LINEAR technology could become the pre-dominant energy-efficient refrigeration compressor design in the future, according to Brazilian manufacturer Embraco. The company, which last month announced the launch of an oil-less linear compressor for domestic refrigerators, has plans to launch a commercial range in the future.
Embraco's new compressor, the result of five years' research and a US$20m investment in the technology developed in conjunction with Fisher & Paykel, a major appliance manufacturer in New Zealand, is said to provide energy savings of up to 30% against existing technology.

LG has been using linear compressors in many of its domestic refrigerators for nearly 10 years - but as Embraco's Roberto H Campos told ACR News: 'Beyond being an oil-free technology [LG linear uses oil], our innovative solution uses half the amount of material when compared to other linear solutions, reducing its size and offering better performance.'

A linear-motor-driven compressor can be easily modulated, simply by varying the compressor stroke by means of a variable voltage power device. These are considerably less expensive than variable frequency devices. As there is no crankshaft, linear compressors suffer less friction loss and wear problems than conventional compressors.

Embraco's Roberto H Campos said that the new compressor combines high efficiency and low noise. 'Our vision is that linear technology will probably take over from conventional compressors.'

Embraco is initially looking to launch 3-4 models for oem customers but this could be extended to cover the complete range.