Rittal 3R air conditioners reduce energy consumption up to 70 percent

May 4, 2015
Rittal Corporation is expanding its TopTherm Blue e Wall-Mounted Cooling Units with the introduction of its NEMA Type 3R Air Conditioners.

Rittal Corporation is expanding its TopTherm Blue e Wall-Mounted Cooling Units with the introduction of its NEMA Type 3R Air Conditioners. These are off-the-shelf solutions that are UL listed and ready for UL508A applications in both indoor and outdoor environments, or anywhere water ingress is a concern.

Many of the Type 3R Air Conditioner's energy performance advantages are tied to its unique nano-coated condenser, a 5µm thick ceramic coating that provides no loss of cooling capacity, requires no solvents to clean and allows for longer maintenance intervals. In most applications, no filter is required.

The Type 3R Air Conditioners provide a variety of advantages over competitive units:
Higher energy efficiency ratio, with more power provided in a lighter weight unit

  • For larger units, an integrated condensate evaporator is included, so there are no extra part numbers to order
  • Digital display of more than 20 failure and alarm codes
  • Able to connect up to 10 devices via Master/Slave connectivity
  • Locally produced in the USA, for faster deliveries and access to spare parts

Based on the same design as Rittal's widely used Blue e units, the Type 3R Air Conditioners are energy efficient, with units offered in 12 sizes with outputs ranging from 1000 to 8000 BTU (300W to 2400 W). The result is a savings of up to 45 percent of the energy consumption of similar units with the same cooling output, and up to 70 percent energy savings compared with conventional air conditioners in field trials.

The Type 3R units include a variety of features to improve energy performance, including the use of energy-efficient compressors, larger heat exchanging surfaces, use of EC fans, an improved condensate evaporator design, and Rittal's Eco-Mode Control. Eco-Mode saves energy costs by turning off the evaporator fan when the internal enclosure temperature falls 18°F (10°C) below the set point.

Rittal includes a variety of "field-friendly" designs to make it simple for installation and maintenance:

  • Easy test function available to confirm connection
  • Easier wire assembly for power is made possible with an included connector, rather than a power cord with a pre-set length that may not be adequate
  • No mounting hooks required

3R protection enclosures are designed for outdoor or indoor applications, such as those in food/beverage facilities, which protect against solid foreign objects such as dirt from entering the enclosure; protect against ingress of water from rain/sleet/snow or ice on the enclosure's exterior; and a degree of protection to people against access to hazardous parts.