TOKYO, Dec 3, 2019 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems, Ltd. (MHI Thermal Systems) has won a 2019 (22nd) Environment Minister's Award for Global Warming Prevention Activity from the Japanese Ministry of Environment for the centrifugal chillers ETI-Z series with built-in inverter panel adopting a low-GWP refrigerant that results in an extremely low environmental load. The award was given in the "Technological Development and Commercialization" category for MHI Thermal Systems' activity to promote adoption of the ETI-Z series of high-efficiency centrifugal chillers adapting the low-GWP refrigerant. An awards ceremony took place in Tokyo on December 2. This is the third time this year that the ETI-Z series has won an award for its technologies contributing to the protection of the global environment and energy saving.

Awards Ceremony

The ETI-Z series adopts the HFO-1233zd(E) refrigerant having a GWP of 1 (same as CO2) and Zero ODP. The series was launched in 2015 as Japan's first centrifugal chillers adopting a low-GWP refrigerant. The ETI-Z series have a rated COP(3) of 6.7 and IPLV(4) of 11.2: both readings rank among the highest levels in this class. It is useful to reduce annual power consumption and CO2 emissions by approximately 60% by replacement our previous series(5) using a high-GWP hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant to the ETI-Z series chiller. In spite of their enhanced performance, the ETI-Z series has been designed to save space by suppressing the expansion of the required installation area through innovations such as an aerodynamically shaped compressor and a new heat exchanger structure. Together these features are possible to replace from an existing product smoothly.

In addition to their outstanding environmental performance and energy and space savings, the ETI-Z series can also be used as a heat pump to supply hot water, making them well suited to applications for low-temperature heating equipment at food or beverage plants, etc. The ETI-Z series are the mainstream products in Japan, this also been delivered to Singapore as well. More in the future, centrifugal chillers adopting low-GWP refrigerant are expected to increase the demand.

The Environment Minister's awards are given to individuals or groups (including schools) recognized as having made significant achievements in preventing global warming. The selection of award winner in the Technological Development and Commercialization category is based on the "L2-Tech: Leading and Low-carbon Technology" concept devised in March 2014 by the Environment Minister at that time. The four models in the ETI-Z series received an L2-Tech certification in 2018.

Encouraged by receipt of the Environment Minister's award, MHI Thermal Systems will carry on its initiatives to develop technologies and products that will contribute further to saving energy. In particular, applying its integrated technical capabilities availing of its broad scope of technologies in the air-conditioning and refrigeration business, we will contribute to environmental protection through the realization of optimal thermal solutions that respond to the diverse needs of its customers.

(1) GWP: The lower the value, the higher the level of environmental performance.(2) ODP: Ozone Depletion Potential(3) COP: Rated refrigeration capacity (kW) divided by power consumption (kW), including auxiliary power. The higher the value, the greater the energy saving. COP is calculated based on Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute Standards (AHRI).(4) IPLV: integrated part-load value: COP taking into account load fluctuations during one year of operation. Considering rated performance-based COP and IPLV in tandem is useful for enhancing the accuracy of performance evaluations according to usage patterns.(5) Previous series: ART series before about 15 years

About Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world's leading industrial firms. For more than 130 years, we have channeled big thinking into solutions that move the world forward - advancing the lives of everyone who shares our planet. We deliver innovative and integrated solutions across a wide range of industries, covering land, sea, sky and even space. MHI Group employs 80,000 people across 400 locations, operating in three business domains: "Power Systems," "Industry & Infrastructure," "Aircraft, Defense & Space." We have a consolidated revenue of around 40 billion U.S. Dollars. We aim to contribute to environmental sustainability while achieving global growth, using our leading-edge technologies. By bringing people and ideas together as one, we continue to pave the way to a future of shared success.

For more information, please visit MHI's website: https://www.mhi.com For Technology, Trends and Tangents, visit MHI's new online media SPECTRA: https://spectra.mhi.com

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