Air conditioning and refrigeration are called to play a key role in the fight against climate change: With the increase in temperatures and population, the number of HVAC&R systems is, in fact, destined to grow exponentially. In particular, requests for air conditioning solutions in the public and residential sectors will increase, as evidenced by recent studies according to which the volume of the HVAC market will reach 151 million units by 2024. 

Frascold’s strategic investment plan includes new test benches within the state-of-the-art laboratory, located in the production site in the province of Milan. In detail, a test bench for propane was installed, the calorimeter and the CO2 endurance system were renewed. Systems that are added to the numerous test benches already present and which, together, make the rehearsal room a real pole of excellence. Thanks to the expertise of the pool of highly qualified Frascold technicians, maximum quality and reliability are guaranteed, both as regards the verification of existing products and for new families.

The main novelty of the test room is the endurance / calorimeter for propane compressors, which allows you to test different performance parameters and ascertain the effectiveness and efficiency of new prototyped components. A system dedicated to personnel safety, thanks to the numerous measures adopted, such as, for example, the positioning outside the building and the use of only ATEX components. A further plus is the possibility of testing, with a single system, a very extensive range of sizes of semi-hermetic compressors, from 30 to 300 m3 / h, which correspond to cooling capacities up to 300kW, as well as other elements, such as the regulator and the flow switch intended for ATEX compressors.

Also noteworthy is the calorimeter to perform performance tests of CO2 compressors, in compliance with the two reference standards: UNI EN 12900: 2013, which specifies the test conditions, tolerances and method of data presentation, and UNI EN 13771-1: 2017, which concerns in detail the methodology with which the performance tests on compressors must be conducted in terms of cooling capacity, absorbed power, mass flow rate of refrigerant, isentropic efficiency and efficiency. 

Finally, Frascold has upgraded its Endurance system for CO2, in order to perform life and duration tests of compressors under stress, to replicate real operating conditions in the field and thus ensure maximum reliability of the entire range of transcritical compressors.