Environmental Management Environmental Sustainability Report 2005

Contribution to Environmental Protection through Products, Technologies and Services (2)

Energy-saving Development of short stroke linear reciprocating motor for actuators Shinko Electric Co., Ltd. has developed a next-generation actuator powered by a moving magnet linear motor with a steel core, the first in the world. With its long-life, low heat generation, high efficiency, and high response, the reciprocating motor is anticipated to be used in pump compressors, freezers, and diaphragm pumps, as well as in actuators for vibrators, vibration dampers, and semiconductor handling. Moving magnet linear motor with steel core Advantages of Reciprocating Motors Lubrication-free, clean, and long life Core supported by leaf springs eliminate friction or abrasion at bearings. Generates high-quality driving force Driving force is proportional to electric current due to the proprietary magnetic circuit. Low heat generation and high efficiency Laminated electromagnetic steel sheet is used. High response Large driving force and mass ratio is achieved by the introduction of a hollow moving core. High reliability Has high mechanical strength, as the steel core is the only moving part. No power supply is necessary for the moving part. Development of super high efficiency inverter screw chiller Starting from Japan's first high-pressure reciprocating compressor in 1915, we have broadened our lineup to include reciprocating, screw and turbo compressors, fulfilling the wide-ranging needs of users. Kobe Steel has developed small heat source equipment, the High Efficiency Mini Series, following the UHE Series, which was developed as environmentally friendly large heat source generators. The High Efficiency Mini Series is the first small and middle-size class of screw compressors (chilling capacity: 300 to 700 kilowatts) whose capacity is controlled by an inverter, instead of a conventional slide valve. Also, the new chiller achieved the Lorentz Cycle, using non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture and a low-temperature difference, countercurrent heat exchanger. These measures substantially improved the performance not only at full load but also at the operation level around 50% to 70%, achieving an energy reduction of 30% compared to Kobe Steel's conventional products. As a result, an annual reduction in CO2 emission of 30% per each unit was accomplished. Also, HFE407E, whose ozone depletion coefficient is "zero," is used as the refrigerant. Furthermore, the size and weight of the compressor is reduced by 50% compared to conventional units. High Efficiency Mini Comparison of Impact on Global Warming among Heat Source Equipment Lorentz Cycle The illustration below shows the typical chilling cycle in the T-S diagram. The area within the cycle drawn in the diagram indicates the energy needed to operate a chiller thermodynamically. As no power is necessary for the colored areas, the Lorentz cycle could be drawn in the rhombic shape inside the conventional reverse Carnot Cycle (rectangle). Kobe Steel achieved the Lorentz Cycle for the High Efficiency Mini Series by a using non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture (called HFE407E, whose ozone depletion coefficient is "zero") as the refrigerant and using high performance plates in the single-pass, countercurrent heat exchanger.