Sustainability for ULT Freezers

How can I find a more sustainable ULT freezer?

Energy savings
Eco-friendly ULT freezers are designed to help you saving energy and reducing your carbon footprint without any compromise in sample security. Keep in mind, reliable -80°C storage conditions require energy based on physical law. Smaller compressor systems require less energy but at some level of scale reduction, these smaller systems become non-dynamic. This means, the -80°C within the freezer are rarely met anymore and the recovery rates after door openings expand to several hours. As a result, the high value sample within the ULT freezer may suffer from inadequate temperature conditions.

Cooling liquids
The coolant or cooling liquid within a ULT freezer is used to cool down and to regulate the temperature. To reduce global warming, there is a clear tendency towards switching from classic cooling liquids as R508B and R404A to alternative cooling (e.g. R170, R290). These coolants, quite often known in the labs as “green” or “natural”, are future-proof and have a very low Global Warming Potential (GWP) of nearly zero. This is also supported by European Union Regulation (EU_517/2014). Eppendorf launched its first ULT freezer with hydrocarbon cooling in 2008, far earlier than most of our competitors. We now have more than10 years of experience with these coolants in R&D, production, logistics, and service in the field.


Longevity
The longer the life of a freezer, the more favorable for you as an user and for our environment. The price often plays a decisive role when purchasing a new freezer. Keep in mind the potential life time of the instrument. What about the cost-of-ownership over the years? Extend the life of your freezer by regular cleaning and inspection, regular maintenance, and repair and exchange of spare parts.

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