ITALY – Bitzer, the German-based specialist in refrigeration compressors, have revealed that they will unveil the newest products of their CSVH3 series of screw compressors designed for water chillers for air conditioning and process cooling at the Mostra Convegno trade fair in Milan.

The company claim that their new speed-regulated compact screw compressors with integrated frequency inverters feature high performance and improved (E)SEER values, while significantly expanding the service range available to their customers. The technology of the CSVH3 series is based on the previously successful CSV series and has a wide range of applications, from air-cooled chillers for air conditioning and process cooling to heat pumps. Bitzer claim that the integrated refrigerant-cooled frequency inverter of the CSVH3 series offers greater seasonal energy efficiency and a wide capacity control range, while the active monitoring of the application limits will help optimise the operational standard in reliability and will also provide system operators with an overview of all the relevant operating parameters.

The company state that their CSVH38 is capable of achieving a refrigerating capacity of up to 660 kW (R134a, +5/50°C) with a displacement of up to 1,156 m3/h. Bitzer further claim that the compressors will work within a wide range of control from approximately 20 to 100% of the refrigerating capacity.

The company have stated their belief that the compact screw compressors from the CSVH3 series are particularly suitable for systems that frequently operate under part-load, while also delivering good full-load efficiency and significantly improved ESEER/IPLV and SCOP values. Bitzer boast that the CSVH3 series is now a benchmark in the industry as the series has an ESEER value of over six in air-cooled chillers for air conditioning.

The company also claim that the installation process of the CSVH series is now easier and offers high operating reliability. To this end, sensors have been added to ensure compressor protection and monitoring, operation of solenoid valves (Vi regulation and liquid injection in one prewired package) and the active monitoring of application limits which is integrated in the frequency inverter controller. Furthermore, the frequency inverter is preconfigured in the factory in an attempt to ensure an even increase of the speed and prevent current peaks when starting the compressor. Bitzer have claimed that the compact and lightweight CSVH3 series has a significantly higher power density than conventional mechanical compact screw compressors with a similar refrigerating capacity.

As with the smaller CSVH2 model, the CSVH3 monitors its own application limits. This means that if a value exceeds the set parameters, the compressor first sounds a warning, giving the user a chance to adjust the performance and operating parameters. If, however, the overstressing continues, the control will then switch the compressor off autonomously. Communication between the compressors and the master system controls is carried out via Modbus, while the integrated data log can be used at any time to analyse operation over the running time and optimise the system settings.

Bitzer revealed that they are confident that, with the CSVH2 and the introduction of the new CSVH3 series, they now offer users a complete service range of up to 1,156 m3/h displacement even in the field of highly efficient speed-regulated compressors with integrated frequency inverters.