Embraco, a global provider of refrigeration technology for the complete residential and commercial cold chain and part of Nidec Global Appliance’s portfolio of brands, has recently started mass production of the VESH variable speed compressor, a new generation of the VES series. It is an upgrade of Embraco’s premium portfolio of highly energy efficient products for residential applications, from refrigerators to freezers. The VESH can achieve up to 50% energy savings if compared to a traditional standard fixed speed compressor, and around 30% if compared with already more energy efficient fixed speed models.
The level of energy efficiency achieved allows Embraco’s customers, the residential refrigerators manufacturers, to reach the highest classification, level A, in the energy labels systems with the most stringent regulations in the world, such as Europe and Japan.
“VESH pushes the limits of energy savings in response to a market context in which this topic has become one of the main priorities for refrigeration appliances manufacturers and homeowners due to high energy prices, especially in Europe, where they are skyrocketing”, explains the Vice-President for the Home Appliances Business Segment at Nidec Global Appliance, Ricardo Bristotti.
Efficient, silent and small
The VES compressors family is the premium platform of Embraco’s portfolio, so besides efficiency it also has the higher standards for acoustics. One example is its capability of running at 950 rpm (rotations per minute) in low demand, which makes it as silent as the ambient noise of a library, a relevant added value to the final consumer. Because variable speed technology allows the VESH to adjust its running speed according to the demanded temperature, it also helps to improve food preservation, another feature valued by homeowners.
The Embraco VESH arrives on the market as the smallest variable speed compressors on this efficiency range: it weighs an average of 6.8 kg and is only 144 mm high. “Miniaturization of products is among the main drivers of our innovation process, for its many benefits”, Bristotti says. “A smaller compressor allows more internal space inside the refrigerator cabinet, enables reduction of processes and materials used in the production flows and optimizes the transportation, contributing to environmental sustainability”, he adds.
The compressor achieves a maximum displacement of 11 cc and 270 W of cooling capacity, and is dual voltage (110V and 220V). In addition to residential applications, the VESH will also be suitable for some types of commercial refrigeration equipment.
It works with the natural refrigerant R600a, which has GWP (Global Warming Potential) close to zero and no impact on the ozone layer. “The energy efficiency combined with the use of R600a is a significant contribution in terms of CO2 equivalent emissions reduction, therefore, resulting in a more environmentally sustainable appliance to the final consumer.”
Local-to-local: reducing environmental footprints and logistic disruption
VESH is strategically produced in Nidec Global Appliance’s plants in Austria and China. “Our concern is to offer a better set of services to our local customers while reducing environmental footprints on transportation and avoiding disruptions caused by long logistics chains”, Bristotti explains. “The main target markets for this product are Japan and Europe, where the regulations regarding energy efficiency and noise are very strict”, he adds. “The market acceptance and understanding of the VESH features and benefits has surpassed our expectations so far, showing that the world is on a path toward sustainability that has no coming back”, he concludes.
