McQuay International

Water cooled
applications with
Single Screw
Technology and
HFC 410A
-

PROXIMUS

Contents
What is a refrigerant ................................................................... 3
What makes a good refrigerant .................................................. 5
Peculiarity for HFC 410A ............................................................ 8
Water cooled application with HFC 410A Proximus ............... 12

What is a refrigerant ?
Refrigerants are the working fluids in refrigeration, air-conditioning, and heat pumping
systems. They absorb low-temperature heat energy from one source, for example an airconditioned space, and reject it into another, for example outdoor ambient, usually through
evaporation and condensation respectively.
There are many substances classified as refrigerants by ASHRAE Standard 34, but only
few are used for commercial air conditioning.
The most common refrigerants are the fluorinated hydrocarbons, but numerous other
substances also function well as refrigerant, including many inorganic compound and
hydrocarbons.
Following is quick a rundown of the common refrigerant groups that are either in use or
have been used in the past.

Water, R-718
Most refrigeration processes use either an absorption
cycle or a vapor compression cycle. Commercial
absorption cycles typically use water as the refrigerant
with a salt solution such as Lithium Bromide as the
absorbent. Water is non toxic, non-flammable, abundant
and of course it is a natural refrigerant.

Ammonia, R-717
Ammonia (NH3) is a natural refrigerant and considered to
be one of the most efficient. It is one of the only original
refrigerants still in use today. It is used in vapor
compression
processes,
typically
with
positive
displacement compressors.
Ammonia is mostly used in industrial applications,
although there are many large commercial air
conditioning installations that utilize it as well.

Hydrocarbons
Propane (R-290) and isobutane (R-600a), among other
hydrocarbons, can be used as refrigerants in the vapor
compression process. In Northern Europe, about 35% of
refrigerators are based on hydrocarbons. They can have
low toxicity and good efficiency but they are highly
flammable.

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) have been around
almost as long as CFCs. HCFC-22 is the most widely
used refrigerant in the world.
They are used in vapor compression processes will all
types of compressors.
These refrigerants are phased out, as required by the
Montreal Protocol, in many countries. Others countries
(extra EU) also have a phase-out schedule but on an
extended timeline.

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are relatively new
refrigerants whose prominence arose with the phase out
of CFCs. HFCs have no ozone depletion potential
(ODP=0).
They are used in vapour compression processes with all
types of compressors. The common HFCs are efficient
and classified as A1 (lower toxicity no flame
propagation) in the ASHRAE Standard 34.

Following is a table with some general information about these refrigerants.

Refrigerant
Number

Chemical Name

718
717
290
600
22
134a
407C
410A

Water
Ammonia
Propane
Butane
Chlorodifluoromethane
1,1,1,2-tetrafluoromethane
32/125/134a (23%/25%/52)
32/125 (50%/50%)

Chemical
Formula

Safety
Group

ODP

GWP

H2O
NH3
CH3CH2CH3
CH3CH2CH2CH3
CHClF2
CF3CH2F

A1
B2
A3

0
0
0

<1
0
0

A1
A1
A1
A1

0.055
0
0
0

1500
1300
1530
1730

What makes a good refrigerant ?

At first glance properties such as lower toxicity, no flame propagation, efficiency, and cost
effectiveness come to mind. Certainly these are important characteristics and ones that
are well advertised. But selecting a refrigerant for use in a refrigeration or air conditioning
process goes far beyond just these properties. For example, efficiency can mean many
different things and can therefore cause misunderstanding and confusion.
Of all the properties of refrigerants, efficiency is the most misunderstood and most
abused. To most people efficiency means how much energy do I have to provide to get a
fixed amount of cooling?
Useful refrigerating effect
COP = Net energy supplied from external
sources
The more efficient the system, the less energy required to do the same amount of cooling.
The issue is that efficiency is a system property not a refrigerant property.
Many parameters control how efficient a refrigeration system is, many of which have little
to do with refrigerants. The list includes motor efficiency, compressor efficiency (both at full
and part load), heat exchanger design and materials, operating conditions etc.
The refrigerant can affect the system efficiency in many ways including transfer properties
(how easy is it to pump), heat transfer properties and so on.
Efficiency, however is a difficult
parameter to comprehend. Carnot
efficiency is the ultimate, but
3
T
doesnt even take into account the
refrigerant.
COMP
WORK
Ideal cycles allow comparisons but
again, these cycles cannot be
1
T
obtained in the real world.
Modelling real world efficiencies
means taking into account heat
transfer properties, transport
COOLING
properties
and
refrigeration
EFFECT
system design.
ABSOLUTE TEMPERATURE, T

The main purpose of refrigeration

is to move heat from where it is not
wanted to where it is wanted (or at
O
least not a problem). Heat transfer
ENTROPY, S
properties are key to this process.
It is possible for a refrigerant to
Carnot Ideal Cicle on T,s diagram
have run of the mill theoretical
efficiency yet be an excellent performer because of its strong heat transfer performance.
Good heat transfer allows close approaches in the heat exchangers. This in turn means
smaller lifts for the compressor and improved efficiency.
Many factors affect heat transfer. Several have to do with the refrigeration system itself
such as piping design and material and flow rates (Reynolds numbers).

