International. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has won a 2019 Minister of Environment Award (22) for The Global Warming Prevention Activity of the Ministry of Environment of Japan, for the ETI-Z series of centrifugal chillers with built-in inverter panel that adopts a low GWP refrigerant that results in an extremely low environmental load.
The award was given in the category "Technological Development and Commercialization" for the activity of MHI Thermal Systems to promote the adoption of the ETI-Z series of high-efficiency centrifugal chillers that adapt the low GWP refrigerant. An awards ceremony took place in Tokyo on December 2. This is the third time this year that the ETI-Z series has won an award for its technologies that contribute to the protection of the global environment and energy savings.
The ETI-Z series adopts HFO-1233zd(E) refrigerant which has a GWP of 1 (same as CO2) and zero ODP. The series was launched in 2015 as Japan's first centrifugal coolers to adopt a low GWP refrigerant. The ETI-Z series has a COP (Note 3) rating of 6.7 and IPLV (Note 4) of 11.2: both readings are among the highest levels in this class. Its use to reduce annual energy consumption and CO2 emissions by approximately 60% by replacing the previous series (Note 5) using a high GWP HFC refrigerant to the ETI-Z series chiller.
Despite its improved performance, the ETI-Z series has been designed to save space by suppressing the required installation area expansion through innovations such as an aerodynamically shaped compressor and a new heat exchanger structure. Together, these features are possible to replace an existing product seamlessly.
The ETI-Z series can also be used as a heat pump to supply hot water, which makes them very suitable for applications for low-temperature heating equipment in food or beverage plants, The ETI-Z series is the main product in Japan, it was also delivered to Singapore. Going forward, centrifugal chillers adopting low-GWP refrigerants are expected to increase demand.
