint finishing process using electrical current to attract the paint particles suspended in a bath to the metal surface, in the context of microchannel heat exchangers – to aluminum.

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Freecooling chillers

R454b is now an option for Lightstream Scroll II chillers with freecooling


Strengthening the competitiveness of its range of freecooling chillers, Kaltra has introduced in the market the new Lightstream Scroll II with refrigerant R454b. These chillers are the latest in an array of innovative products to help users stay one step ahead of rising energy costs and increasingly stringent environmental legislation.

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Hydrophilic-treated MCHE

Hydrophilic topcoat for microchannel heat exchangers


Condensation management is essential to ensuring the efficient function of heat exchangers and critical for the correct operation of evaporators.

Hydrophilic topcoats, surfaces tending not to adsorb water or be wetted by water, are effective in environments of excessive condensation, as they enable water to flow easily off the heat exchanger surface by virtue of lowered surface tension, thereby enhancing heat transfer performance in wet and frost conditions. At the same time, hydrophilic coatings protect heat exchangers from the corrosive effect of water and exhibit fine performance in providing protection in salty environments.

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Sales report

Kaltra pleased with its performance in FY22 Q2

Kaltra, the leading provider of HVAC equipment and microchannel heat exchangers, today reported financial results for the second quarter of 2022 and increased its year-earnings outlook.

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Air-cooled screw chiller

Yet another air-cooled chiller of Kaltra’s flagship lineup delivered to Scotland

Last week Kaltra handed over a low-GWP chiller from its most innovative, ErP 2021 compliant Lightstream Screw II lineup to the client in the UK.

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Twin-slab microchannel condenser

Twin-slab condenser coils bring efficiency advantages


Kaltra has launched new twin-slab microchannel condenser coils that maximize performance and efficiency in air-to-refrigerant applications. Previously employed and evaluated in Kaltra air-cooled chillers, this solution achieved superior performance results and is now available for end customers and OEMs.

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Screw chiller

New screw chillers: 24/7 service under toughest operating conditions


Dangerously high summer temperatures, highlands above 1800 meters, sandstorms and year-round operations – are conditions under which the new cooling system that includes two Kaltra chillers should reliable function, supplying chilled water to the pharmaceutical plant and product storage area in Tehran.

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Twin-slab air-cooled condenser

Bora air-cooled condensers received enhanced heat exchangers


This week Kaltra is launching air-cooled refrigerant condensers of the Bora VS series equipped with new, twin-slab microchannel heat exchangers operating with a counterflow of refrigerant and air and arranged in 4-coil V-banks. This innovative solution was successfully adopted earlier in the second generation of Lightstream air-cooled chillers.

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Financial results Q1 2022

Kaltra has reported strong sales in Q1, with heat exchangers up over 20%


In Q1 2022, microchannel heat exchanger sales in North America increased at a good pace, mainly attributable to a new market strategy that included the implementation of effective sales processes, policies and procedures that have a direct bearing on the company’s sales. In Europe, sales figures grew 10% in January-March over the corresponding period of the previous quarter.

Overall, net sales for the Kaltra group were up 8%, with sales acceleration in March relative to their rate one year ago.

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Air-cooled chiller R290 propane

Propane-driven chillers to be added to Kaltra lineup


In Q3 2022, Kaltra’s portfolio of high-efficient air-cooled chillers will be extended with R290 (propane) models based on the Versa platform initially launched in 2019.

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Multiport tubes

Microchannel heat exchangers for refrigeration systems running on R32 and other flammable refrigerants


High global warming potential refrigerants for refrigeration systems are being phased out because they are one of the culprits of climate change, while, at the same time, nearly 50 alternative refrigerants are classified as environment-safe.

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Serpentine heat exchanger

Strong demand for compact microchannel coils triggered production capacity expansion at Kaltra


Due to the high and constantly growing market demand for compact microchannel coils, Kaltra expands its manufacturing capabilities of serpentine heat exchangers by installing new tube bending machines and assembly lines equipped with semi-automatic core builders, fin mills and fin inserting machines.

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Lightstream Screw II air-cooled chiller

Kaltra brings high water temperature chillers for data center applications


Kaltra has implemented specific optimization for its latest-generation water chillers based on scroll (Lightstream Scroll II) and screw (Lightstream Screw II) compressors with the objective of adaptation to high water temperatures and increased energy efficiency over the course of the year. Both air-cooled and free cooling configurations of Lightstream Scroll II and Lightstream Screw II now operate with return water temperatures of up to 31°C and follow cutting-edge data centers trends.

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Precision air conditioner

Kaltra presented its second generation of compact precision cooling units


Compact DX II, the second generation of Kaltra’s compact precision air conditioners, ensures unmatched peace of mind in the operation of precision cooling applications. As proven by numerous customers across the globe, this family of air conditioners delivers the lowest total ownership cost of any precision cooling system on the market. The revised version – Compact DX II – is set to further improve efficiency and reliability figures.

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Precision air conditioner

Novel design provides more cooling, higher availability for Lambda precision cooling system


Kaltra has announced the forthcoming launch of Lambda DX/DXU II precision air conditioners with updated microchannel evaporators. Due to be launched in March 2022, the new Lambda will be available in downflow configurations, with integrated or underfloor fan compartments.

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Microchannel evaporator coil

Dual-circuit microchannel evaporators to revamp performance of air-source heat pumps


In carrying forward work on microchannel evaporator designs, Kaltra presented its successive generation of coils intended for both indoor and outdoor use in air conditioners and air-source heat pumps. Thanks to the ingenuity of its dual-circuit arrangement, new evaporators offer maximum efficiency while at the same time dealing with challenges of operation in frosting conditions.

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Reefer containers

Microchannel coils for trailer and reefer container applications


Recently, Kaltra developed special series of microchannel condenser coils tailored for the most challenging refrigeration applications in reliability – refrigerated containers and trailers.

Aluminum alloys, surface treatments and thickness of tube walls of these coils have all been specially sourced for application to contribute to system reliability and extended lifespan.

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Water-cooled inverter chiller

Kaltra steps up with Powerstream II inverter chillers on R1234ze


The portfolio of Kaltra’s cooling equipment is now extended with Powerstream II water-cooled chillers driven by inverter screw compressors and running on R1234ze: a solution that is both environmentally safe and highly energy efficient. A lineup of 12 models covers nominal cooling duties from 400 to 1250kW.

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Microchannel heat exchanger for ammonia

Microchannel heat exchangers for ammonia refrigeration



An excellent opportunity for the wide use of ammonia arose with the advance in microchannel heat exchanger technology, with its low refrigerant charge and high heat transfer coefficients for condensation.

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Core builder for microchannel heat exchangers

Kaltra further expands its manufacturing capacity


To address the growing number of orders for microchannel heat exchangers that come last quarters and in response to the increased sophistication and complexity of our customers’ requirements, Kaltra reinforces its manufacturing capabilities by investing in additional production machinery.

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Financial results Q3 2021

Kaltra’s business performance demonstrated resilience in Q3 2021


In the third quarter of 2021, Kaltra sales were up 12% versus Q2 on a reported basis. Q3 solid performance drives guidance upgrade to around 27% business growth in 2021.

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Screw compressor chiller

Improved efficiency for water-cooled liquid chillers


As the number of water-cooled systems is notably increasing in Europe while efficiency requirements become more stringent, Kaltra takes another step with producing water-cooled chillers based on the latest screw compressor technology from Bitzer – with new optimized motors and oil charge.

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Cooling plant

Kaltra has added heat recovery to the latest generation of its air-cooled chillers


Production of domestic hot water is now possible with Kaltra’s last-generation air-cooled chillers fitted with desuperheaters, including ranges with scroll and screw compressors. Optimized-flow heat exchanger installed in between compressors and condenser coils and acting as a desuperheater offer heating duty of up to 30% of chiller’s cooling capacity in hot water supply temperature range from 30°C to 60°C.

