Sectors
Where the expander fits
Wherever a vapour-compression cycle runs below the refrigerant's critical point, its expansion valve is throwing away work. That is cold storage, process cooling and heat pumps below the critical point — most of industrial refrigeration and heating.
The recoverable work grows with the temperature lift and with the running hours, so the sectors that gain most are the ones that run a large lift around the clock. Five where the case is clearest:
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Cold storage and freezing
Deep evaporating temperatures against ambient condensing, sustained most of the year. The largest lift, and the clearest case.
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Process cooling, food and beverage
Chillers and refrigeration running continuously through production. Steady duty, steady saving.
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District heating
Large heat pumps lifting a low-grade source to a network temperature. A high lift, run for most of the heating season.
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Industrial heat
High-temperature heat pumps replacing gas-fired process heat, where every point of COP decides the business case.
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Subcritical heat pumps
Any heat pump or refrigeration system operating below the refrigerant's critical point, new or retrofit.