Cooltech Applications, S.A.S. (Cooltech) has announced the availability of the first commercial magnetic cooling system for its magnetic refrigeration system (MRS) product line. The magnetic cooling system utilizes a water coolant instead of a refrigerant gas, a major contributor to climate change, resulting in an eco-friendly solution that consumes minimal energy. With cooling powers between 200W and 700W, the MRS product line is optimized for a wide range of products in commercial refrigeration, including medical refrigerators, display cabinets, beverage dispensers, store plugins, and wine cellars, a market that is worth over $20b a year.
“The MRS200 was successfully demonstrated last year at the Medica tradeshow in one of our medical refrigerating equipment,” said Jochen Kopitzke, CEO of Kirsch International, a leading manufacturer of medical equipment. “We are looking forward to replacing compressor-based units in the near future and expect a very positive market reaction to this major innovation.”
“We are integrating the MRS400 in our high-end refrigerated displays and expect to demonstrate our first magnetic-based product within a couple of months,” said Guillaume Zanlorenzi, CEO of OCF, a leading manufacturer of high-end refrigerated displays. “This is a unique opportunity to differentiate ourselves from our competition.”
Based on the magnetocaloric effect (MCE), which is the heating or cooling of magnetic material caused by applying a magnetic field to it, the MRS eliminates the harmful gases that are used in compression-based refrigerators. The magnetic unit operates at low pressure with low rotational speed virtually eliminating vibrations, cutting noise to less than 35 decibels (db), and reducing maintenance costs. The whole system enjoys a quasi-indefinite lifespan.
“We are delighted to be the pioneers of a true green commercial magnetic refrigeration system,” said Christian Muller, CEO of Cooltech. “This is the first highly energy efficient commercial solution to be available on the market in the magnetic cooling sector, providing a first-to-market advantage for our customers.”
The MRS400 is in beta testing at three sites in various configurations and is presently available for integration. An MRS version generating high cooling power—20 kilowatt (kW) and beyond—is under development for industrial applications.