Airedale International, the British-based air conditioning solutions provider, has today launched a new range of R32-optimised air conditioning products.

The Azure range, which has been under development for almost two years at Airedale International’s state-of-the-art research and development facility, is the latest technological innovation from the UK manufacturer which was founded in 1974.

The range has been optimised to operate at the same high level of output and efficiency of existing Airedale International products whilst utilising the lower GWP refrigerant, R32.

Anthony Cole, managing director at Airedale International said: “R32 is not a drop-in replacement for the likes of R410A so a lot of development work has gone into this range, both at Airedale International and with our supply chain partners.  The Azure range compliments the work we are doing with other low GWP refrigerants such as R513a and R1234ze and we will continue to invest in this area, with the ultimate aim being all our products utilising zero GWP gases.”

R32 is widely considered to be a preferable alternative to the existing refrigerant R410A due to its lower GWP.

Mr Cole continued: “The European F-Gas regulations and our concern for the future of the planet are rightfully putting pressure on the air conditioning industry to adopt lower GWP refrigerants and Airedale International is meeting this challenge head on. We have always been pioneers in adopting new refrigerants within our product range and as a manufacturer we take our environmental responsibilities seriously.  So, we are proud to introduce our new Azure range to the market and continue our proud history of innovation.”

The first products to be launched from the new Azure range will be the Ultima R32 compact 30-150kW chiller and the DeltaChill 110-1100kW R32 chiller. Additional items, including precision cooling units, are expected to follow in the coming months.

The Ultima R32 is a high efficiency, compact, air-cooled single/dual circuit chiller. Optimised for R32 refrigerant and now operational with an increased supply water temperature of up to 18°C, the Ultima R32 has been engineered to increase efficiency and deliver improved performance.

Developed with low sound levels as a key factor in its design, it is perfectly suited to a variety of environments including data centres, retail, manufacturing and leisure. It is available with an extensive range of hydronic options seamlessly designed within the unit to reduce installation time, foot print and operating costs.

The DeltaChill R32 is an ultra energy-efficient air-cooled chiller available with up to 1100kW of cooling. It combines quiet, cost effective scroll compressors and the latest fan technology applied in a modular V-frame coil design, with microchannel heat exchangers that lift efficiency even higher, whilst still minimising space claim.

With 282 models, unit selection can be optimised for efficiency or footprint. The free-cool functionality offers significantly reduced running costs and carbon footprint. During mechanical cooling, the DeltaChill has part load efficiencies, ensuring no power is wasted.