Danfoss has announced the winners of its 2024 EnVisioneer of the Year awards. ThermalWorks, Cloward H2O, and Jetson by Modine took top honors in the annual competition recognizing companies that use Danfoss products or solutions to realize significant energy or environmental savings.

ThermalWorks, a manufacturer of modular cooling systems based in Bloomingburg, New York, was the winner in the System Integrator category. The company used the Danfoss Turbocor TGS 230 compressor, along with Danfoss valves, economizers, actuators, sight glass and filter driers, to create the C250 critical cooling unit, an advanced roof-mounted air conditioner optimized for data center applications. Instead of using a traditional direct-expansion evaporator, the unit uses a flooded pumped-liquid overfeed evaporator to simplify refrigerant distribution tubing requirements and allow for free cooling (compressor stops) at lower ambient temperatures, with outside air not required for cooling in the winter. This results in 10 to 20 percent lower energy use compared to traditional designs.

Cloward H2O, an aquatic engineering company based in Lindon, Utah, was the winner in the Consultant category. The company designed a state-of-the-art, recirculating river system for the Montgomery Whitewater Center using Danfoss VACON 800 HP medium voltage drives to manage the water recirculation, minimize water usage and improve energy efficiency, aligning with the project’s sustainable practice goals, contributing to a reduced environmental footprint compared to traditional whitewater facilities.

Jetson by Modine, a heating and cooling systems manufacturer in Longview, Texas, was the winner in the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) category. The company used Danfoss DSH scroll compressors to build its modular water-cooled heat recovery chiller (FWCD) that can generate chilled and hot water simultaneously. The FWCD chiller array has an IPLV of 0.527 kw/Ton in cooling mode and a COP of 2.57 in heat recovery mode, with over 2200 MBH heat rejection capability. Each chiller is estimated to save $40,000 per year in natural gas costs and reduce annual carbon emissions by 26 metric tons.

Launched in 2010, the annual EnVisioneer of the Year competition recognizes North American original equipment manufacturers, system integrators, consultants, contractors and end users that have introduced a new product, opened a new facility or invested in a building or system upgrade in the past 18 months using Danfoss products or solutions to realize significant energy and environmental savings.

“We are thrilled to recognize our EnVisioneers of the Year for their innovation and commitment to reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions,” said Rick Sporrer, president of Danfoss North America. “As the push toward decarbonization continues, Danfoss is excited to be working with our customers to develop and implement the solutions to build a more sustainable future.”