Danfoss has announced that 15 million TR6 thermostatic expansion valves (TXVs) are in operation throughout the U.S. Fourteen years in the making, achieving this milestone took foresight, planning, and collaboration.
The journey to 15 million TR6 valves began in 2003, when the minimum seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) rating for residential air-conditioning systems in the US was SEER 10. That meant that most systems used a fixed-orifice metering device and only high-efficiency systems used active metering devices like TXVs. After research and customer input, Danfoss began to engineer a TXV that would meet the needs of the high-efficiency market, the TR6.
The TR6 was designed for the U.S. residential air-conditioning market and with plans for it to be manufactured according to Danfoss’ quality standards: a laser-welded powerhead creates a longer lasting lifetime of the power element than plasma welding while also subjecting it to less stress; the internal check valve’s patented design eliminates pressure drop; and the factory superheat settings ensure the product works properly out of the box.
Then in 2004, the U.S. Department of Energy announced minimum SEER standards for air conditioning and heat pump systems manufactured after Jan. 23, 2006. Instead of a rating of SEER 10, as had been the standard since 1992, the new minimum rating would be SEER 13, increasing the energy efficiency of a system by 30 percent. Due to its design, the TR6 was able to qualify for the new requirements.
Suddenly, fixed-orifice throttling devices would not be sufficient and the demand for TXVs skyrocketed. To handle the anticipated increase in market demand, a Danfoss automated production line was installed at the main plant in Nordborg, Denmark and few years later, to get closer to the target market and customer base in the U.S., the TR6 line was dismantled, boxed up, and shipped to Monterrey, Mexico where it was reassembled. The automated production line resumed operation in early 2009 without a single order being delayed.
Over its life, the TR6 has evolved to meet market needs. In 2015, minimum SEER requirements became region-based, with more requirements in the southern and western regions of the country; however, the TR6 exceeds requirements across the board.
Danfoss also expanded its offering to meet the needs of contractors using TR6 valves by developing TR6 Universal Replacement kits. The kits are available for either R-22 or R-410A and include multiple valves and orifices, offering contractors and technicians an all-in-one solution for air conditioning TXV replacement.
The TR6 has seen success. Starting life as a solution for only the high-efficiency residential air-conditioning market, it is now a standard piece of equipment.
“Between 30 and 40 percent of new air-conditioning systems manufactured in the U.S. use a TR6 valve,” says Ejner Kobbero, senior product director of residential air conditioning expansion functions at Danfoss. “Now, just over a decade after being launched, 15 million TR6 valves are in operation around the country. It has been quite a journey, but it is just another example of how Danfoss is Engineering Tomorrow.”