International. THE ES and FMS compressors include the main trends in the segment: miniaturization, energy efficiency, natural refrigerant fluids, better food preservation and less noise.
Embraco announced the start of mass production throughout 2021 of a pair of compressors for residential refrigeration designed to change the future of this segment. These are the ES and FMS compressors, both in very small size, but reaching a wide range of efficiency and cooling capacity.
The FMS (cover image), the smallest, is a variable speed compressor 123 millimeters high that achieves 265 W of maximum capacity. It also has the special mission of making variable speed technology more accessible worldwide, offering the advantages of energy savings, low noise, stability, reliability and better food preservation.
Both products run on natural refrigerant R600a, which has no ozone depletion potential and has near zero global warming potential. Such development efforts have resulted in a total of 38 new patent applications so far.
"THE ES and FMS represent a new phase in our product portfolio, achieving great results in the applications of our customers who already use them in mass production. Both are state-of-the-art products, made to meet not only the requirements of refrigerator manufacturers, but consumer needs, such as energy efficiency combined with high cooling capacity and future-proof refrigerants. Particularly the FMS brings new design possibilities to residential refrigeration thanks to its small size," says Ricardo Bristotti, Vice President of the Appliances Business Unit at Nidec Global Appliance.
FMS: high cooling capacity with small size
The FMS is a variable speed compressor (also known as an inverter or VCC) with a wide range of applications in the residential refrigeration market, from small wine or beer coolers to large refrigerators with multiple doors. Such a diversity of applications is possible because, although it is a third smaller than its predecessor, the EM3, it has a cooling capacity of 265 W, the same as larger compressors, such as the VEG and ves, something unique in this size category, creating a potential environment for standardization.
Delivering 265W of cooling capacity in such a small physical space required a number of improvements and innovations to make the components smaller and lighter, but highly resilient. The small size allows for more free space inside the cabinet, and Embraco already has customers planning new designs to take advantage of that.
This product was developed to make variable speed technology more accessible, promoting significant energy savings: up to 40%, compared to traditional fixed-speed compressors (also known as "on-off") at the system level. Variable speed compressors also operate with 15% to 20% less noise than equivalent fixed-speed compressors in steady-state condition. The FMS is a global platform that is able to operate and meet the demands of different regions around the world.
ES brings high performance accessible
The ES is a fixed-speed compressor suitable for a wide range of applications, from water chillers to a wide variety of residential refrigerators. It is 155 millimeters high, which is 11% smaller than the EM3, allowing more internal space inside the cabinet with high quality and performance.
It is a global solution with the main objective of meeting the market needs of the American continent. The ES works with natural refrigerant R600a and aims to support migration to natural refrigerants in this region. It reaches 166 W of cooling capacity, about 20% higher than the market standard for this size category, with 1.83 W/W of energy efficiency.
From the perspective of the refrigerator manufacturer, the ES presents an additional benefit: allowing flexibility of assembly, thanks to a suction door that adapts to the design of the system.
Investment in Brazil and Mexico
In addition to being the solutions that prepare the Embraco brand for the future of residential refrigeration, the ES and FMS also represent investment in manufacturing lines and economic development for the cities where they are being produced: Joinville, in Brazil, and Apodaca, in Mexico.
Investment in the Brazilian manufacturing site began in 2018 and, until 2021, reached US$20 million to produce the two products (ES and FMS). In Mexico, it began in 2019 and, in 2021, reached US$33 million with the construction of a whole new pavilion to produce ES compressors.