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Air-cooled chiller

Free cooling modules to integrate with air-cooled chillers


With the start of the free cooling season, Kaltra has announced the availability of scalable free cooling modules that can be paired with its air-cooled chillers, including the Lightstream Screw II models with inverter-driven and fixed-speed screw compressors and Lightstream Scroll II series chillers.

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Microchannel coil

Microchannel coils: your best choice for propane applications


Propane (R290) is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon used successfully in industrial refrigeration for many years received attention from designers, contractors, operators, and retailers to reduce greenhouse emissions. An indication of the increasing acceptance of propane is its adoption by many key customers from large supermarket and shopping mall chains to franchise food stores and minimarts at gas stations throughout the world. The latest trend in this market segment is adopting microchannel heat exchangers – condensers and evaporators.

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Financial results Q2 2021

Kaltra reports unexampled Q2 2021 results


According to the latest company data, extensive sales growth observed in preceding quarters continued in Q2 2021, totaling 23% year-on-year and by 11% quarter-on-quarter.

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Hydroworx hydronic module

Kaltra offers packaged hydronic modules for its air-cooled chillers


Hydroworx™ hydronic modules can be added to new-built chillers or easily integrated into existing installations. In either case, the Hydroworx™ cabinet couples directly with the chiller, forming a single skid.

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Precision cooling unit R32

Kaltra adds R32 version of Compact DX precision cooling units


Kaltra extended its Compact DX series of precision cooling units with models running on refrigerant R32. This new offering targeted telecom and IT environment cooling applications: where close temperature control and high sensible cooling are a must.

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Replacement coil

A quick guide to OEM replacement coils

Introduction

Microchannel coils have become a mainstay in the HVAC industry for most air-cooled chillers and other air conditioning equipment. Aluminum microchannel heat exchangers (often abbreviated as MCHE or MCHX) offer a line of advantages for both manufacturers and end-users:

  • Reduced refrigerant footprint: internal volume of a microchannel condenser is about up to 60% smaller compared to a finned pack coil with copper tubes of the same capacity.
  • High corrosion resistance contributes to longer coil service life.
  • Lower required fan power draw as air pressure resistance of MCHE coils is low.
  • As a cheaper material, aluminum help keep condenser costs down.
  • Low weight.

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Industrial dry cooler

Biomass power plant cooling with dry coolers


In power plants, the largest water consumers are cooling systems, as a large amount of heat must be removed to condense the steam used to drive turbine generators. Historically, cooling was provided by water sources – rivers and lakes, but nowadays, more and more power plants use dry cooling systems that use little to no water. These systems have higher capital costs but use more than 95% less water than wet cooling systems.

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Microchannel evaporator

Optimized microchannel evaporator design boosts efficiency


The company’s research center completes work on the streamlined microchannel evaporator design that displays amplified performance under partial load conditions. Evaporator’s outlet manifold was subjected to optimization to achieve optimum refrigerant distribution between multiport tubes.

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Industrial dry cooler

Dry cooler selection: what do you need to know?

Introduction

Dry coolers are heat rejection devices used to cool down process liquids such as water, glycols, oils by forced dissipation of heat energy to the atmosphere. In contrast to wet cooling towers, dry coolers are closed-circuit systems, involving no direct contact between air and process fluid.

Dry coolers can be used as stand-alone fluid coolers or as a part of an air conditioning or refrigeration system to cool fluids in intermediate heat exchangers, water chillers’ evaporators, and for many other purposes.

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Chiller sequence management

Kaltra introduces built-in sequence management for its 2nd generation chillers


Following numerous performance improvements and enhancing functionality implemented in the latest version of control software installed on second-generation chillers, Kaltra adds sequence management as an option available for air-cooled models equipped with scroll, screw, and Turbocor-based chillers, as well as for chiller versions with free cooling.

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Financial report Q1 2021

Kaltra delivers a strong finish to Q1 2021


Entering the first quarter, the company recorded double-digit growth rates across its biggest markets in Europe. This is the result of a great team effort by all of our employees. Despite the adverse economic climate, we still used the year to make Kaltra a better company.

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Industrial dry cooler

3.5MW cooling for backward-integrated xylitol factory


Awarded a contract for cooling equipment supply in 2020, Kaltra recently delivered dry coolers of the total capacity of 3500kW to its customer in Lahti, Finland, a world-known food processing company that constructs an innovative, oat hull-based xylitol production factory. The plant includes a bio-heating facility to produce bioenergy for the xylitol production, mill, and rye crisp production lines.

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Lightstream Screw II Inverter air-cooled chiller

Efficiency step up for variable speed chillers

Kaltra has officially launched the Lightstream Screw II Inverter chiller lineup, its next generation of air-cooled chillers, now compliant with Ecodesign Tier-2 requirements.

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Air-cooled chiller

First installation of Lightstream Screw II low-GWP chiller lands in Latvia


In the last week of April, the first new-generation Lightstream Screw II chiller pre-ordered in end-January has been delivered to the customer in Riga, Latvia.

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Compact precision air conditioner

Future-proof and compact: new precision cooling units


Following current trends in telecom and IT cooling, Kaltra has announced Compact CW – chilled water cooling units in an ultra-compact design with enclosure depth as small as 490mm. The range includes 5 enclosure sizes, from 585 to 1885mm, delivering cooling capacities from 5 to 65kW.

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Air-cooled scroll chillers

10% higher efficiency for Ultracompact II chiller family


Family of Ultracompact II chillers with air-cooled condensers received latest-generation scroll compressors and now offered with lower GWP refrigerants R32, R452b, and R454b. Combined with this, operation efficiency has been lifted by 6% for chillers running on R410a and by 10% for those running on lower GWP gases.

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Air-cooled condenser

Kaltra extends its range of air-cooled condensers with Bora XL


Model Bora XL air-cooled condensers, designed for outdoor applications, provide an efficient and practical solution to the selection of condensing equipment. These condensers feature an innovative design aiming to increase the performance and energy efficiency to meet today’s industrial and commercial refrigeration’s stringent needs.

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Variable-speed chillers

Kaltra brings variable-speed compressors to Easystream II chillers


This month Kaltra has upgraded its Easystream II water chillers with the addition of new models running on inverter-driven scroll compressors. The new models, Easystream II Inverter, deliver up to 10% better COP and up to a 5% increase in ESEER within the same footprint and weight.

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Lightstream Screw II air-cooled chiller

Kaltra set to launch next-generation screw chillers


Kaltra has overhauled its screw-compressor chillers to deliver higher operational efficiency with the new Lightstream Screw II range. Improvements include the latest screw compressors by Bitzer with smooth capacity regulation, redesigned refrigeration circuit, and evaporators.

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Bora XL series dry cooler

Saving energy and water with redefined dry coolers


With water and energy becoming very precious resources, dry coolers provide a water-saving alternative to open-circuit cooling towers. With its new dry cooler optimized to deliver long-term savings in water, energy, and maintenance time, Kaltra shows the massive potential offered by its technology.

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High-lift Turbocor chiller

New Lightstream Turbo II subrange benefit high-lift applications


With the continuously rising demand for cooling in hot climate regions, low-temperature process applications, and heat recovery solutions, Kaltra had busied developing chillers for high temperature lift applications. Efforts were made towards the design of Turbocor-based air-cooled chillers as the most energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable solution.

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Free cooling chiller

Kaltra updated chillers to comply with ErP 2021


This week Kaltra completed the modernization for all its chiller families for compliance with Tier-2 Ecodesign Directive requirements that have come into force from January 2021.

