Guest Bio
Rogerio Federici is the president of Danfoss Turbocor®. He has 30 years of experience in finance, sales, marketing and business development.
Episode Summary
Host Vic Marinich is joined by Rogerio Federici, president of Danfoss Turbocor, to discuss how oil-free and magnetic-bearing compressor technology has changed the HVAC/R industry.
Main Points
- Turbocor’s oil-free and magnetic-bearing compressor technology was developed in Melbourne, Australia, by an international group of designers and engineers. Their goal was to develop a more efficient compressor and eliminate the need for oil. (2:30)
- The oil-free magnetic bearing compressor uses magnetic levitation to suspend the compressor shaft, eliminating the need for the traditional oil lubricated bearings. The magnetic bearings have sensors measuring the position of the shaft 8,000 times a second with about 100 microns of clearance. The variable-speed drive adjusts the motor speed to match the cooling demands, optimizing energy. The drive electronics integrated in the compressor results in a compact footprint. (7:00)
- By reducing the friction, energy efficiency is increased by 30 to 50 percent compared to traditional compressors. There is no performance degradation over the lifetime of the compressor. (8:30)
- Initially, most companies in the industry were skeptical of the technology, thinking it was too complicated and too expensive. Danfoss as interested and invested in the company, ultimate acquiring Turbocor as a wholly owned Danfoss company in 2013. (11:30)
- With the increasing number of environmental regulations, Turbocor compressors have become an attractive option for both commercial and industrial applications, such as heat pumps and data center cooling, due to their compatibility with low-GWP refrigerants. (13:30)
- Turbocor is working to improve the circularity of its compressors, reflecting a Danfoss ESG goal. This includes using less packaging material and working with customers to reduce carbon footprint throughout the product life cycle. (19:50)
- Current focus is on scaling the technology and investing in production capability and product development, to be able to meet increased global demand for Turbocor compressors. Its new production facility in Tallahassee has doubled production capacity with the ability to expand further. (23:10)
- Early adopters were key to the Turbocor’s success in the startup phase. The company’s continued growth is due to a constant improvement process and working with customers to innovate to meet evolving needs through Turbocor’s Application Development Center. (27:00)
Links
Learn more about Danfoss Turbocor technology: https://www.danfoss.com/en-us/products/dcs/compressors/turbocor/
Watch “How Turbocor® revolutionized HVAC with oil-free compressors”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLFv9E-T54s
Read about Rogerio Federici’s appointment as the new head of Turbocor: https://www.danfoss.com/en-us/about-danfoss/news/dcs/danfoss-turbocor-president-ricardo-schneider-announces-a-transition-to-retirement/
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