LU-VE has developed, with the help of Carel SpA, a solution to reduce the energy consumption of unit coolers in cold rooms, consisting of a control system that can be installed on board the unit cooler and is, therefore, capable of operating correctly in a cold (down to -30°C), damp environment in the presence of ice. The controller drives the electronic expansion valve (EEV), which feeds the unit cooler itself. The greater precision of the EEV limits the overheating of the evaporator, while its wide operating range makes it possible to work with floating condensing thus reducing the evaporating temperature in cold periods. Electronic expansion valves have become common in the refrigeration field. Among their advantages is the possibility of having floating condensing that can adapt to ambient conditions. This allows the cycle to move to a lower condensing pressure when ambient temperature moves away from the design value (usually the most severe), leading to an increase in the COP. 

The solution has the following components:
• Controller, with its PCB constructed using over-moulding technology suitable for damp rooms and in the presence of ice (with temperatures down to -30°C); the PCB manages the main parameters of the valve and contains pre-set programs for the operation of the unit cooler, minimizing on-site set-up operations.
• Temperature and pressure sensors to be positioned at the unit cooler discharge header to measure the degree of superheating.
• Electronic proportional valve.
The system is easy to install as wiring connections are simple. The PCB is powered from the 230V grid, obviating the need for an auxiliary transformer. For setting the device, it is only necessary to define the type of refrigerant (the PCB is equipped with a database of 24 different refrigerants). A Modbus cable is fitted to allow communication with a supervision and control system.