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R32 scroll chiller

Lower-GWP alternatives to refrigerant R410a for air-cooled chillers


Customers are increasingly moving towards air conditioning and refrigeration equipment running on lower-GWP alternatives than currently widely used refrigerant R410a.

The current restrictions, such as Europe’s F-Gas regulations, have started the phase-down of HFCs, including R410a, to slow global warming and reduce direct carbon emissions. With the start of HFCs phase-down, prices and availability of these refrigerants were significantly affected and led to a growing demand for lower-GWP alternatives.

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Air-source heat pump

Microchannel coils for air-source heat pumps


Microchannel heat exchangers have seen increased application in air-to-water heat pumps due to offering significant charge reduction, compactness, lower air pressure drop, and consequentially, lower fan power consumption compared to traditional round tube-plate fin coils.

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Precision air conditioner

Refrigerant economizer option available for Lambda DX CRAC units


Kaltra is set to launch its Lambda DX precision air conditioning system employing pumped refrigerant economizer. Lambda DX combines direct expansion operation during warmer ambient temperatures and refrigerant economizer mode during cooler temperatures, resulting in a reduction in annual power consumption for the system.

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Production plant

Kaltra 2020 sales is +33%, with production up ~30%


The 2020 production was above previous guidance, averaged at +33% of the company’s and its affiliates’ results in 2019, and setting the momentum for 2021 – amidst strong macro-economic headwinds. The company also recorded its highest-ever Q4 production, registering a 40% year-over-year growth for Q4.

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CRAH unit

Kaltra to launch dual-circuit precision cooling units


Continuing to expand its solution portfolio for data center cooling, Kaltra releases dual-circuit precision air conditioners running on chilled water in pursuing optimum availability in mission-critical applications.

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Cooling plant

Kaltra intends to adopt R515b for its water chillers


The development of environmentally friendly refrigerants for air conditioning and refrigeration equipment is imperative to the growth of HVAC technology. The low-GWP refrigerants like R1234ze are promising candidates for replacing HFC refrigerants. However, these refrigerants are flammable. To address the flammability issue, Honeywell developed Solstice® N15, a non-flammable HFO blend.

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Controlled-atmosphere brazing furnace

Kaltra expands manufacturing capabilities


Responding to the increase in demand for microchannel heat exchangers for HVAC applications, Kaltra expands production capacity at its S-1 plant by installing the additional automatic core builders, fin rolling machines, and helium leak detection systems. This significant injection allows Kaltra to increase the annual production of microchannel coils by 20%.

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Rack cooling

Rack cooling for high-density IT applications

Why rack-level cooling?

Heat densities and, consequently, cooling costs rise a lot for modern data centers, making cooling efficiency the stirring topic for data center professionals.  The reason for growing heat densities is advance in IT technologies like cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, and growth in mobile data volumes.

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Sales report

Kaltra registered record sales in Q3 2020


Kaltra has announced a record sales increase of 25% in the third quarter compared to the same period last year, despite the negative events of the year 2020.

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Free cooling chiller

Cutting energy costs with free cooling chillers

Free Cooling Concept

Free cooling is a method of cooling by using ambient air rather than performing the refrigeration cycle with, e.g., with a chiller. Many cooling systems engaged for air conditioning or industrial cooling require chilled water throughout the year. During cold seasons, ambient air is cool enough, colder than the supply chilled water setpoint, and mechanical cooling with the chiller’s compressors can be replaced with the free cooling operation. Even in warm climates, free cooling can produce energy savings, as fan motors consume much less energy than compressors.

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Heat exchanger coating

Kaltra puts forward innovative high-tech coating to improve heat exchanger performance


Surface coatings play an important role in increasing the service life of heat exchangers and, consequently, HVAC equipment’s lifespan. Surface coatings may also positively impact heat transfer efficiency – but this potential remained unfulfilled until now.

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Chillventa 2020

Kaltra to participate in Chillventa 2020 trade fair


Kaltra continues to develop its environment-friendly refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, microchannel heat exchangers – together with all related services for our esteemed customers.

This year Kaltra is participating in the world-famous Chillventa 2020. The forum has long been widely known to all specialists in the field of refrigeration and air conditioning systems and our customers. During the pandemic, when personal communications in business are limited, the exhibition is held in a virtual format, but it continues to be a platform where we can present our latest developments and technologies, show our reliability and growing potential, become closer to our customers.

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Product selection software

Kaltra updates selection software for its products


The latest update of KaltraSELECT selection software allows customers to calculate the performance data for all Kaltra products, including chillers, air-cooled condensers, air conditioners, and dry coolers. With this, Kaltra offers flexible tools for users to select appropriate products and systems.

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Dry cooler

Kaltra raises the bar for industrial dry coolers


Kaltra has extended its range of high-capacity dry coolers with Mistral series units in a V-shaped configuration, up to 2000kW in the air-cooled version and as high as up to 3000kW with the adiabatic: a total of about 500 models.

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Chiller with microchannel condenser coils

Microchannel condenser coil replacement project


This month, Kaltra announced the completion of a service project for the replacement of condenser coils for the chilled water production plant of a Tier-III data center in Munich, Germany. More than 120 original heat exchangers reaching the end of service life have been replaced with Kaltra coils providing a long lifespan and additional corrosion protection.

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Precision air conditioner

Kaltra acquaints customers with updated Lambda DX precision air conditioning units


Lambda DX/FGB, the latest addition to Kaltra’s IT cooling portfolio, offers flash gas bypass technology for these precision air conditioners, improving the system’s energy efficiency. With more cooling for less space, Lambda DX/FGB delivers accurate temperature and humidity control, whilst contributing to lower energy use.

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CRAC unit

Kaltra extends its range of precision air conditioners for IT cooling


Kaltra is now offering its Lambda II-M range of modular precision air conditioning units with two cooling circuits as an option to standard units, to further increase overall system redundancy to meet the highest demands for critical IT cooling applications, including colocation and hyperscale data centers.

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Screw chiller

Capacity control for screw-compressor chillers


Capacity control is in high demand for many cooling systems where cooling loads are not constant, and adjusting the system’s capacity to meet the prevailing load is essential for optimum efficiency. Efficiency primarily depends on compressor suction and discharge pressures, with the influence of secondary factors like useful and non-useful superheat and subcooling. As the screw compressor unloads, its suction pressure lowers (at the fixed condensing temperature), and efficiency decreases. Capacity control mechanisms allow maintaining the desired suction pressure by adjusting the refrigerant flow through the compressor.

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Microchannel heat exchanger manufacturing plant

Kaltra chases market growth, strengthens regional presence in France and Italy


Facing rapidly growing interest and sales in the region, Kaltra expands its regional support for microchannel heat exchangers in France and Italy. Services in the area primarily focused on OEM customers and include engineering support, warehousing, and aftersales.

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R452b scroll chiller

Kaltra adds R454b models to two of its chiller lineups


Cognizant of its environmental stewardship and responsibility, Kaltra advances with low global warming potential solutions for chillers, now releasing R454b versions of its scroll compressor-based models.

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Microchannel coil

Charging microchannel coils


Microchannel coils are here to stay. Their use is rapidly spreading to a variety of HVAC applications. Microchannel heat exchangers are stronger, lighter, offer higher heat transfer compared to other types of air-to-refrigerant coils. They are smaller in size and also in internal volume, resulting in a refrigerant charge that is significantly reduced.

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Turbocor centrifugal chiller

New Lightstream Turbo II chillers received falling-film evaporators


Recently introduced chiller family based on Turbocor oil-free compressors and distinguished by high energy efficiency and environmental safety, received falling-film evaporators in addition to flooded models.

