Donaldson and partners invest in sustainability chain
ecological footprint key in purchase process
At the Donaldson, Belgian division of filtration specialists in Leuven, a new Daikin chiller was recently installed on the flat roof of the laboratory rooms. Focused on a collaborative and sustainable investment where all stakeholders made great efforts, Donaldson worked closely with inhibited glycol specialist Proviron, installation company Technigroup, and materials distributor for installers Heytec. The publicly traded company puts the sustainability factor first in all its facets.
This Donaldson plant focuses on R&D, engineering, and lab research. “There is very diverse and extensive testing research; it includes field and aging tests, as well as verifying that designed products meet customer standards and specifications. The campus has three departments: mobile solutions, industrial solutions, and life science. The life science department is developing strongly with a focus on process filtration and the production of bioreactors, with which, among other things, meat substitute food production is being developed,” says Geert Engelen, Manager Leuven and EMEA Facilities at Donaldson. “The lab space is conditioned and kept at the right temperature and humidity so that all tests take place under the same conditions.”
Daikin’s existing conventional chiller – positioned on the flat roof – was in need of replacement. The sustainability factor was paramount for Donaldson when searching for a new chiller. “In addition to effectively reducing energy consumption, the unit had to be equipped with better controls and operate on the basis of an environmentally friendly refrigerant. The total cost over the lifetime of the purchased products was the focus. The ecological footprint (read GWP value) of the new refrigerant had to be as low as possible. Also, the new chiller had to be as low-noise as possible in harmony with the company’s nicely embedded in greenery.” During installation, the laboratory was offline for two weeks.
In addition to effectively reducing energy consumption, the new chiller needed to operate using an eco-friendly refrigerant.
The coolant's ecological footprint (GWP value) was vital, a significant factor in our decision to use proviflow.
Persistent green alternative
Proviflow can be custom-blended with color additives. “In order to detect leaks faster but also if, for example, there are multiple chillers and different glycol products, it is useful to be able to make a clear distinction, with a view to the safety and health of the people who come into contact with them,” says Gregory Jansseune, Business Manager Proviflow at Proviron. “The color chosen is always customer-specific, regardless of niche or sector. Specific color blends, such as petrol green, are possible. Proviron has a fully automated inline production and filling installation for glycol-based cold carriers where all raw materials are dosed and mixed according to the desired quantity at the filling time. Also, all product color additives can be custom-blended to achieve the desired color. This ensures customer-oriented flexibility. For example, we supply Heytec, among others, with certain concentrates in small quantities. These are purchased by installation companies and then mixed by them in the installation at the end customer’s site. Proviron also offers tools such as the ‘label kit,’ which can keep track of all data (including product, concentrate, quantity, date, etc.) about the installation. This simplifies the service.”
Color additives: safe and flexible
Proviflow can be enriched with color additives. “In order to detect leaks faster but also if, for example, there are multiple chillers and different glycol products, it is useful to be able to make a clear distinction, with a view to the safety and health of the people who come into contact with them,” says Gregory Jansseune, Business Manager Proviflow at Proviron. “The color chosen is always customer-specific, regardless of niche or sector. Specific color blends such as petrol green, for example, are possible. For glycol-based cold carriers, Proviron has a fully automated inline production and filling installation where all raw materials are dosed and mixed according to the desired quantity at the time of filling. Also, all color additives for all products can be minutely dosed and also mixed to achieve the desired color. This ensures customer-oriented flexibility. For example, we supply Heytec, among others, with certain concentrates in small quantities. These are purchased by installation companies and then mixed by them in the installation at the end customer’s site. Proviron also offers tools such as the ‘label kit’, which can keep track of all data (including product, concentrate, quantity…) about the installation. This simplifies the service.”
Biobased = 60% CO2-reduction
Donaldson’s investment required an integrated approach from all partners involved and marks a trend toward sustainability in refrigeration. Geert Engelen: “Following the European Green Deal, synthetic refrigerants are being phased out. Donaldson Europe has co-signed the Paris Agreement and confirmed the climate target for 2030. We compensate our CO2 emissions optimally through solar panels; the electrical energy we consume is 100% green. Our sustainability process applies to customers, shareholders, suppliers, and internally. We work completely data-driven, evidence-based, and open-book. Donaldson also expects this from all its partners-suppliers.” Gregory Jansseune: “The end user needs to know that there are alternatives in the cold chain that lead to an even better CO2 reduction score. Consider, for example, glycol-based cold carriers that are biobased. These manufacturers ensure a 60% reduction of CO2 emissions in their production process and can present the corresponding LCA. Proviron provides the customer with a certificate proving that the delivered product is biobased and achieves a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions.
