The DP300 was released to the market in the first half of 2009. It is a true dual evaporator for high-performance chillers using the environmentally preferred refrigerant R410A. The DP300 is designed for original equipment manufacturers working with scroll compressor-based chillers with capacities up to 300 kW.
According to Henrik Bjerre, Project Manager at SWEP, the DP300 utilizes less material per heat load, which provides high kilowatt per kilogram. The plate pattern of the DP300 is specially designed for dealing with the high design pressures that R410A systems require.
“The DP300 is very efficient, although it is very compact with a small footprint,” Bjerre says. “We have used very thin material for the channel plates.”
SWEP’s innovative AsyMatrix technology, based on an asymmetric heat exchanger design, increases the strength of the R410A channels, enabling the thickness of the material to be reduced. The narrower refrigerant channels increase turbulence, contributing to the DP300’s high performance. The hold-up volume is also reduced.
“We have met our customers’ wishes for a low pressure drop in our heat exchanger,” Bjerre says. “If the pressure drop is decreased, the chiller systems can be designed with smaller pumps that save costs on both electricity and investment.”
“Apart from AISI 316, the DP300 is also available in AISI 304 steel,” he adds. “This provides more flexibility for manufacturers with applications that do not require AISI 316.”
When it comes to the next true dual evaporator – DP700 – the design will be quite different from conventional brazed plate units. The DP700 is due for launch to the market in mid-2010.
“Right from the scratch of planning this product, we have taken in and processed all kinds of customer desires and criteria in terms of product performance,” Bjerre says. “The first prototype was designed during the second half of 2009.”
The DP700 has been delivered to customer across the world for testing. Like the DP300, it is also based on AsyMatrix.
“A number of customers helped us evaluate the DP700 in their laboratories, and tested it at high powers,” Bjerre says. “It provided us with very valuable feedback.”