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Cooling plant

Kaltra improves terms for heat exchanger supplies


At Kaltra, the importance of top-notch service has always been seen as essential in the delivery of components. Kaltra’s forward-focused strategic approach, which always led to a successful relationship with our customers right in the early stages, ensures our competitive advantages in the long run and a key to our successful businesses. In the framework of this strategy, Kaltra continually strives to improve its service to customers.

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Microchannel coil

Experimental investigation for microchannel heat exchangers corrosion in the coastal environments


Brazed all-aluminum microchannel coils perform superior heat transfer efficiency and capacity at the compact size compared with the conventional tube-fin heat exchangers. Another important factor of growing of microchannel heat exchanger popularity is the high corrosion resistance of aluminum, which is, however, achievable through the careful selection of aluminum alloys, surface treatments, and other protective measures.

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Air-cooled Turbocor chiller

Kaltra to modernize its air-cooled Turbocor chiller range


Kaltra, the specialist in air-conditioning and heat transfer technologies, modernized its Turbocor compressor-based chillers with air-cooled condensers and presents performance highlights of the series.

The Lightstream Turbo II series is a unique development in the field of demand-responsive chillers, specially designed for variable-load cooling and optimized for the novel lower-GWP refrigerants R1234ze and R513a.

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Remote management software

Kaltra updates remote management tool for HVAC equipment


Kaltra has launched its KaltraCONTROL mobile app, providing remote monitoring and management for HVAC equipment over the internet, using almost any mobile device. The app allows review logs produced by Kaltra equipment, receive alerts, analyze and manage energy use, interactively configure operating parameters, schedule unit operation, and more.

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Fluid coils

Anti-corrosion treatment for microchannel dry coils


Kaltra advances in creating protective treatments for microchannel heat exchangers and introduces new anti-corrosion coating for dry (fluid) coils to apply to inner surfaces. The new coating enables for an expanded range of process water pH value, a measure of how acidic/basic water is.

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Cooling plant

Essential chiller maintenance checklist


Every chiller or chiller plant should be, for the most part, relatively self-reliant. Yet like all heavy machinery, regular preventive maintenance can improve performance, prevent breakdowns, and extend the service life of the equipment. Chillers should be inspected leastwise two times a year if they are only used during the cooling seasons and four times a year in case of continuous operation.

We recommend the following procedures to keep your chiller system at peak performance and avoid unexpected shutdowns and costly downtimes. The below checklist has been compiled to help chiller plant operators conduct detailed and reliable maintenance on air-cooled and water-cooled chillers.

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Modular precision air conditioner

Kaltra introduces modular precision air conditioners


Lambda CW II-M is the result of an extensive R&D process, with Kaltra utilizing microchannel coil technology to give new ranges their own unique properties for precision cooling.

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Controlled-atmosphere brazing furnace

Microchannel heat exchangers: fabrication process


Air-conditioning and refrigeration industries have been evolving rapidly over the past decades. The latest energy efficiency regulations and phase-out of ozone-depleting refrigerants spur further development of air-to-refrigerant heat exchangers, making microchannel heat exchangers the better alternative to conventional heat exchangers for the majority of HVAC manufacturers. Heat transfer technology based on microchannel coils offers the largest potential for improving energy efficiency, reducing refrigerant volumes required,  while also providing a number of other benefits.

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Refrigerant distributor

Optimization of refrigerant distribution for microchannel evaporators


Microchannel heat exchangers have been broadly used in automotive applications due to their advantages of compactness, low weight, and high efficiency. There are numerous heat exchangers designs based on microchannel technology with folded fins and flat tubes which are connected to manifolds. These designs are predominantly used for automotive radiators, condensers, and, more recently, automotive air conditioning evaporators.

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Microchannel condenser bank

Air-cooled condenser assemblies for end-customers and OEMs


Based on recently introduced low-charge microchannel condensers, Kaltra offers high-performance V-shaped condensing coil assemblies intended for use in air-cooled chillers and stand-alone condensers.

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E-coated microchannel coil

High-grade corrosion protection for heat exchangers


Although modern microchannel heat exchangers made from highly corrosion-resistant alloys and able to withstand any type of corrosion, be it galvanic, formicary, or other types, even without any protective coating, there are some harsh conditions under which additional treatment may extend their service life and guarantee trouble-free HVAC equipment operation.

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Altmunster office

Kaltra is relocating its activities in Austria to Altmunster


As of January 31st, the main office of Kaltra in Austria will move to a new location in the city of Altmünster, which offers a better infrastructure to assist local customers. Kaltra has been highly active in Austria and surrounding regions since 2017 and expects significant business growth in the next couple of years.

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Microchannel heat exchanger

Kaltra offers coil replacements for condensers and water applications


When you need OEM replacement coils for your refrigeration or cooling system, Kaltra gets you covered with microchannel heat exchangers, matching or exceeding the performance of original coils.

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R32 scroll chiller

Kaltra launches a range of scroll chillers optimized for lower GWP refrigerant R32


Kaltra extends the portfolio of low-GWP chillers with the launch of Lightstream Scroll II range based on its Versa platform and operating on refrigerant R32. Lineup’s capacity ranges from 300 to 1100kW at nominal conditions and demonstrates the same high level of efficiency as previously introduced R452b-based models.

Lightstream Scroll II R32 available with the same extensive set of hydronic options, free cooling circuit, safety options, low-noise models, and control software functionality as found in existing Lightstream Scroll chillers running on refrigerants R410a and R452b.

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Precision air conditioner

Kaltra updates its range of Delta DX precision air conditioning units


This week Kaltra announced the updated range of its mainstream Delta DX precision air conditioners.

New models received the scroll compressors with latest control electronics and recent-generation radial EC fans with Modbus control.

The capacity range has been extended with unit models in the 5-15kW range (equipped with rotary compressors), as well as with top models delivering 125-150kW of cooling.

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HVAC system

Kaltra offers cooling solutions for HafenCity development project


Urban redevelopment plays a major role in the growth strategy of today’s cities. The advantages of urban renewal are obvious: substantial savings can be achieved by using modernized, energy-efficient infrastructure, including air conditioning and cooling facilities – which draw a significant fraction of energy in modern urban areas. Read more

Free cooling chiller

Kaltra extends the capacity of its flagship free cooling chiller range


Kaltra has extended the capacity range of its Lightstream Freecool inverter chiller to 1800kW of refrigeration. Lightstream Freecool chiller lineup was introduced in 2017, initially with a capacity range of 450 to 1200kW.

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Dry cooler

Dry coolers vs. wet cooling towers

Working Principle

Cooling towers are heat-transfer devices that are used to reject heat loads to the atmosphere. Cooling towers are used to cool circulating water in a wide variety of applications such as process cooling and HVAC systems.

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Water-cooled chiller

Air-cooled vs. water-cooled chillers

Working Principle and Differences

A chiller is a heat transferring device that uses mechanical refrigeration to remove heat from a continuous flow of process liquid and transfers it to the environment, thus lowering the temperature of the process liquid. Read more

Vienna office

Kaltra establishing its presence in Austria


We are delighted to announce the expansion of our business with the launch of our Austrian office, located in Vienna. In line with Kaltra’s growth in the Austrian market, the Vienna office strengthens our positions with a focus on expanding regional presence.

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Bora XL dry cooler

Kaltra expands its dry cooler portfolio with Bora XL range


This week, Kaltra announced its next range of dry coolers based on recently engineered Versa platform. Versa is a shared set of innovative engineering, major components, and production efforts over a number of the distinct, full-size chillercondenser, and dry cooler ranges. Kaltra’s equipment based on Versa platform characterized by high flexibility, significantly lower manufacturing costs, and enables easy customization and adaptation to the customer-specific application and requirements.

