Why we use ammonia for our new standard chiller series

Mayekawa is a world-leading manufacturer of some of the most advanced industrial refrigeration compressors. The use of natural refrigerant technologies and energy-efficient solutions have been a core part of Mayekawa since the company was founded in 1924, and we strongly believe that natural refrigerants (ammonia, carbon dioxide, water, hydrocarbons, and air) are the future of the refrigeration industry.  

We have long pursued natural refrigerant technologies and energy-efficiency solutions: The application of natural refrigerants and thermal-engineering solutions that use less energy, aim to support sustainable development, save ozone layer depletion, and stop global warming.

Natural refrigerants have a lower GWP (Global Warming Potential) than HFOs and HFCs, as well as zero ODP (Ozone-Depletion Potential), making them environmentally friendly refrigerants. These refrigerants have much more features to enhance energy efficiency drastically as compared to conventional utilities according to applications and temperature ranges.

Mayekawa has long pursued developing and manufacturing products and systems utilizing these natural refrigerants. We refer to this approach as the NATURAL FIVE, five natural refrigerants; ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), hydrocarbons (HC), and air. These natural refrigerants are applied in heating, drying, hot water supply, air conditioning, cooling, chilling, and freezing over a multitude of temperatures from 200℃(392F) to -100℃ (-148F).

Goodbye dirty cooling

When you look at the use of refrigerants from a historical angle, the refrigeration industry has moved away from CFCs and HCFCs due to their contribution to ozone depletion, and in recent years also HFC refrigerants due to their high GWP index. Now, it is time to make a case against the synthetic HFOs, that have succeeded to replace the previous refrigerant solutions due to their lower GWP.  

But HFOs aren’t future-proof, both when you consider the GWP index and how they impact our environment. Instead, we strongly believe that natural refrigerants are the best sustainable solution and that they will transform our industry completely within the next few years.  

Why ammonia?

In Mayekawa, we have chosen to use ammonia for our new mCHILLER series of standard water-cooled and air-cooled chillers, since we believe that it is the best sustainable solution, that low-charge ammonia can be applied safely, and gives a high energy efficiency. We also expect that an imminent out phasing of HFO and HFC blends will increase the demand in the market for natural refrigerant solutions.