Delphi Installs World’s Largest HMX Fresh-Air System in New York

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Delphi Corporation (PINKSHEETS: DPHIQ) has installed two air conditioning units, each one representing the world’s largest application of the Delphi Heat and Mass Exchanger (HMX) cooling component at its Thermal Plant 7 facility in Lockport, N.Y., company officials announced today at the West Coast Energy Management Congress (EMC). The system will simultaneously deliver superior cooling and ventilation while minimizing energy consumption and cost as compared to traditional air conditioning systems, particularly during periods of peak demand.

“With the HMX, we’re able to provide a comparable comfort level without the high operating costs required to run a traditional direct expansion makeup air system,” said Joseph Dunlop, commercial manager, Delphi Thermal Energy Systems. “This energy saving technology is at its best when it is hottest outside and will ultimately help reduce emissions from power plants trying to keep up with the elevated peak demand generated in the summer by air conditioning systems, which reflects Delphi’s commitment to environmental responsibility.”

The Delphi HMX, on display at Delphi’s EMC booth (No. 429), is a water-fueled air conditioning component that yields cooling systems with significantly improved efficiency and performance. Delphi HMX-driven systems do not require a compressor or the use of chemical refrigerants, making them environmentally friendly. The only power required is for the fan used to generate airflow.

In many applications and particularly those requiring some amount of fresh air, HMX-based systems can use as little as 25 percent of the power consumed by a traditional direct expansion system to do the same job. Plus, they outperform other evaporative systems on the market by providing cooler air temperatures without adding any humidity. Another unique feature of the HMX is its modular design: the units can be stacked as high and/or wide as necessary to meet any cooling capacity requirement.

Each roof-mounted system at Delphi’s Thermal Plant 7 — where Delphi manufactures and assembles Heating, Cooling and Ventilation (HVAC) products for automotive and non-automotive applications — delivers 20,000 cubic feet of air per minute. Together, the units will cool an area measuring approximately 32,000 square feet that houses injection molding operations, said Scott Kitkowski, Thermal Plant 7 manager.

“Before the HMX-based system was installed, this building had no cooling system, relying instead on ventilation that drew outside air into the facility,” Kitkowski said. “During the summer, indoor temperatures could soar above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The HMX will provide welcome cool air.”

The HMX-based systems at the Lockport facility allow Delphi to showcase technology while delivering superior cooling, cost and environmental benefits, said Dunlop.

“Being able to translate our many years of expertise in automotive technology into applications needed for non-automotive industries is very exciting for us,” he said

The system will likely operate at about 25 percent of the energy consumption that a refrigerated air conditioning system would consume in the same application, said Dunlop. The cooling capacity and Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) of an HMX application increase as the outside temperature gets hotter, a feature that dramatically reduces power consumption during peak demand when power costs the most.

To demonstrate the benefits of an HMX cooling system, Delphi is outfitting the units at Thermal Plant 7 with sensors and gauges to monitor their operation. Potential customers can view the system’s performance in real time from a dedicated web site that is currently in development.

The HMX is also featured in a number of large commercial systems worldwide. It is used in the Coolerado Cooler, which is designed for residential and light commercial applications and was named a “Top-10” green building product for 2006 by the editors of GreenSpec and Environmental Building News.