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Bora XL condenser

Kaltra offers high-performance condensers of Bora XL range


The XL range is a further development of Bora series air-cooled condensers which offer to the customers consistently high performance combined with reduced footprint and low refrigerant charge. Bora XL condensers have been designed to use with both traditional and low-GWP refrigerants, including R134a, R410a, R452b, R513a, R449a and more. The range includes models in the nominal capacity range from 150 to 1850 kW with two available sound level versions: standard low noise and extra low noise.

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Water-cooled Turbocor chiller

R1234ze chillers bring efficiency to rolling mill facility


As global warming potential becomes more of an issue, a growing number of industries and businesses moving toward new refrigerants. One of the best examples is the recent upgrade completed by Kaltra for ArcelorMittal’s hot strip rolling mill cooling in Belgium. Recently, the cooling system was driven by water-cooled chillers charged with large amounts of refrigerant R134a, which is characterized by high GWP value of 1430.

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E-coated microchannel coil

Heat exchanger protection with electrocoating



Corrosion, the deterioration of metals and alloys through a physical and/or chemical reaction with the environment, is expensive. Heat exchangers used in HVAC equipment, specifically condenser and cooling/heating coils are exposed in the environment, and this can lead to corrosion, failures, and performance degradation of the equipment in the cases of improper heat exchanger protection in corrosive locations.

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R452b scroll chiller

Air-cooled chillers with R452b now available


Following the debut of its water-cooled chillers running on refrigerant R452b this March, Kaltra announces an air-cooled range of chillers with scroll compressors using this low-GWP refrigerant.

Lightstream Scroll II R452b chillers will be available in the capacity range from 260 to 1000kW and may be fitted with the highly efficient free cooling system. Other options include partial heat recovery with a desuperheater or full heat recovery, making these chillers a multi-purpose solution for simultaneous, year-round production of chilled and hot water.

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Serpentine coil

Serpentine coils for compact cooling systems



Compact heat exchangers, especially those of serpentine design, are widely used for cooling in many industries, products and systems, from consumer products to IT cooling to military applications. In recent times, with the advances in microfluidics and progress in manufacturing, compact microchannel heat exchangers are becoming widespread. The principal idea behind using microchannel heat exchangers is their potential for enhanced heat transfer capabilities. The use of such heat exchangers enables the transfer of large amounts of heat while benefiting from high heat transfer coefficients.

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Water-cooled chiller

R452b chillers added to Kaltra portfolio


Kaltra is now offering low-GWP refrigerant R452b across its Easystream II range of modular water-cooled chillers with scroll compressors – an environment-friendly alternative to R410a gas with a GWP value as low as 675. R452b is a zeotropic HFO/HFC blend classified as a mildly flammable refrigerant (A2L ASHRAE safety class) that delivers an optimal balance of performance, safety, and compatibility to replace R410a and outperforms other R410a alternatives.

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Microchannel heat exchanger manufacturing plant

Microchannel coils in single-phase heat transfer applications


Single-phase heat exchangers are widely used today for a variety of cooling and heating applications and in different types of equipment. These include free cooling systems, dry coolers, air conditioners, and more, where the most common media is water or glycol mixtures. Microchannel coils in practice became the norm in condenser applications, and, more recently, microchannel heat exchangers became an alternative to finned tube coils that used traditionally for water applications.

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Scroll chiller

Kaltra adds air-cooled version to its Easystream II chiller range


Kaltra, a leading manufacturer of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, has announced the commercial launch of scroll chillers that expands an existing lineup of condenserless and water-cooled models with air-cooled version.

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Canary Wharf chilled water plant

Kaltra completes the chilled water production project in Canary Wharf


It is well-known that the cooling equipment dominates in energy consumption in commercial buildings. Alongside, electricity prices are increasing around the world, increasing pressure on facility managers to reduce the operating costs incurred by operating chillers. The facility managers at a newly constructed commercial building in Canary Wharf, London, were tasked to build and deploy a central air conditioning system with improved energy efficiency and lifecycle value, and Kaltra was invited to contribute to this task.

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Kaltra office UK/Ireland

Kaltra opens branch to serve its customers in the UK and Ireland


In response to growing customer interest and following its plan to step up the regional expansion, Kaltra, a world-known developer and supplier of air conditioning, cooling and refrigeration products and systems, is proud to announce the opening of independent, strategically vital entity to serve its customers in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

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Air-cooled condenser

Low-charge air-cooled condensers for use with low-GWP refrigerants


Kaltra is now taking one step further by introducing the new flatbed, low-charge air-cooled condensers for use with low-GWP refrigerants, including R449a, R454a, and R454c.

To meet market requirements to reduce global warming potential and increase the energy efficiency of cooling equipment, Kaltra has engineered a new line of air-cooled condensers with market-leading features at reasonable initial and running costs.

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Air-cooled chiller R450a

Kaltra adopts R450a to screw chillers


Kaltra continues to move proactively to refrigerants with a lower global warming potential with the introduction of R450a-driven air-cooled chillers.

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Variable-speed water-cooled chiller

Kaltra extends the range of water-cooled chillers with inverter models and adds R513a


Kaltra is delighted to make an exciting new addition to their chiller portfolio – Powerstream Screw Inverter family of water-cooled chillers.

The chillers feature fixed-speed screw compressor combined with an inverter-driven one.  The unit starts with the inverter compressor; when the cooling demand exceeds its capacity, the second compressor starts up at full speed to ensure the best possible efficiency. Capacity regulation is carried out by the inverter-driven compressor.

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Free cooling chiller

Air conditioning chiller replacement for a movie theater in Eindhoven


The air conditioning chiller supporting the movie theatre building in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, was the original equipment that has reached the end of its service life. To address the recurring maintenance issues associated with air conditioning system, the building owner has decided to replace existing equipment, including the original chillers installed at the roof gantry, with a modern energy-efficient system.

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Cooling plant

Kaltra expands chilled water plant at multi-tenant commercial centre


With the expansion of its premises, a large commercial centre located in Marseille needed to increase the capacity of its chilled water plant to meet the growing demand for chilled water production. Opened in 2014, Les Terrasses du Port occupies the area of more than 60,000 square meters and is a home to around 200 stores, restaurants, and food courts.

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Free cooling chiller

Kaltra modernizes Ultracompact II chiller to add a new free cooling system


Following the market success of Ultracompact II, Kaltra modernized its free cooling version. The revised free cooling system now includes double-regulating valves and a 3-way mixing valve for precise water temperature control in free cooling operation.

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Free cooling chiller

Retrofitting air conditioning system with a free cooling chiller


Several concerns including inefficient energy use and growing maintenance costs initiated the need for a chiller replacement at Business Park Vienna, Austria. Having been installed for a long period, and being one of the largest energy consumers in a multi-story building, the existing air-cooled chiller did not operate efficiently under part load conditions such as non-business hours air-conditioning.

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LPG recovery plant cooling

Kaltra rolls out the second stage of chilled water plant at Sonatrach LPG recovery


Following the initial installation of process cooling system at the GP2Z industrial area in 2016, Kaltra continues to extend the facility and adds new equipment to increase its overall capacity to 5MW cooling.

Initially equipped with air-cooled Lightstream series chillers, GP2Z chilled water production plant will be supplemented with high-reliable units based on screw compressors. Kaltra will integrate new equipment with existing automation system implemented during the first stage of the project.

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Free cooling chiller

Kaltra R513a chillers now available


Following the recent announcement of its first R513a-compatible chiller range, Kaltra has revealed the availability of its Lightstream Freecool inverter-driven chillers with refrigerant R513a in addition to regular R134a and low-GWP R1234ze.