Three key properties of the refrigerant also affect the overall heat transfer capability of the
system. These are viscosity (), specific heat (Cp) and thermal conductivity (k).
The factors are used to calculate Prandtl numbers (Pr= cp/k) which are used in the
design of the heat exchangers. The goal is to work with substances that can carry a lot of
energy (high specific heats) and can transfer the energy easily (high thermal conductivity).
It is also desirable to have low viscosity to enhance turbulence and reduce the work
required to move the fluid .
With these important consideration
taken in consideration, lets see a
quick comparison between HFC
134a,
that
is,
from
a
thermodynamic point of view, one
of the most efficient refrigerant
available on the market, and an
other refrigerant, HFC 410A that at
this time is known only in efficient
split system application.
Fig 2 shows an ideal refrigerant
cycle reported on ( T,s ) diagram for
a water cooled application with
R410A. The cycle parameters are
showed in the following table:

R - 410A

Evaporating Condition
Condensing Condition
Superheat
Subcooling
DP evaporator
DP condenser
Suction piping lenght
Discharge piping lenght
compressor

Fig. 2

3
40
5
5
0,0
0,0
0
0
1

C
C
C
C
bar
bar
m
m

As you can appreciate by the values reported in table, the cycle shown is an ideal
refrigerant cycle (no Entropy increase).
Comparing the same cycles, with the same parameters, for HFC 134a, HFC 407C and
HFC 410A we can found:

COP with HFC 134a = 6,40

COP with HFC 407C = 6,24
COP with HFC 410A = 6,02

and looking at the volumetric cooling capacity parameter we found:

Volumetric Cooling Capacity with HFC 134a = 2429 kJ/m3

Volumetric Cooling Capacity with HFC 407C = 3629 kJ/m3
Volumetric Cooling Capacity with HFC 410A = 5599 kJ/m3
From the figures above we cam assert :

HFC 401A, in an ideal refrigerant cycle for a water cooled application, has a COP
almost same of HFC 134a that is the best on the market from a thermodynamic
efficiency point of view ;

Utilizing the same compressor size, with the same swept volume capacity, we can
improve the chiller cooling capacity by more than 200 percent.

This is one of the great advantage of R410A: the extremely high refrigerant effect per
swept volume which can be up to 150% compared to R407C or up to 200% compared to
R134a.
In this way smaller plant and components may be used, allowing more compact units with
smaller footprint be developed in comparison to HFC 134a.

Peculiarity of HFC 410A

This hydro fluorocarbon refrigerant is a blend of HFC 32 and HFC 125, both these
refrigerants are at concentration of 50%.
Even if it is a blend, its temperature glide is negligible: only 0,2 K .
For this reason the general behaviour of this refrigerant is almost identical to a pure one,
as HFC134a for example.

50% 50%

NO
0,2 K
GLIDE
Glide temperature

No glide means much easier refrigerant re-charging in case of refrigerant loss, and no
need to take any particular attention during refrigerant charge.
As very well know, on a chiller working with a refrigerant blend presenting a strong
temperature glide a leakage results in a change of components proportions in the mixture,
because the relative losses of its most volatile components will be disproportionately high.
If a simple standard refilling is adopted, there is no guarantee that the new refrigerant
mixture has the same proportions as it had before the leakage.
For this reason to guarantee the unit performance, it is preferable to remove the remaining
charge, to make the vacuum in the circuit and re-charge it with new refrigerant (necessarily
in liquid state).
Of course only skilled personnel can perform this service activity.
R-407C and R-410A are both zeotrope, however the glide for R-407C is 5 K while the glide
for R-410A is only 0,2 K.
Also the high glide for HFC 407C means that it can be practically used only in DX system
while HFC 410A can be also used in flooded system, without problems.
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Another strength point of HFC 410A is that heat transfer properties [thermal
conductivity (k)] and transport properties [viscosity ()] are very good for this
refrigerant.
These properties arent the refrigerants
thermodynamic characteristics but are
very important to realize an efficient
system, an efficient chiller from a real
point of view.
All refrigerants, whether in vapor or liquid
form, suffer pressure drop as they flow
through the refrigeration circuit: both in the
piping and in the components themselves
(i.e. a compressor passageway). As the
pressure changes, the temperature of the
refrigerant changes as well, with a
proportion which depends on the
refrigerant; there temperature variations
adversely affect system performance.
Consider the pressure drops in the suction
and discharge lines: starting from the actual pressure (and temperature) in the evaporator
and in the condenser, the pressure drops (and hence temperature changes) will have to
be added to the total lift that the compressor provides. The type of refrigerant used impacts
on the temperature change relative to the pressure change.
A quickly comparison between HFC134a liquid viscosity and HFC410A liquid viscosity can
show that the viscosity for HFC410A is about 40% less than HFC134a viscosity,
consequently the pressure drops described above and their effect on chiller efficiency is
reduced.
This advantage is especially very important for Dry-eXpansion evaporators, where the
refrigerant flows as a mixture liquid-vapour (saturated) and the refrigerant pressure drops
can reach considerable values.
Another important physical parameter to consider for an efficient system is the heat
transfer coefficient in both the evaporator and condenser. Higher is this parameter, higher
is the potential for increased efficiency.
0,09

