Danfoss introduces an economizer for cold climate heat pumps. Its brazed plate heat exchanger is coupled with an extra expansion device, enabling scroll compressors with vapor injection to operate efficiently at higher operating envelopes.
Due to the challenging ambient conditions, cold climate heat pumps have a very high compression ratio that causes the compressor to use more energy. The economizer helps vapor injection compressors operate efficiently in these conditions by reducing the workload on the compressor and enhancing heat transfer, which improves energy efficiency. The economizer subcools the refrigerant before it enters the expansion valve; this increases its heat absorption capacity in the evaporator. Cooler refrigerant then reduces the workload on the compressor, extending the compressor’s life and improving energy efficiency. Flexible configurations can use either electronic expansion valves or thermostatic expansion valves, providing for precise liquid injection across a wide capacity range.
