Leaders in compressor technology BITZER

LEADERS IN COMPRESSOR TECHNOLOGY

The Germany based BITZER SE is the world’s largest independent manufacturer of refrigerant compressors. Marco Siebel spoke to the chief sales and marketing officer, Michael Bauer, to learn more about two models of screw and scroll compressors that the company has launched in 2012.

BITZER has been developing and manufacturing reciprocating compressors, screw compressors, scroll compressors and pressure vessels for over 75 years. With its headquarters in Sindelfingen, a town west of Stuttgart in south-west Germany, BITZER has 27 sales locations and 17 production facilities, and is further represented in over 90 countries.

In 1934 Martin Bitzer founded the company which in 2008 became BITZER SE. The company started out by manufacturing expansion valves and two-cylinder reciprocating compressors.

In 1961, graduate engineer Ulrich Schaufler took over the company. His son Peter Schaufler currently serves as the company’s CEO. In 2011, annual sales revenues of €632 million were achieved with a payroll staff of 2.966.

BITZER is an active shareholder in various companies and in all of its subsidiaries the company insists on an environmental policy that conserves resources and the company has earned a wide variety of certifications.

Michael Bauer said “In 2011 we invested €50 million in the expansion of two of our production facilities in China and the US. In China the production facility went up from 15,000m2 to 30,000m2, and in the USA from 15,000m2 to 25,000m2. Our R&D expenditure for 2011 was €18 million, which allowed us to launch among other products two new screw and scroll compressors.”

ORBIT 6 scroll compressor series

The new ORBIT 6 family of scroll compressors is particularly well suited for use in air conditioning systems and heat pumps. The design of the ORBIT 6 compressors is based on refrigerant R410A, whose comparatively high level of vapour pressure provides a very high volumetric cooling capacity, allowing for the compact design of the new series. ORBIT 6 also sets new standards with a level of quiet operation never achieved before in this performance class.

All ORBIT 6 compressors are designed for condensing temperatures of up to 68°C and even covering the operating point of -20°C / +50°C required for heat pump applications. That makes Orbit 6 the compressor series with the widest range of applications.

BITZER supplies the models of the ORBIT 6 family of scroll compressors in five performance levels: 10, 12, 13, 15 and 20 hp.

Consistently energy-efficient

The design of ORBIT 6 compressors enables them to deliver consistent performance under full-load and part-load conditions, such as those that arise from the severely fluctuating load conditions and ambient conditions associated with air-conditioning and heat pump applications. This results in very high EER, ESEER/IPLV and SCOP values and correspondingly low annual operating costs.

The design and build of ORBIT 6 compressors are also ingeniously suited for installation in compounding systems. The compressors can be better mounted directly to corresponding assembly rails. BITZER offers the matching assembly kits in its delivery range.

CSV series screw compressor

The CSV series is a compact screw compressor with integrated frequency inverter that delivers a convincingly good range of control and superb power density. With an ESEER (European Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) of more than 5, the intelligent CSV series sets new standards for air-cooled chillers with direct expansion. The key to optimum energy efficiency in the new CSV series lies in the integrated frequency inverter achieving variable speed. The CSV series is compact, taking up less space and satisfying the requirements in EMC regulations for industry and residential areas.

Thanks to their refrigerant-cooled electronics, optimum operational reliability and low-maintenance operation are assured. The soft-start function of the integrated frequency inverter keeps start-up current at very low levels. Once the system has powered up, operating current rises continuously and smoothly. This avoids high starting current peaks.

Michael Bauer said “The models in the CSV series, that can be used in chillers for the air-conditioning of buildings, in heat pumps and in industrial and process applications, are highly efficient and very cost-effective – a key sales advantage for the countries where we expect up to 20 per cent growth during the next couple of years. On average we are hoping for a 12 per cent growth worldwide between 2012 and 2015.”

The CSV series can, of course, be combined to form a system with conventional CSH and CSW compact screw compressors from the BITZER range. This increases flexibility in terms of full and part load characteristics, during the system planning stage as well as during the operational phase.

BITZER currently offers three models in the CSV series, all of which are designed to operate with refrigerant R134a. n

DECADES OF EXPERIENCE & CONSTANT DEVELOPMENT

The ATB group is currently working on the technology of tomorrow and already offers customized solutions in the premium-efficiency class IE3, which will be mandatory from 2015.

Intensive R&D activities in Europe have made the ATB Group a first mover in the highest class of energy-efficient technology motors. As the first supplier in the market, ATB already began in 2011 to develop the next higher energy efficiency class.

In Western Europe, about 2/3 of the required electrical power is converted into mechanical energy via electric motors. The technological lead of the ATB group secures its position amongst the top 3 in Central Europe.

The part of ATB Group is the Factory of Electric Motors TAMEL.

Tamel offers general purpose motors of IE2 and IE3 efficiency, explosion-proof, flameproof, single phase, multi speed and special motors which are design modifications adjusted to needs of the most demanding customers.

Decades long experience in manufacturing has allowed Tamel to create long-term relationships with both domestic and international customers. Products reach customers worldwide, mainly Europe, Asia, Americas, New Zealand and Australia.

In the history of Tamel, word „quality” has truly reflected what it should - manufacturing the product that fulfills not only the requirements of applicable standards, but also customer expectations.

Over 60 years of experience in the production of electric motors speaks for itself, affirming Tamel’s position as one of the most important manufacturers in the industry.

The factory maintain and constantly improve the Quality Management System – the recent recertification of the system for compliance with the new ISO 9001:2008 was successfully carried out in December 2009.