According to Peter Dinnage, business development manager of IDS Refrigeration, the search for more environmentally-acceptable heat transfer fluids for use in hvac systems is intensifying month by month
THERMERA is one of the new natural heat transfer fluids to have reached the market. Possessing low environmental impact and high performance characteristics, its main ingredient is betaine, a water soluble and readily biodegradable by-product of the sugar manufacturing process.

Thermera’s thermal performance is at least equivalent to conventional heat transfer fluids but at the same time offers the additional operational benefits of excellent cold flow and anti-corrosive features. Thermera is designed for use in closed circuit systems operating within the fluid temperature range of -45°C to +110°C.

This makes it highly suitable for the needs of hvac applications where temperatures are generally no more than 50°C. It can be used for cooling in refrigeration and air conditioning systems and for heat recovery in office buildings, shopping centres and industrial buildings. It is particularly suitable for food factories, as betaine is a well-known food additive as well as for use with the increasingly popular geothermal heat pumps.

The new heat transfer fluid has a wide operating range, good conversion properties, less toxicity than ethylene glycol and better heat transfer characteristics than propylene glycol. As it is environmentally acceptable and non-toxic it can be used in systems in which ethylene glycol is not acceptable.

As Thermera has good thermal and microbiological stability and contains only a small amount of inhibitors, its operating life is most often longer than that of conventional heat transfer fluids.

Since Thermera’s disposal costs are much lower, the life cycle cost comparison to glycol products is distinctly favourable.

Thermera’s non-toxicity and non-flammability make transportation, storage and disposal pain- free.

In these days of soaring waste disposal costs driven by ever more stringent waste regulations, this is a considerable benefit. The main requirement of storage is to keep it in sealed containers to avoid evaporation of water from the product.

The good anti-corrosive features of the product reduce the requirement for plant servicing and prolong hvac plant life.

Thermera is completely compatible with all pipes and equipment in normal regular use, including copper, carbon steel, brass, solder, cast iron and stainless steel. All the typical elastomers and sealants have been proven to be compatible, hence the system can be implemented in the same way as in glycol use. The sealants can be chosen to be glycol resistant. Consequently, Thermera products can be used to replace glycols in existing systems.

The product has in-built anti-corrosive properties making the requirement for additives considerably less than with conventional products. So there is no major concern about the durability or toxicity of additives as long as Thermera is used.

Even a Thermera product without any additives has better anti-corrosive features than water. So betaine is a natural corrosion prevention agent which does not form corrosive disintegration. Thermera is available in a number of different strengths to provide the required freezing protection but the most commonly used are -15°C and -35°C.

IDS Refrigeration

0117 948 4220