0,017

0,089

0,0165

0,088

0,016

+ 3,6%

0,086
0,085
0,084

0,081

0,015
0,0145
0,014

0,083
0,082

+ 17,9%

0,0155
[W/(mK)]

[W/(mK)]

0,087

R-134a

R-410A

0,08

Thermal conductivity of saturated liquid (25C)

0,0135
0,013

R-134a

R-410A

0,0125

Thermal conductivity of saturated vapor (25C)

As shown in the above figures thermal conductivity for HFC410A, both for saturated
liquid and saturated vapour, is much higher than HFC134a thermal conductivity: for
saturated vapour is 17,9% higher, for saturated liquid is 3,6% higher (at 25 C).
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Good refrigerant thermal conductivity helps achieve good heat transfer and this allows
close approaches in the heat exchangers. This in turn means smaller lifts for the
compressor and improved efficiency.
Thanks to these good refrigerant characteristics McQuay is able to offer two efficiency line
for PROXIMUS, its water cooled unit equipped with single screw compressor:

SE with a COP up to 4,3

XE with a COP up to 5

COP of 5 means fast pay back time for the investment and big savings in the future chiller
operating costs.
6000
5000
4000
kJ / m3

The HFC410A advantages described and

the exceptional volumetric cooling capacity
allows us to obtain very high performance
from each single screw compressor.
As shown on Fig. 3, the R410A specific
volumetric cooling capacity is more than
200% greater then HFC134a. This means
that with the same compressor swept
volume the unit can give a available
cooling capacity more then twice greater
than that with a HFC134a.
The main advantage of that is the
extremely compact dimensions of units
and a highly competitive cost per
refrigeration ton.

3000
2000
1000

R134a

R410A

Volumetric Cooling Capacity [kJ/m3]

Fig. 3

Small footprints and reduced weight obviously facilitate installation and leave more space
for other equipment.
A compact design also helps installation through most standard industrial doorways
without modification, saving introduction time and costs
.

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Higher working pressure.

We have seen that HFC410A have some advantages like good heat transfer properties,
low viscosity, very high specific volumetric cooling capacity; the only disadvantage is that
operating pressures are higher.
The internal mechanical loads in the compressors are obviously proportional to the
pressure, and therefore compressors presenting relevant axial and radial thrusts are
penalized in the use of this kind of refrigerant, and require redesign of some components
(such as bearings).
McQuay Single Screw technology presents perfectly balanced internal loads, so to work
with higher pressures does not pose any problems.
Whilst it should be noted that the maximum pressure inside the refrigerant circuits is higher
compared to R134a and R407C, it is also important to understand that this could be a limit
only in air-cooled units. On water cooled units this problem basically dont exist, because
water cooled condensers can keep the condensing temperature considerably lower
compared to air cooled condenser working, for example, with R407C.
Lets have a look to the following table:

with HFC 410A

LCWT [C]

Tcond [C]

P cond [bar]

35
35

40
38

24,4
23,2

OAT [C]

Tcond [C]

P cond [bar]

35
35

55
65

24,7
28,3

Proximus SE
Proximus XE

LCWT = Leaving Condenser Water Temperature

with HFC 407C

McPower SE ST
McPower SE XXN
OAT = Outside Ambient Temperature

As you can appreciate the highest pressure levels (condensing section) are almost the
same. This means that work with HFC 410A in water cooled applications, from a
mechanical point of view, is equivalent to work with HFC 407C in air cooled applications.
Is important take in consideration that also P between suction and discharge compressor
side is almost the same for two refrigerants and it allows the compressor to work with a
volumetric efficiency that is the same, both in the case of R407C and of R410A. This is
because the internal leakage of the compressor, between discharge and suction side, are
equal for both refrigerants.
McQuay has also obtained the full PED (Pressure Equipment Directive) certification for
R410A heat exchangers (both evaporator and condenser); PED certification, established
by the European Community in May 2002, is one of the most restrictive standards on
pressure equipment and requires high safety margins on pressure calculations and tests.
All McQuay heat exchangers are PED approved, another warranty for safety, reliability and
efficient chiller operation.