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Turbocor centrifugal chiller

Kaltra extends its Powerstream Turbo range with high-capacity models


In response to the rising demand for high-end, energy-efficient cooling solutions, Kaltra has expanded its flagship lineup of Turbocor-based chillers. So far, the customers have been able to pick from the models with the capacity range of up to 1800kW. For increased requirements, Kaltra has added 5- and 6-compressor models to Powerstream Turbo chiller family making it suitable for large commercial and industrial cooling applications with up to 4600kW cooling power per chiller unit. With an ESEER value as high as 10.50 and new control software which optimizes the performance of multi-compressor units, Powerstream Turbo chillers meet the highest demands for energy efficiency at any operating condition.

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Inverter chiller

Kaltra announces a new, broad screw chiller range


This week Kaltra announced its new chiller family designed with screw compressors, a successor of well-known Lightstream Screw range.

With different screw compressors, inverter-driven and fixed-speed, Kaltra launched its widest chiller lineup which includes R134a and R1234ze models, 160 in total. Units with R513a refrigerant are available by request. New Lightstream Screw V chillers cover all applications in the capacity range from 200 to 3600kW. In addition to process cooling and air conditioning tasks, the new screw chillers are addressed for mission-critical applications where the reliability and precise temperature control are the crucial factors.

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Precision air conditioner

Precision air conditioning system installed for Amtech, Inc.


Significant attention is currently being paid to improving building energy efficiency and reducing of environmental impact, as required by the recent European directives. In commercial and industrial buildings, a significant part of the energy demand is related to air conditioning systems.

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Dry cooler

Kaltra supplied high-performance dry coolers to FME hospital in Mulhouse


The infrastructure of the newly inaugurated hospital in Mulhouse includes central air conditioning system which provides the cooling and heating to the building, as required. The heat rejection of the system is performed by high-efficient dry coolers with a total capacity of 2000kW, installed outside. Given the limited installation space and tight noise rejection requirements, Kaltra offered a compact solution based on Mistral dry coolers with the bottom to top airflow. Year-round operation of the air conditioning system is supported by a glycol-based coolant.

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Evaporatively-cooled chiller

Enhancing air-cooled chiller performance with evaporative cooling


Amount of electrical power consumed by cooling systems in energy-intensive industries like data centers and manufacturing plants is huge, especially in hot climate locations, and this fuels the development of new, energy-efficient cooling solutions and equipment for mission-critical applications. One of the more promising solutions is evaporative cooling combined with the conventional compressor-based system.

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Free cooling chiller

Free cooling chillers improve data center energy efficiency


Over time, increasing power density and growing number of installed servers had increased the heat load on Telecity data center cooling system which operates on a 24/7 basis 365 days on the year. Existing fixed-speed chillers installed during the building’s construction could not meet the cooling demand and provide the necessary redundancy Telecity required. As a result, the cooling system needed to be upgraded to keep pace with the data center’s growth.

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Turbocor centrifugal chiller

Highly efficient Turbocor-based chillers


From an energy usage point of view, chillers are the most energy-intensive equipment to run and the key components within a chiller that impact performance and energy consumption are compressors. Turbocor compressors with built-in variable speed control can offer substantial energy savings of 50-60% compared to chillers equipped with fixed-speed compressors. In addition to the stepless capacity control, the Turbocor compressors employ built-in inlet guide vanes to trim the compressor capacity at low loads.

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Evaporative dry coolers

Hybrid dry coolers: a water-saving cooling solution


Closed-loop process cooling systems are gaining attention among a growing number of industries with the introduction of more stringent regulations on water use and increasing costs for water purchase and discharge. A hybrid cooling system where the dry cooling and evaporative cooling technologies are taken together is an attractive alternative to open-loop cooling towers in terms of both water saving and efficiency.

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Microchannel heat exchanger

Microchannel heat exchangers as an advanced alternative to traditional HVAC coils

Introduction

For over three decades now, air-to-refrigerant microchannel heat exchangers have been successfully used in a number of industries, including automotive and chemical processing. More than a decade ago, microchannel heat exchangers were introduced in the HVAC industry; but it must be noted that requirements concerning heat exchangers and their operating conditions in refrigeration and air conditioning systems are different from those applicable in the automotive and other industries. Because of this, the first adaptations of microchannel heat exchangers to HVAC applications, principally as condensers, were not entirely successful.

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Evaporative condenser

Green refrigeration saves energy for retail business in Spain


Supermarkets are one of the most energy-intensive types of commercial buildings. Supermarket refrigeration systems consume the significant amount of energy to maintain freezing temperatures for a variety of items intended for human consumption on a 24 hours a day, seven days a week basis, which implies that the refrigeration equipment is never shut off. In a typical supermarket, sales area of 1000m² consumes around 300.000kWh annually for refrigeration, including the power consumed by compressors, condensers, coolers, and evaporator defrosting.

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Air-cooled screw chiller

New chillers for Arla dairy processing plant


Processing of milk products requires the correctly designed process in order to attain end products of the highest quality. Processing of milk involves pasteurization, a technique that destroys pathogens in milk and makes it safe to drink. Pasteurization necessitates the use of chilled water to cool down the milk after the heating-up process to prevent the deterioration. During the cooling process, the pasteurized milk has to be cooled to 0°C. Thus, the production of chilled water for dairy processing operations is a vital part of producing safe and high-quality consumer products. Tight thermal control is also a crucial requirement for dairy processing facilities.

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Water-cooled Turbocor chiller

HVAC system modernization on The Parade, Swindon


The main drivers which fuelled the modernization of a cooling plant at 4.000 sq. meter outlet were rising energy bills and a sharp increase in maintenance costs. The original chiller plant which included units contained ozone-depleting refrigerant was in need of replacing with more efficient and quiet equipment. Based on the survey and energy analysis performed by Kaltra engineers, the new equipment necessary to replace the existing equipment for an energy saving modernization was specified, including two 300kW variable speed drive chillers, together with quieter dry coolers.

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Variable-speed chiller

Kaltra’s advanced cooling solutions help realize massive power savings


At the Sanofi/France production site, the original chilled water plant functioned as initially intended, but a steady decline in energy performance and sharp increases in maintenance costs of the plant equipment were experienced by the customer. Prior to starting the upgrade project of the plant, the owners made the decision to invest by using technology giving the highest return over the lifecycle of the equipment.

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Air-cooled chiller

Kaltra screw chillers serve four-star hotel in Malaga, Spain


In the last week of 2017, Kaltra Innovativtechnik completed installation and commissioning work on the chiller replacements for a four-star luxury hotel located in Malaga, Spain.

The customer experienced inadequate comfort air conditioning from the existing air-cooled chillers and escalating operating costs. The hotel operator called on Kaltra for a replacement to reduce energy consumption, improve the reliable, smooth and quiet operation of the system.

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Unit cooler

Kaltra starts the production of Tramontana unit coolers


Kaltra Innovativtechnik starts production of its Tramontana unit coolers with a capacity range of up to 60kW. Tramontana units stand out based on consistent performance, wide selection of optional components to tailor the solution to the customers’ requirements, and low installation and maintenance cost.

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Precision air conditioner

Technology rally: microchannel vs. finned tube evaporator



In recent times, microchannel heat exchangers (MCHE) have started to attract attention from the HVAC industry as an alternative to fin/tube evaporators. The enhancement of heat transfer and compactness are major advantages of microchannel heat exchangers, as well as reduced refrigerant charge, lower airside pressure drop, and a reduction in materials used for manufacturing. Under current tight regulations of energy efficiency, microchannel heat exchangers are appreciated by many leading manufacturers.

