With 100 customers, journalists, and employees in attendance, the ribbon was cut and the doors to our newly extended ATEX lab were opened yesterday. This facility will speed up the testing of refrigerant options for compressors, easing the transition to more sustainable refrigerants.
"The refrigerant transition starts here.”
With those words, spoken by Danfoss Cooling President Jürgen Fischer, the doors to our new ATEX laboratory in Trevoux, France were opened.
This extension of our ATEX lab dramatically increases our ability to test our air conditioning and refrigeration compressors with flammable and alternative refrigerants and enables us to develop better compressor technologies. These improvements will play an important role in reducing CO2 emissions, mitigating the effects of climate change, and helping us provide better solutions to our customers.
The ATEX certification means that the building and operational procedures have been carefully designed with Explosive Atmosphere Conditions (ATEX) and flammable refrigerant management in mind. This ensures that the testing environment is as safe as possible. At six times its original size, the ATEX lab is now the largest in Europe at 3000 m2.
In his welcome address, Noel Ryan, President of Commercial Compressors, emphasized that it is no coincidence that the lab extension is located in Europe: "With our team of highly qualified experts and easy access to our production unit, we have the competences necessary to find the future refrigerant solutions and compressor technologies. Many of us have known each other for a long time. This industry transition is not the first we've witnessed, but it's possibly the fastest and one of the most expensive, with immediate milestones in Europe. Danfoss is investing heavily to be able to support that transition."
Jürgen Fischer, President of Danfoss Cooling, linked the new lab to Danfoss' history of investing in the future: "It is in Danfoss' DNA to invest in finding solutions that are energy efficient, reliable, and sustainable. And with this new lab we are demonstrating our investment in future refrigerants. The ATEX lab is the biggest lab of its kind in Europe and we have the right people, products, and competences to keep the planet cool."
The opening of the new extension of the ATEX lab is just one of several steps that Danfoss is taking to drive the refrigerant transition. Refrigerant Week begins on Monday, September 24th, and will feature a wealth of new information, resources, and tools to encourage understanding and capability with new refrigerants. Visit the updated Refrigerant Transition Center now for all the details.
Lab Facility Details:
The ATEX lab impacts the entire compressor lifespan, from advanced engineering to new product development and product quality, in two main dimensions: reliability and performance. The lab enables Danfoss to replicate its full range of tests with refrigerants up to class A3 and help professionals make the transition to A2L/A3 class alternatives (slightly to highly flammable).
Capacity: