L&R has planned two cryogenic refrigeration systems with a temperature level of -40 °C for a manufacturer of precious metal electrolytes. The systems provide the cryogenic refrigeration in an energy-efficient and demand-oriented manner.
Both systems provide refrigeration at a temperature level of -40 °CTherefrigeration systems that L&R recently planned for an engineering service provider in the Rhine-Main region are representative of the increased focus on industrial refrigeration technology applications beyond the standard.
Task: refining stainless steels
The end user of the systems processes precious metals into electrolytes that are used, for example, to further refine stainless steels, i.e. to coat them with gold, silver and other high-quality metals.
The production of these electrolytes is - like many metal finishing and surface technology processes - a temperature-controlled process. In this case, the engineering service provider is responsible for the heating and cooling and regularly works with L&R when it comes to generating process cooling.
The refrigeration systems designed by L&R are housed in two containers, which are designed as a two-storey system to save space. Both systems provide cooling at a temperature level of -40 oC. The larger of the two, with a cooling capacity of 235 kW, is divided into three refrigeration circuits. One of the three compressors is speed-controlled so that the amount of cooling required can always be provided with high energy efficiency. The smaller system with a cooling capacity of 40 kW supplies a separate process. It is designed with a refrigeration circuit and a speed-controlled compressor.
Low noise emissions
The F-Gas Regulation also requires the selection of a new refrigerant in this (low-temperature) refrigeration sector. Previously, the high-GWP media R 507A and R 404A were the preferred choice. L&R now uses R 449A, which is classified as a future-proof low-GWP refrigerant with a GWP of 1300. This HFO fluid also enables the construction of energy-efficient and therefore permanently economical deep-freeze systems.
The larger system has a cooling capacity of 235 kW
Cooling water supply for the larger refrigeration system
When planning the system, the L&R engineers had to take special noise emission requirements into account. Because the new production plant for electrolytes was built in the immediate vicinity of a residential area, the permitted noise level is limited to 43 dB at a distance of 15 meters. This is ensured by effective sound insulation, particularly in the upper of the two containers.
Components made in Germany
The cooling medium is recooled by a large cooling tower system, which was also designed by L&R in container construction. The customer purchased and installed this system at the same time as the new deep-freeze systems. In an emergency, city water is used for cooling. The refrigeration system itself also meets the highest standards of process and system safety: the refrigeration systems are integrated into the electrolyte production process using high-quality components "made in Germany". The new refrigeration systems supplied by L&R provide the user with a compact, powerful and future-proof deep-freeze generation system. The systems in double-decker containers will be installed in Germany and are a further example of the many years of cooperation with demanding refrigeration and deep-freeze users in the industry. L&R has already planned and built several refrigeration systems for this customer, which are used in Hungary and China, among other places, and also generate refrigeration for electrolyte production.
