HVAC&R Japan 2022: Nihon Netsugen Systems Has Delivered 24 GEA Ammonia Chiller Units To Date

Japanese OEM Nihon Netsugen Systems has delivered 24 units of the GEA BluAstrum ammonia chiller in Japan to date, said Kimikazu Ochi, Deputy General Manager of Nihon Netsugen Systems’ Sales Department, during the HVAC&R Japan 2022 trade show, held from February 1-4 in Tokyo.

The company has agreements in place for another six to be delivered to customers, said Ochi. The chillers are made by German manufacturer GEA.

Inquiries for the ammonia chiller have been increasing steadily since last year. “Several inquiries for the GEA BluAstrum ammonia chiller have been coming from major chemical manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies to be used for factory air conditioning,” Ochi said.

In addition to the GEA BluAstrum ammonia chiller, the company exhibited its transcritical CO₂ Booster Super Green systems for cold storage and food-processing factories, its CO₂ brine chiller and a Güntner CO₂ gas cooler.

The company has sold 345 transcritical CO₂ (R744) systems in Japan to date, said Ochi.

Sales are in line with the company’s expectations. Last year in June, during the FOOMA Japan 2021 trade show, Katsuhiko Harada, President of Nihon Netsugen Systems, said that the company was aiming to sell 350 units by 2022. At the time, the company sold 250 units. Its CO₂ systems are aimed at industrial applications.

“Demand for CO₂ chillers to be used for pharmaceutical storage and laboratory air conditioning is also growing,” said Ochi.

He added that Nihon Netsugen Systems is currently in discussions with margarine factories in Denmark to use the company’s CO₂ brine chillers.

The company is also expanding its production capacity at its manufacturing facility for transcritical CO₂ systems in Shiga, Japan, Ochi said. The company is currently constructing a new building scheduled to be completed in September and is expected to grow its production capacity to “200 units per year,” he added.

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