Technology

Cooling Tower Direct Drive Motors Lead to Energy Efficiency Gains

By Sean Mullins, Product Manager – Laminated Frame Motors, ABB

Across industries, operators are adopting cooling tower direct drive (CTDD) motor technology. In particular, permanent magnet (PM) direct drive motors are delivering measurable improvements in efficiency, cleanliness and maintenance reduction. The change is more than a component swap; it represents a new approach to cooling tower design that reduces operating costs, supports environmental goals and improves reliability.

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New Belgium Brewing’s Path to Low-GWP Refrigeration

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air & Cooling Best Practices Magazine

This article examines how a natural refrigerant–based chiller was engineered to meet process cooling demands while minimizing environmental impact. It explores refrigerant selection tradeoffs, system architecture modifications required for flammable refrigerants and key design strategies such as charge reduction, mechanical isolation and safety controls. Engineers will gain practical insight into balancing efficiency, compliance and operational reliability in next-generation cooling systems.

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Johnson Controls Optimizes Chiller Lift for Energy Efficiency and Heat Recovery

By Bill Smith, Regional Sales Manager, and Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air & Cooling Best Practices Magazine

Optimizing chiller lift is critical for improving energy efficiency, enabling heat recovery and meeting higher-temperature heat rejection demands in modern facilities. This article explain how advanced centrifugal compressor designs, variable speed drives and variable geometry diffusers enhance lift control while reducing power consumption. As heat pump applications and water constraints drive demand for higher lift performance, next-generation chiller technologies are redefining efficiency across commercial and industrial cooling systems.

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Adiabatic Coolers: An Evolution in Sustainable Process Cooling

By Eric Thompson, General Manager, Frigel North America

Adiabatic coolers are rapidly gaining ground in plastics processing as manufacturers seek sustainable, energy-efficient alternatives to traditional cooling towers. By operating in dry, adiabatic and free-cooling modes, modern systems engineered by Frigel North America deliver up to 90% water savings, lower energy consumption and improved temperature stability for injection molding, PET, extrusion and thermoforming applications. With reduced maintenance, closed-loop protection and long-term ROI advantages, adiabatic cooling is emerging as the new benchmark for high-performance industrial process cooling.

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Understanding 2026 Low-GWP Refrigerant Requirements

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air & Cooling Best Practices Magazine

Industrial manufacturers are preparing for the EPA’s 2026 mandate requiring all process cooling systems above –22°F to use refrigerants with a GWP of 700 or lower—a shift echoed by more than a dozen states and driven by global HFC phase-down commitments. This article examines the technical, regulatory and operational challenges of adopting low-GWP refrigerants, including flammability classifications, system redesign requirements, efficiency tradeoffs and the long-term implications for chiller manufacturers and end users.

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Understanding 2026 Low-GWP Refrigerant Requirements

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air & Cooling Best Practices Magazine

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Heat Pump Chillers Deliver Energy Efficiency and Savings

By Rob Tanner, Marketing Director, Applied Equipment, Johnson Controls

Advancements in heat pump chiller technology now enable efficient recovery of low-grade waste heat, expanding applicability beyond the temperature limitations of traditional absorption systems. When integrated with AI-driven CUP optimization platforms, these systems enhance thermal efficiency, stabilize process loads, and improve overall plant performance.

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Heat Pump Chillers Deliver Energy Efficiency and Savings

By Rob Tanner, Marketing Director, Applied Equipment, Johnson Controls

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Best Practices 2025 EXPO & Conference Chiller & Cooling Show Report

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, and Brooke Jones, Digital Content Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

The event gathered a record number of cooling system providers exhibit, a fact appreciated by the many cooling reps in attendance. “It’s been beneficial,” said Spencer Kaufman, Sales Engineer, Midwest Machinery. “There are decision-makers and people here who do a lot of design work, not only in our market but all across the country. The conversations we’ve been having have been very deep – often up to 15 minutes. The quality of the conversations has been really good.”

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