BALTIMORE (Dec. 12, 2014) – Danfoss has been recognized by a panel of ASHRAE members with a 2015 AHR Expo Innovation Award, green building category, for its Turbocor VTT series of oil-free, variable speed, magnetic bearing centrifugal compressors. The company also received an honorable mention in the cooling category for its new ETS Colibri electronic expansion valve. Together, this marks the 17th and 18th time Danfoss has been recognized in the AHR Expo Innovation Awards program in the last 12 years.

“We are honored to receive the 2015 AHR Innovation Award,” said John Galyen, president, Danfoss North America. “Innovation is rooted deep in our culture. For more than 80 years, Danfoss has been focused on engineering innovative, reliable technologies that reduce energy use and environmental impact—and, today, we remain committed to product development and partnerships that enable our customers to meet the challenges and standards of tomorrow.”

As the green building category winner, Danfoss Turbocor VTT series of compressors introduces IntraFlow, a patent-pending technology that helps to improve efficiency and provide an extended stable operating range while simplifying capacity control. IntraFlow eliminates the need for inlet guide vanes or mechanical variable geometry diffusers, allowing VTT compressors to offer both full-load and part-load performance and enabling chiller manufacturers to achieve the latest efficiency standards.

Intended for water-cooled chillers and with capacities of 350 tons per compressor, Turbocor VTT—or Variable Twin Turbo—compressors are ideal for commercial air-conditioning or process cooling chillers reaching up to 1,000 tons or more. New drive technology featured on the compressors is exclusive to the VTT series and is the result of integrated research and development efforts.

“The Turbocor VTT series of compressors takes the benefits of magnetic bearing technology up into larger capacity ranges where our current TT series leaves off. Plus, the energy efficiency improvements on this new series of compressors enable our OEM partners to meet the new ASHRAE 90.1-2015 efficiency standards,” said Frank Ford, director of product management for Danfoss Turbocor Compressors. “We are excited that this year’s panel of judges has recognized the innovative and efficient capabilities of the VTT series of compressors.”

Ricardo Schneider, president and CEO of Danfoss Turbocor Compressors, added, “We are very honored to receive this prestigious award. We have a strong sense of responsibility to continue to shape the HVAC industry so that we can do more with less energy via innovation. This award gives us the unique opportunity to recognize our customers and our organization as a highly integrated partnership that helps bring innovative energy efficiency solutions to the chiller business.”

This is the third AHR Expo Innovation Award that Danfoss Turbocor Compressors has received.

The new ETS Colibri electronic expansion valves were recognized as an honorable mention in the cooling category. They enable precise evaporator flow control for increased energy efficiency and reliable compressor operation and are ideal for variable speed air-conditioning and lower-GWP refrigerant systems.

The 2015 AHR Expo Innovation Awards recognize the most creative, effective and ingenious HVACR products and technologies on the market. The annual competition is jointly sponsored by ASHRAE, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and the International Exposition Company (IEC), producers and organizers of the AHR Expo. Winners are chosen in each of 10 product categories based on innovation, value and impact on the market and will be honored at a special ceremony during the 2015 AHR Expo in Chicago.

Danfoss is a manufacturer of high-efficiency electronic and mechanical components and controls for air-conditioning, heating, refrigeration and motion systems.