LAWTON Tubes has launched another innovative alloy tube specifically designed to handle the high pressures of CO2.
The K65 includes a 2 per cent iron content which makes the tubing strong but also has a reduced wall thickness compared with traditional copper tube, yet is strong enough to withstand the increased pressures required by modern refrigeration systems.
By introducing K65 to the marketplace, Lawton says it will standardise and simplify the specification of tubes for supermarket pipework design. Offered in two different ratings of tube, the K65 80bar and K65 120bar is available in a variety of sizes from 3/8' to 1 5/8'. The copper/iron alloy is also magnetic, providing another way to distinguish it from traditional copper if necessary.
It can be supplied in straight lengths and the tube is easy to bend, but still doesn't lose any of its pressure capabilities. If the maximum pressure requirement is 80bar, the only tube that needs to be specified is K65. This consistency in pressure rating also takes away the grey area that has surrounded the interpretation of pressure capability and wall thickness requirements, which can vary depending on which standards are being applied.
Designed specifically for higher pressure CO
2 refrigeration systems, the K65 is being used by OEM's such as Carrier, and is being trialled in some supermarket installations.
Oliver Lawton, md of Lawton Tubes said: 'With the Pressure Rating very visible on K65 tube this goes a long way to clearing up the ambiguity when deciding on what thickness to use on a CO
2 installation.'
Lawton Tubes has already launched the Lawton Dual, a copper lined aluminium tube, designed for the air-conditioning market, which is a cheaper and lighter alternative to more traditional copper piping which has the same durability as copper with a maximum working pressure of 55bar so it is compatible with refrigerants such as R410A.
