Carrier Transicold Announces Breakthrough Natural Refrigerant Container Technology

AMSTERDAM, Nov. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Helping the shipping industry find increasingly sustainable solutions for refrigerated transport, Carrier Transicold presented the world's first natural refrigerant technology for container refrigeration today at Intermodal Europe 2010. Carrier's newest container refrigeration unit design, to be known as NaturaLINE™, incorporates this breakthrough technology. Carrier Transicold is a unit of Carrier Corp., the world's leader in high technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions, improving the world around us through engineered innovation and environmental stewardship. Carrier Corp. is a business unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

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Carrier's natural refrigerant technology has been used to create a container refrigeration system incorporating carbon dioxide (CO2) in place of conventional synthetic hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants, which have higher global warming potential (GWP). The system is being engineered to deliver efficiencies currently only achieved by Carrier's best-in-class performer, the PrimeLINE® unit.

"Carrier is an industry leader in container refrigeration," said Chiou Fun Sin, Carrier vice president, Global Container Refrigeration. "Carrier's NaturaLINE technology combines our industry leadership and our expertise in the use of natural refrigerants in other energy-efficient refrigeration applications."

Carrier has already placed demonstration units in service for around-the-world tests with Hamburg-based Hapag-Lloyd. In 2011, Carrier will extend the program with full field trials.

The natural refrigerant CO2, also known as R-744, is non-ozone depleting with a global warming potential (GWP) of only one, compared to conventional container system refrigerants R-134a and R-404A that have GWPs of 1320 and 3260, respectively. The use of CO2 adds no new environmental risk in the event of a leak.

"Equal to achieving a GWP of one is doing so while advancing energy efficiency at the same time," said Chiou.

"NaturaLINE technology is a revolutionary breakthrough for the marine container refrigeration market and advances Carrier's natural leadership in environmental technologies," said John Mandyck, Carrier vice president, Sustainability & Environmental Strategies. "NaturaLINE technology also demonstrates how technological innovation can reduce the impact on climate change, continuing Carrier's long-standing commitment to providing sustainable solutions."

Carrier's natural refrigerant container technology incorporates numerous innovations, some of which are new to container refrigeration applications. For example, the system includes a new gas cooler/condenser coil that wraps around the fan and has enhanced surfaces to maximize heat transfer. It also takes advantage of a new marine-duty multi-stage compressor. New power electronics and an advanced software control system combine to efficiently optimize fan speeds and compressor capacity to match cooling loads and temperature control. NaturaLINE technology demonstrates that Carrier will have the right refrigerant solution for every application, but not every application will have the same refrigerant solution.

For more information about Carrier Transicold's natural refrigerant container technology, visit www.container.carrier.com.

About Carrier Transicold

Carrier Transicold helps improve transport and shipping temperature control with a complete line of equipment for refrigerated trucks, trailers and containers. Carrier Transicold is a unit of Carrier Corp., the world's leader in high technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions. Carrier experts provide sustainable solutions, integrating energy efficient products, building controls, and energy services for residential, commercial, retail, transport and foodservice customers. Founded by the inventor of modern air conditioning, Carrier improves the world around us through engineered innovation and environmental stewardship. Carrier is a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. Visit www.carrier.com for more information.

SOURCE Carrier Corp.