COMPRESSORS
Forty years of screw compressors at Bitzer
In 1983, IBM introduced the XT personal computer, Motorola launched the fi rst mobile phone, Microsoft announced Windows 1.0, and the fi rst Bitzer screw compressors made the rounds at trade fairs. Forty years later, it would be just about impossible to imagine refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump technology without Bitzer screw compressors. We take a look back.
B
itzer launched the fi rst screw compressors 40 years ago. What was a technological novelty and caused quite a sensation in the early 1980s is now a global
standard in the industry. “It was all top secret, of course,” recalls Hermann Renz, who at that time was the Head of Application Engineering and closely involved in development. “Some of my colleagues were sceptical whether the effi ciency requirements were even feasible or the high investment would pay off . But the success proved that we were right.”
Courage to progress Considering the trend towards compressors with higher
capacity ranges, the director of engineering at that time, Bert Stenzel, and his research and development team decided to expand the product portfolio, which so far consisted of 4 and 6-cylinder reciprocating compressors in the higher capacity segment, and introduced the innovative screw compressor technology.
“Refrigeration was new territory for smaller screw compressors with displacements below 300 m3
/h, which until
then were only common in air compressor technology,” says Hermann Renz. “But the company management under Peter Schaufl er recognised the potential and trusted the team. We were euphoric.” Two-shaft screw compressors not only supported an
increase in displacement, but were also ideal for use with the dominating refrigerant at that time, R22 – even with high pressure ratios when employing oil cooling. Due to the low number of moving parts, screw compressors also required less maintenance. In addition, the initial tests demonstrated the expected stability in performance throughout the entire application range. And with the open drive design and oil cooling, the compressors were also ideal for use with ammonia – from air conditioning to low temperature applications as well as in heat pumps. In co-operation with the Kaeser company in Coburg,
1983 IKK trade fair in Nuremberg. 14 January 2024 •
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