UPDATE: FOOMA Japan 2015: Mayekawa&rsquo;s &lsquo;NewTon&rsquo; concept increasing domestic competition

Hundreds of companies presented their latest technologies for food manufacturing and processing - ammonia21.com was on the ground at the Tokyo Big Sight for FOOMA to meet suppliers using natural refrigerants, including leading Japanese manufacturer Mayekawa, which showcased a new concept of its flagship product NewTon.

Organised by the Japan Food Machinery Manufacturers’ Association, the International Food Machinery & Technology Exhibition (FOOMA) attracted over 600 hundreds of exhibitors and more than 92,800 attendees over the course of four days in Japan.

Mayekawa next generation NewTon: lighter and more compact

One of the more exciting developments to come out of the event was a prototype preview of Mayekawa’s new NewTon (NH₃/CO₂ refrigeration system) concept, which is tentatively set for global release in 2016. A direct upgrade from the most recent model – the NewTon R3000 (2012) – the next generation NewTon, if released, would come on the back of extensive industry feedback from cold storage operators and consumers.

Mayekawa currently has 700 NewTon units installed throughout Japan and intends to increase the number by 300 year-on-year through 2015-2016. Mayekawa first introduced its NewTon 3000 in 2008 for cold stores only. In 2012, a new model was released called the NewTon R3000, which included an extended application range for ice rinks and freezers.

Features of the NewTon concept for 2016:

Compact: smaller fitted shell and plate heat exchangers than 2012 model
Catered for installation in multi-story cold storage facilities – NewTon concept designed to fit in a standard transport elevator saving time and money on installation
Reduced height: 500mm lower to improve maintenance access and safety for servicemen

Weight: Reduced by 30% compared to 2012 model
Converter: Replaced motor drive inverter (VFD) with new one, removing the need for end users to purchase an extra device to filter high harmonic waves – a process required to connect an inverter equipped refrigeration system to the grid. As grid requirements are regulated in Japan this modification could lead to significant savings.
Interface: Larger touch screen – 5.7 inches increased to 7.5
Cost: Manufacturing costs reduced through improved piping layout
Cloud service: Mayekawa is also considering introducing a cloud-based remote monitoring service in 2016

MAYEKAWA / NH3/CO2 Cooling System " NewTon"

In Portuguese: Mayekawa do Brasil

Mayekawa booth at FOOMA Japan 2015

Also on display at the Mayekawa booth was the company’s MultiLayered Freezer with flexible layout (128 different presets). The rapid freezing system works with CO₂ and the design saves 54% on space compared to the company’s twin tower spiral freezer.

Toyo Engineering Works’ tunnel freezer compatible with C-LTS package system

Before their impending rebranding in July, Toyo Engineering Works (TEW) made their presence known at FOOMA Japan 2015 after their acquisition by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI).

A big mover in the Japanese market, TEW uses two-stage NH₃ compressors manufactured by Kobe Steel and showed off its Thermo-wave “Dash” freezer in Tokyo.

The tunnel freezer uses CO₂ as the refrigerant, has a compact design, affords high-speed freezing as well as long hours of operation without maintenance, and is easier to clean.

The Thermo-wave is compatible with its NH₃/CO₂ system, the C-LTS, which includes a reduced ammonia charge, a semi hermetic NH3 compressor and optimal safety and leakage protection.

The system achieves greater energy efficiency through better heat transfer by virtue of the pumped CO₂ in the system (NH₃ is used in the compressor package while the CO₂ is pumped in circulation).

The C-LTS NH₃/CO₂ system is available with air cooled and water cooled functionality (24-125kW compressor power) and can be used in cold storage facilities, food processing (freezing), chemical plants, and for vacuum freezing, ice making and quick freezing equipment.

TEW has installed between 30-40 of the systems in Japan in 2014 and expects that number to almost double in 2015.