Alfa Laval

The new Alfa Laval AXP82 brazed plate heat exchanger

02 March 2021

The Alfa Laval brand, that we are proud to be the distributor of as Frigoduman family, offers more options for transcritical CO2 systems with the new AXP82 plate heat exchanger.

Features

The Alfa Laval AXP82 enables the use of the same heat exchanger design in a wider kW range of transcritical applications compared to previous models. Most importantly, it combines Alfa Laval's leading heat exchanger design with superior performance for challenging pressure and temperature conditions to meet the unique demands of these applications.

AXP82 has been developed as a result of the rapid growth of transcritical CO2 systems for heating and cooling tasks. Carbon dioxide is now being used in larger systems than it was just a short while ago, and the number of applications is increasing steadily.

Fredrik Ekström, the Section Manager for Brazed and Fusion-Bonded Heat Exchangers at Alfa Laval, explains that "as more system builders and end-users switch to natural refrigerants in response to changing environmental regulations, the CO2 market has grown rapidly. In addition to commercial refrigeration, we see a growing demand for the use of CO2 in various applications, including air conditioning, industrial processes, and the marine sector.."

However, CO2 can bring different demands to traditional heat exchanger design. Mr. Ekström continues, "The 'XP' in AXP stands for extreme pressure, and we designed this heat exchanger series precisely to meet the demands of high-pressure applications. With the launch of the AXP82, we will be able to provide reliable thermal performance for various-sized systems in a wider range of demanding CO2 applications."

Solid and efficient performance together

The fatigue performance of AXP82 exceeds even the high standards of previous models. This is an output of innovative features such as a completely new channel plate design built with Alfa Laval's unique PressureSecure technology. As a result, AXP82 offers top-level performance for trans-critical CO2 pressure and temperature challenges.

Mr. Ekström says, "We also designed the AXP82 to provide first-class heat transfer performance. The new model has a range of unique features that increase thermal efficiency with minimum pressure drop."

Another important element is the revamped larger port design in the heat exchanger. Alfa Laval achieved high fatigue resistance, low pressure drop, and high design pressure by optimizing the balance between the connection port size and mechanical performance.

Compact and cost-effective solution

In addition to the new channel plate and port designs, AXP82 is also the first heat exchanger model in the AXP series to have a frameless structure. This feature reduces the weight of the design and provides a more compact heat exchanger.

Mr. Ekström adds, "For users, a more compact design provides many advantages. In addition to a smaller footprint, reducing the amount of material in the structure improves sustainability in a cost-effective way."