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Water cooled application with HFC 410A - Proximus

Proximus is the new water cooled chiller equipped
with McQuay Single Screw compressor and
working with HFC 410A.
The evaporator is a Dry-eXpansion type with a
diffuser at inlet to allow a perfect refrigerant fluid
distribution to all tubes inside the evaporator schell.
With Proximus McQuay continues using a DX,
single pass, counter flow evaporator that
guarantees an excellent heat transfer properties
and a perfect oil circulation.
We have do not forget that in a single pass evaporator there are any vertical tube part that
can cause, during partial cooling loads and so with small refrigerant velocity inside tubes,
an little oil stagnation inside the evaporator.
In other words with a DX-double-pass
evaporator the oil circulations can be not so
good during partial loads and so is not
guarantees a perfect oil return to the
compressor.
Double-pass evaporator

EER

Proximus is equipped with an electronic expansion device, the

only device that can match the infinitely variable cooling load
compressor system and the PID controller to achieve a perfect
leaving evaporator water temperature control.
The set-point for the chilled water that the user sets on the control
panel will be always respected, in all operating conditions within +
0,1C.
Electronic EXpansion Valve (EEXV) is a device that gives the
possibility to reach, if the chiller is well managed, a big
economical saving in the operating unit cost.
As you know, in these years the energy saving problems are even
more actual, important for all the communities both in the
European area and outside it.
All the system that allow a energy saving are promoted and often there are public
economical helps to push the adoption
8
of these efficient plant solution.
7
In a water cooled chiller is possible to
reach very high EER values when a
6
good
condensations
control
is
5
adopted, in other words, when the
minimum Entering Condenser Water
4
Evaporator conditions: IN 12C OUT 7C
Temperature (ECWT) allowed by units
3
is reached.
25
30
35
40
45
50
Condensation Temperature [C]

Fig. 4

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This is possible of course when spring, river, lake water is available to cool the condenser
or when the cooling tower fan control is implemented to supplies the chillers condenser
with the coolest water.
Take in consideration that during all the year the Outside Ambient Temperature (OAT) is
well below 20C for the 65% of the time (this is true in the South-Europe, in the North the
percentage can increases). With this temperature is possible supply to unit an ECWT
below 30 C with a relevant EER increases. (see Fig. 4)
In a chiller supplied with Thermostatic Expansion Valve (TEXV) is not possible to reach
these energetic benefits because the system is obligated to operate with higher
condensation pressure to ensure correct working condition to the lamination device.

Proximus, for sizes with a

cooling capacity more than
1000 kW, is equipped with two
Single Screw McQuay Frame 4
compressor that working in two
real independent circuits: two
compressors, two refrigerants
piping lines, two electronic
expansion valves (EEXV), two
external oil separator.
This means a more reliable
unit because in case of
technical problems for a
components, you can supply HVAC plant with more then 50% of cooling capacity (more
than 500kW) and so can satisfy the major necessities.
In a chiller equipped with only one compressor and with a very big cooling capacity (more
than 1000 kW) the part load efficiency is made bad by the strongly unloaded condition for
the electric motor that works with low cos values.
If this chiller is equipped with a thermostatic expansion device, or with a fixed orifice, also
the refrigerant flow control became no so good because of the unstable behaviour of this
lamination device at strongly unloaded conditions. That can give problems in Evaporator
Leaving Water Temperature (ELWT) control.
In a chiller equipped with two real independent compressors, at part load conditions, you
can have:

a compressor at nominal working condition, with the nominal cos value ;

more than 50% of the total unit cooling capacity ;
always an optimum EWLT control thanks the electronic expansion valve that works
at nominal condition too.

McQuay International is the first manufacturer in European HVAC Market to offer a water
cooled chiller working with HFC 410A: an ecological, efficient, safe, easy to manage
refrigerant.
Thanks this HFC is possible to make, and so to offer, a unit with the best compromise
among: efficiency, compactness, reliability and price.
Proximus is the best choice both to make a new HVAC system and to replace an old
existing refrigerator.

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We reserve the right to make changes in design and construction at any time without notice, thus the cover picture is not binding.

McQuay Italia S.P.A.

S.S. Nettunense, km 12+300 00040 Cecchina (Roma) Italia Tel. (06) 937311 Fax (06) 9374014 E-mail: mcquay@mcquayitalia.com

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