Sanhua to Offer ‘Complete Packages’ of Components for CO₂ and Propane Commercial Refrigeration Systems

Components manufacturer Sanhua has announced that it will begin supplying “complete packages” of “coordinated and compatible components” for commercial refrigeration systems using propane (R290) and CO₂ (R744) refrigerants.

The product packages are part of the company’s 2025–2030 roadmap, which is oriented around natural refrigerants and integrated component packages. Federico Bisco, Technical Director of Sanhua Europe, said the company “has deliberately chosen not to present itself as a manufacturer of finished systems.” Rather, its goal is to help manufacturers reduce the complexity of sourcing components, lower costs through bulk purchases and simplify approving and testing systems.

Sanhua is making its product packages available for three types of commercial refrigeration systems: propane plug-ins, propane waterloops and CO₂ condensing units.

The propane plug-in package: Sanhua said it’s already able to cover “more than 90%” of the components needed for propane plug-in applications.

• A product package for propane plug-ins includes filters, solenoid valves, thermostatic expansion valve, electronic expansion valve, exchangers, taps, sensors, electronic controllers, inverters and thermostats.
• “Package integration allows OEMs to reduce the bill of materials and facilitate system approval,” Sanhua said.

The waterloop package: Sanhua offers three types of product packages for R290 waterloops.

• Basic (with mechanical valve), smart (with electronic valve and sensors) and plus (with inverter and digital controller).
• The product packages are designed for applications where compactness and flexibility are crucial, Sanhua said, and are a fit for small-format grocery stores, convenience stores and retrofits of existing systems.

The CO₂ condensing unit package: Sanhua’s product package for CO₂ condensing units will include “all critical components,” including pulse expansion valves, smart sensors, heat exchangers, controllers and safety valves. The product package is expected to be available by the end of 2026, and Sanhua is initially targeting CO₂ condensing units under 40kW (11.3TR), although it plans to expand the product package to transcritical racks with a capacity of up to 100kW (28.4TR).

• “The main challenge is to make CO₂ condensing units competitive with HFO solutions,” Bisco said. “Costs remain two to three times higher, but increased volumes and standardized designs are expected to narrow the gap.”

Finding an edge: In the CO₂ space, Sanhua is focusing on product development as a way to edge out established competitors. “Our future CO₂ ball valves have been designed to integrate a service valve instead of a Schrader valve loading access in order to have an increased passage section that avoids the risk of dry ice formation,” Bisco said. 

• “Some models of CO₂ ball valves will integrate a check valve, while the series for transcritical applications will have a patented design aimed at true bidirectionality,” Bisco added. “These valves will adopt a ball without a hole typically used during pump down to remove the gas trapped in the ball itself. The goal is to simplify installation and reduce the possibility of technical error by installers while maintaining the very high safety standards of the product even in the event of an accidental increase in internal pressure.”

Quotable: “We try to take advantage of the advantage of the newcomer: being able to identify the critical points of existing products and intervene in a targeted way, bringing products to the market that can solve these critical issues,” Bisco said.