Chillventa 2026: Castel Introduces Components for CO2 Systems

Systemair was founded in Sweden in 1974 and was originally a manufacturer of circular in-line centrifugal duct fans. Today it offers a wide range of HVAC equipment for both residential and commercial applications, including air-handling units (AHU), ventilation systems, heat pumps and fans. Systemair acquired Menerga, a German manufacturer of AHUs, in 2013.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

Rexxon, a German manufacturer of air-conditioning and air-treatment systems for trains, has entered serial production of its first railway HVAC unit using propane (R290), according to Christian Magnus, a company team leader responsible for electronic development.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

The Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC) has approved two exceptions in its state mechanical code (WSMC) that will allow installations of low-probability air-to-water heat pump systems located in machinery rooms or outdoors and containing a maximum of 10.8lbs (4.9kg) of A3 (flammable) refrigerant – given the approval of an authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

Bergstrom, a U.S.-based manufacturer of thermal management systems (TMSs) for semi-trucks and off-highway machinery, has developed and tested a 48V propane (R290) electrical compressor for heavy-duty vehicle thermal management.Yevgeniy Beygel, Bergstrom’s Director of Global Engineering Systems and Sustainability, outlined the design, testing and applications of the roughly 6kW (1.7TR) prototype in a September 29 presentation at the ATMO MAC Summit 2026 × TU Berlin in Brussels.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

At Chillventa 2026 Italian HVAC&R manufacturer Tecnofreddo introduced ZEUS IWC, a new air-cooled ammonia (R717) ice-water chiller designed for dairy-processing applications that require a continuous supply of water at 1°C (34°F).Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

Daikin Europe, a subsidiary of Japan-based Daikin Industries, has installed its first CO2 (R744) VRV (variable refrigerant volume) system at a new Denns BioMarkt in Wiesbaden, Germany, according to Marketing Officer Gill De Bruyne.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

The EU F-gas Regulation restricts high-GWP fluorinated gases to reduce their climate impact. Öko-Recherche estimates, however, that despite existing regulations, roughly 40,000 metric tons of low-GWP, PFAS-classified f-gases could still be used annually. Several non-profit environmental organizations, including the Brussels-based European Environmental Bureau, Environmental Action Germany (DUH) and Sweden’s ChemSec (International Chemical Secretariat), commissioned the study.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

Secon is a German manufacturer of hydrocarbon heat pumps and chillers. The company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Gondelsheim. Secon also manufactures brine-cooled CO2 (R744) racks for deep-freezing applications, as well as dry and adiabatic coolers.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

The transition away from HFO-1234yf to CO2 (R744) and propane (R290) in automotive thermal systems is “both environmentally necessary and technically feasible.”That was the conclusion from Rody El Chammas, Director, Heat Pump Module, for French global automotive supplier Valeo in a presentation called “The PFAS-free pivot: Valeo’s development roadmap for R744 and R290 mobile thermal systems.”Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

At Chillventa 2026 Italian component manufacturer Castel introduced several new components designed for the high operating pressures of CO2 (R744) systems.The new offerings include a changeover valve rated for operating pressures up to 150bar (2,175psi), an electronic oil level regulator that detects both high and low oil levels and a vibration absorber rated up to 140bar (2,030psi).Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com