The AHR Expo Post Review

There was excitement galore at the 2010 AHR Expo. With more than 1,800 exhibiting companies, it is no wonder attendees had a field day searching for new, exciting products. This introductory, special post-AHR Expo section details high-quality products from some exceptional companies. If you missed them at the AHR Expo, here's your second chance.

Hart & Cooley

Hart & Cooley Inc. introduced the Smart Flow Elbow at the 2010 AHR Expo. Gary Fisher, vice president of sales, claims, “The New Smart Flow Elbow attracted a lot of attention and will certainly be one of the best new products for this year.” It is the latest energy-saving product to be offered under the Smart Air & Energy Solutions brand.

The patented Smart Flow Elbow forms a 90-degree elbow to provide better airflow and energy savings. Use of this durable elbow support decreases pressure drop by 500 percent over kinked flex duct, saving a significant amount of energy costs.

The Smart Flow Elbow is an economical alternative to the common practice of using galvanized steel elbows both in terms of material cost and labor savings.

The Smart Flow Elbow can be installed with any diameter of flexible duct, up to 16-in. in both new and retrofit situations, residential and commercial applications. www.smartairandenergy.com

Grundfos

Grundfos Pumps received an Honorable Mention Innovation Award in the heating category, for the ALPHA, from the 2010 AHR Expo. The Innovation Awards are sponsored by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE); the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI); and International Exposition Company (IEC), producers and organizers of the AHR Expo. A panel of judges, made up of ASHRAE members selected for their exceptional knowledge of the industry and its products, evaluated all submissions. Product entries were judged for innovation, application, value to user and market impact.

ALPHA from Grundfos Pumps is an energy-optimized, 115-volt circulator featuring a permanent magnet motor design that cuts power consumption by a minimum of 50 percent, as compared to other circulators in its class. www.grundfos.us

Daikin AC

The Daikin Altherma is an alternative heating and domestic hot water solution that is three to five times more energy efficient than conventional fossil-fuel systems, sources say. The air-to-water heat pump system maximizes comfort and energy savings by capitalizing on Daikin's technological strengths. Additionally, Daikin Altherma features a space cooling ability not common with traditional systems.

The Daikin Altherma consists of two main components (outdoor unit and hydrobox) combined with optional accessories such as a water tank and solar thermal kit. For space heating, Daikin Altherma can be connected to low-temperature radiators, under floor heating or fan coil units. It is flexible and can be configured in many ways to suit customer requirements. Like all Daikin products, Daikin Altherma uses R-410A refrigerant. www.daikinac.com

LG Electronics

LG Electronics announced new initiatives and energy-efficient products designed to grow the company's U.S. commercial and residential HVACR business.

As a fairly new player in the U.S. HVACR market, LG Electronics began investing in this market over the past decade. Underscoring this commitment to the U.S. HVACR market, the company is introducing three new high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rated (SEER) models for commercial and commercial light applications.

The company's commercial air-conditioning group has grown significantly in the United States, with many new employees added to the organization over the past few months. LG air-conditioning systems are now installed in more than 40,000 residential and commercial properties in the nation. Anticipating growth, LG opened its first commercial air-conditioning training academy in December 2009 just outside of Atlanta, GA. Since then, the company has opened an additional facility in California to better serve its West Coast customer base; the company plans to open two other academies later this year. www.lghvac.com

Arkema

Arkema has expanded its HFC refrigerant line to the HVACR industry with solutions for retrofitting R-22 systems using Forane^® 427A and Forane^® 407A refrigerant. Forane^® 427A has nearly identical operating pressures and similar performance characteristics to HCFC-22 for use in a wide range of air-conditioning and refrigeration applications. New Forane^® 407A refrigerant closely matches the cooling capacity and flow rates of R-22, which makes it suitable for retrofitting supermarket and food storage applications. www.arkema-inc.com