Johnson Controls sees rising interest in NH3/CO2 in Korea

At last month's HARFKO 2019 exhibition in Seoul, Johnson Controls told this website of growing interest in natural refrigerants in Korea.

Johnson Controls exhibited its NH₃/CO₂ system for the first time in Korea at last month's HARFKO 2019 exhibition in Seoul.

Industrial refrigeration end users in Korea are beginning to consider natural refrigerant systems as long-term solutions, Johnson Controls told this website at the HARFKO 2019 exhibition held last month in Seoul, Korea.

The company was exhibiting its 'YORK CO₂/Ammonia Modular Package' in Korea for the first time.

"The reason why we have brought this system to Korea is because we see the market is changing here," said Cicci Xi, director of Product Technology for industrial refrigeration at Johnson Controls in Asia.

Global regulations to phase down HFC use are driving end users in Korea to increasingly consider alternative long-term solutions — especially natural refrigerant-based systems in low-temperature industrial refrigeration applications — according to the company.

"Korea is one of the signatories of the Kigali Amendment," remarked Kai Lee, Johnson Controls' technical support lead.

"So we have to phase down HFCs. HFOs are one solution but we are talking about low-temperature applications. In terms of low-temperature applications, HFOs are not a good solution at this point in time."

Speaking about the NH₃/CO₂ system on display, Lee added that "we can make the customer satisfied with its performance and the government will also be happy with this product".

Xi added that the company is ready to supply the system to customers in Korea today and is currently in talks with end users in the food and beverage sector regarding possible projects this year.