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Manufacturing plant

Kaltra accelerates growth with the opening of a new manufacturing facility in Slovenia


Kaltra is proud to announce the opening of a brand-new manufacturing plant in Slovenia. The facility consists of 4000 square meters of manufacturing space, a test lab, and offices. Approximately 30 employees will work in the new location initially and it is expected to grow to around 80 within the next two years.

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Cooling plant

Efficiency optimization for cooling plants


In most developed countries, a large amount of energy use of about 6% of the total is for air conditioning and refrigeration. The same is true for many hot countries where air conditioning systems use up to 40% of energy in the cities, and this could be a major problem as developing economies continue to grow.

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In-row cooling

Aisle containment as an approach to data center cooling


For decades, data centers have used raised floor systems to deliver cooled air to the server racks. Cooled air discharged by a computer room air conditioner (CRAC – a split air conditioning system or system with fluid coolers) or air handler (CRAH – a chilled water cooling system connected to air-cooled or water-cooled chillers) creates high pressure in the underfloor space. Read more

Evapco-Alcoil

EVAPCO acquires Alcoil to create EVAPCO Alcoil, Inc.


EVAPCO Inc., an industry leading manufacturing company with global resources and solutions for worldwide heat transfer applications, announced today that it has acquired Alcoil USA LLC , a York, Pennsylvania-based company that designs and manufactures micro-channel heat exchangers.

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Evaporative dry coolers

Kaltra extends its portfolio with evaporative condensers and dry coolers


With the development of evaporative air-cooled condensers and dry coolers, Kaltra sets new standards in the field of efficient and environmentally safe cooling.

The power saving potential of the new units is based on the evaporative cooling principle, in which the air temperature drops when the air takes up water by transforming it from liquid to vapor.

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Microchannel coil

Corrosion protection for microchannel heat exchangers


Corrosion is the deterioration of metals arising from the chemical reactions between a metal and the surrounding environment. In HVAC equipment, such as air-cooled chillerscondensers, and dry coolers, corrosion of the heat exchangers may lead to performance and efficiency losses, as well as to equipment failures.

In order to avoid unwanted corrosion, microchannel heat exchangers and chilled water system, in general, must be properly protected based on environmental conditions.

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Air-cooled chiller

Kaltra reveals the new Ultracompact II product line


As a part of its long-term product development roadmap, Kaltra Innovativtechnik introduces the next generation of its Ultracompact product line. This series covers the cooling duty range between 50 and 300kW with capacity increases of 25kW and provides total or partial heat recovery in compact machine design and suitable for air-cooled applications across many industries.

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Evaporatively-cooled condenser

Evaporative cooling helps to boost cooling equipment efficiency


Adiabatic cooling was first used in the Roman Empire. For 2000 years, people have been using water evaporation to cool down the surrounding air in all types of climate systems, including modern, highly advanced cooling systems, where engineers combine this ancient principle with modern technologies.

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Chiller sequencer

Sequence management for chiller plants


When it comes to chilled water plant optimization, the control strategy based on management of individual water chillers is not an optimum approach to achieve the best results in terms of energy efficiency.

Individual control of the water chillers with common pipework will cause unnecessary cycling of compressors and associated excessive power consumption as a response to changes in cooling demand; consequently, compressor cycling will lead to unstable return water temperature and increased wear of compressors.

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In-row cooling unit

Kaltra announces the second generation of in-row cooling units with a 50% capacity increase


Among other innovations, Kaltra launches the second generation of its high-capacity in-row cooling solution designed for high power density data centers. With the cooling capacity of 141kW, Lambda In-Row is able to replace up to 4 typical in-row cooling units, saving expensive data center space for server racks.

Lambda In-Row has a new microchannel evaporator combined in V-form with a 41m² total heat transfer surface. With these evaporators, the cooling capacity of the new units increases from 90 kW to 141kW (for water temperatures of 15/21°C and inlet air temperature of 40°C).  A special type of manifolds for microchannel heat exchangers provide a uniform water distribution, and at the same time keeps low waterside pressure drop.

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Microchannel evaporator

Alcoil receives U.S. and international patents for microchannel evaporator design


Alcoil announces the issuance of US Patent No. 9,459,057 and European Patent EP 2 948 725, which relates to an improved and advanced refrigerant evaporator design. The patented technology is used as an air-to-refrigerant microchannel heat exchanger to cool air or reject heat in residential, commercial or industrial evaporators and heat pump systems.

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Turbocor chiller

Lightstream Turbo chiller range extended with highly efficient models


Trending Turbocor-based chiller family by Kaltra has been extended with highly efficient models with extra condenser banks, which enable lower condensing temperatures and 15% higher energy efficiency rates (EER) compared to standard Lightstream Turbo models, as well as reduced noise emission level.

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Free cooling chiller

Kaltra announces the new Lightstream Freecool chiller family


Kaltra Innovativtechnik, a German-based provider of innovative thermal management technologies and advanced cooling equipment, is excited to announce the launch of the new lineup of freecooling chillers based on frequency-controlled compact screw compressors and microchannel technology adopted for both condensing and freecooling coils.

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Logistics hub cooling

New logistics hub near Erlangen served by Kaltra chillers


The new logistics hub located near Erlangen, Germany, serves more than 40 international customers and guarantees just-in-time delivery for the clients across Europe. The new center with approx. 35,000m² is dedicated to storing bulky materials under controlled environmental conditions provided by Kaltra Lightstream Screw free cooling chillers.

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Serpentine coil

Serpentine heat exchangers for small cooling applications


Kaltra offers the latest heat transfer technology for electronics cooling, cooling of laser devices, medical appliances, and other small cooling applications with serpentine heat exchangers based on microchannel technology.

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Plant room chiller

Kaltra unveils its new family of packaged chillers


German chiller manufacturer, Kaltra Innovativtechnik, is set to showcase its new Easystream family of air- and water-cooled chillers with scroll compressors in March 2017.

New chillers are intended for either indoor or outdoor installation. The series covers the capacity range starting from 40kW and up to 480kW with cooling densities of up to 220kW/m². When used with Mistral condensers/dry coolers, Easystream allows for installation in populated urban areas and anywhere where low noise pollution is a crucial factor.

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Variable-speed chiller

Kaltra to announce the updated Lightstream Screw air-cooled chiller family


Kaltra is excited to announce the launch of the updated lineup of Lighstream Screw chillers based on fixed-speed or inverter-driven compact screw compressors, which have been improved to perform efficiently and optimally under every climatic condition.

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Compact scroll chillers

Kaltra debut a range of updated compact scroll chillers


Kaltra Innovativtechnik begins marketing and selling updated Ultracompact air-cooled chillers. Each chiller model in the Ultracompact range features an aluminium frame and paneling with a 10-year corrosion resistance warranty.

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Air-cooled condenser

Air-cooled condensers and dry coolers for refrigeration and industrial process


Mistral is the next generation of table-type air-cooled condensers and dry coolers that cover cooling capacities from 5kW up to 1500kW and intended for use with standard refrigerants, ammonia, and carbon dioxide.

One of the cornerstones of Mistral condensers/dry coolers range is the new high efficient heat exchangers with up to 6kW/l performance and reduced refrigerant charge.

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Air-cooled condenser

New air-cooled condensers with microchannel coils and high-performance EC fans


Kaltra Innovativtechnik, a Germany-based cooling specialist, today has released the new CNM Series air-cooled condensers intended for use with various HFC and HFO refrigerants. Thank microchannel condenser coils, introduced condensers have a 25% smaller footprint and 20% less weight in comparison to the previous generation. New condensers are equipped with high-performance fans with EC motors as a standard.

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Free cooling chiller

Microchannel coils in free cooling applications


Air-based free cooling uses low-temperature ambient air as a cooling medium for chilled water systems, thus providing significant opportunities to generate energy savings. The more time the chilled water system can operate in the free cooling mode, the higher the energy savings it can deliver.

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Precision air conditioner

New direct expansion air conditioners with microchannel evaporators


Following the launch of super-efficient Lambda DX precision air conditioning systems, Kaltra has released the new family of compact air conditioners intended for data center and IT cooling applications using elevated return air temperatures.

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Precision air conditioner

Kaltra launches new range of high-efficient precision air conditioners


Kaltra Innovativtechnik, a Germany-based provider of innovative thermal management technologies and advanced cooling equipment, today released the Lambda DX/DXU family of feature-rich, high-end direct expansion (DX) precision air conditioners with innovative microchannel evaporators and dual refrigerant circuit amongst many of its features.

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Server rack cooling door

Kaltra launches high-efficiency rack cooling door solution to target data center hotspots


Kaltra Innovativtechnik, a Germany-based cooling specialist, has launched its chilled water rack-based cooling solution intended for use in high-density data center applications. The development of the In-Rack solution is in response to growing demand for high-density cooling solutions from the data center sector for energy savings and reduction in carbon emissions.

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Evaporative fluid cooler

New fluid coolers to be available in Q4 2016


Jumbo Cooler fluid coolers are intended for cooling process water in industrial, commercial, and free cooling applications, and features the benefits of evaporative cooling with water recirculation, thus minimizing energy and water consumption and offer increasing free cooling hours.

Jumbo Cooler units are equipped with evaporative pads wetted via the water distribution system to pre-cool the air before passing through the heat exchanger coils. This increases the amount of heat the air can extract from the coil and, in turn, increases the cooling capacity of the unit.

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Microchannel evaporator

Advanced microchannel technology for HVAC and process cooling


The HVAC and process industries are making a transition to microchannel heat exchangers. This is evidenced by the extensive use of microchannel condensers by major HVAC manufacturers and many smaller OEMs manufacturing cooling and refrigeration equipment. Significant energy efficiency improvements drive the trend, the need for smaller equipment footprints and weight, conversion to lower GWP refrigerants, and the ongoing rise in the cost of copper.
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Microchannel heat exchanger

Methods of microchannel coils defrosting


Microchannel coils are becoming quite popular as an alternative to bulky finned tube heat exchangers. For the desired capacity, microchannel coils are smaller in size resulting in less refrigerant charge in the system, offer higher heat transfer performance, and lower weight. However, until now, microchannel coils used only to a very limited extent in HVAC units exposed to freezing conditions like heat pumps.

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Air-cooled chiller

V-shaped microchannel coils for chiller applications


The efficiency of air-cooled chiller is dictated by the condensing temperature, which may be decreased with increasing heat transfer performance of the condensing coil. Microchannel heat exchangers have become popular in chiller applications due to better thermo-hydraulic characteristics in comparison to conventional finned tube heat exchanger designs. The most straightforward way to improve heat exchanger performance is to increase its face area by combining two microchannel coils in V form.

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Microchannel heat exchanger

Microchannel coils add dimension for cooling systems



by Steven Wand

Although not traditionally used in industrial process applications, microchannel designs may offer advantages over traditional coil technologies in most process cooling applications. Long considered a coil technology primarily used in commercial and residential air-conditioning, microchannel coils are being used by more manufacturers who have discovered how they can improve process cooling applications.

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Microchannel heat exchanger

Microchannel coil: fix or replace



by Lance Robinson

I vote for fix. Anytime you can fix a condenser as opposed to replacing it, is a good day for all in the repair business. Less time = more money. Customers are happier and all around better vibe. Replacement of perfectly good coil makes no sense. Instead make the fix in less than 5 minutes with a propane torch and a few simple instruments all HVAC techs have on hand.

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Microchannel coil

The most advanced microchannel technology comes to Europe


Alcoil, York, PA, one of the world’s foremost manufacturers of microchannel heat exchangers for condenser, evaporator, heat pump and water coil applications, and Kaltra, a developer and manufacturer of innovative cooling solutions, announced a new broad partnership.

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Microchannel heat exchanger

Formicary corrosion



Approximately 10% of heat exchanger failures are connected with leaks caused by formicary corrosion. Organic compounds remain on copper tubes during manufacturing and fabrication of the HVAC equipment, are able to advance to formicary corrosion only with the simultaneous presence of moisture, oxygen, and acids. Read more

Microchannel heat exchanger

Aluminum coils: recommendations for cleaning


by Carter Stanfield

Aluminum coils are here to stay. Not only have they been applied successfully for years by Kaltra in their spiney fin condenser coils, they have also been used for years as evaporator coils in refrigerators.

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Microchannel coil

Microchannel coils fast becoming industry standard


Since the introduction of the next generation all-aluminum microchannel coils, their acceptance in the process and HVAC industries has been nothing short of remarkable! The microchannel coil advantages are the future and rapidly becoming the norm because of the many benefits they provide in new HVAC equipment.

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Evaporative air handler

Evapair: new generation evaporative air handler


Evaporative cooling takes advantage of using water for humidification of warm and dry air and leads to significant energy savings in data center applications.

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Microchannel coil

Field tests for evaluating microchannel heat exchangers with variable fin pitch


Field tests for evaluating microchannel heat exchangers with variable fin pitch (VFP-MCHE) performance have been started this week. VFP-MCHE design features variable fin pitches and dimensions, tube geometries, port shapes, and the location of fins and tubes within the same heat exchanger core.

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Raised floor

Raised floor systems


Kaltra offers a full range of comprehensive raised floor solutions specifically designed for use in commercial buildings, data centers, clean rooms, and industrial facilities where strength and durability are critical.

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Turbocor chiller

Environment-friendly R1234ze chillers with oil-free centrifugal compressors


The Lightstream Turbo chiller family has been designed with attention to every detail to maximize operational reliability. It is ideally suited to the requirements of mission-critical applications like data centers, telecom facilities and clean rooms, and in every area where reliability is a crucial factor.

Due to its excellent efficiency at part-load conditions, the Lighstream Turbo chiller is a brilliant economy solution for applications where the heat load is not constant or expected to increase.

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Microchannel coil

Microchannel heat exchangers: advantages and benefits


All-aluminium microchannel heat exchanging products are now being widely used in the HVAC industry: they provide higher performance, smaller size, features and capabilities not found in traditional fin/tube heat exchangers.

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LPG recovery plant cooling

Lightstream Scroll chillers for LPG recovery process


With its installation experience and technical expertise, Kaltra was chosen by the customer to assist in the development of the new chilled water production plant for the LPG recovery facility at the GP2Z industrial zone, Algeria.

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Evaporative cooling solutions

Kaltra expands its business in the segment of evaporative cooling


In line with its growth strategy, air conditioning and refrigeration specialist company Kaltra is laying the organizational foundations for further business diversification and market expansion. In addition to its existing core business areas, Kaltra has now also started in the evaporative cooling sector with its newly introduced product lines.

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Equipment maintenance

Predictive maintenance programme


The cost of mission-critical facility failure is huge and constantly increasing. The standard practice for most cooling facilities provides real-time management and monitoring of critical process equipment, but low tiered equipment is deemed too difficult to monitor. However, these uncontrolled equipment assets may cause a serious cooling process disturbances and loss of efficiency. The best method of equipment failure prevention is to institute a preventive maintenance program.

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Technical support

Kaltra launched a 24/7 hotline for its customers in Germany


Kaltra launched a 24/7 hotline for its customers in Germany, aiming to provide comprehensive and improved technical support.

Moving its services to address more businesses and markets and further strengthening their support, Kaltra, a Germany-based HVAC specialist that delivers innovative products to consumers and businesses, announces a new 24/7 hotline for its customers in Germany, aimed to provide improved support for partners and customers.

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