DC Airco, a company based in the in the Netherlands, has specialised in energy efficient air conditioners, heaters and battery coolers since 1997. Its solutions are designed for 24V, 48V, 74V, 110V, 230V or 400V in AC or DC voltage.
It is active in five markets, including:
- Railway / rolling stock vehicles and people movers: locomotives, passenger trains, coaches, trams, metros, operators, cabs and electrical cabinets from manufacturers, including EMD, GE, NRE, CAF, Bombardier, Siemens
- Defence vehicles and unmanned diesel or solar powered border patrol stations
- Underground mining refuge shelters
- Remote telecommunications stations
- Special vehicles
Energy efficient air conditioners
Some of the main features of DC Airco units include the following:
- Two thirds lower energy consumption
- No excessive power surge during start-up
- Standard rooftop / ceiling / under mount units, according to a modular system to ensure high quality combined with an acceptable cost level
- Custom-made units, possible in small and large series
- Units supplied in AC or DC voltages
- Cooling power ranges from 2.5kW to 15 kW (multiple units can be used to reach the desired cooling duty). Controlled with a PLC
- Extensive research and development ensure high-quality, low-maintenance products that last for many years
- Designed for 24V, 48V, 74V, 110V, 230V or 400V in AC or DC voltage
Modular system-designed products for rail, defence, telecom and mining
DC Airco manufactures a range of standard products designed according to a modular system to ensure high quality and lower cost. 20,000+ units are in use all over the world for projects in rail, defence, telecom, mining and other applications.
Railway units are designed and manufactured to meet the following EU legislation:
- EN 14813-1-2006 air conditioning for driving cabs
- EN 14750-1+2 air conditioning for suburban passenger trains
- EN 2004/108/EC; EN 50121-3-2:2006 ; EN 55011:2007/A2 ; EN 61000-4-2/6 EMC
- EN 61373 vibration and shock resistance for rolling stock
- EN 45545-2 ; NF F16-101-F2 : BS 6853 , Din 5510/2 fire resistance regulations
- EN 2006/42/EC machine safety regulations
Therefore ideal to use in railway / rolling stock vehicles and people movers: locomotives, passenger trains, coaches, trams, metros, operators, cabs and electrical cabinets from manufacturers, including EMD, GE, NRE, CAF, Bombardier and Siemens.
Air conditioning control system malfunction warning
All units are designed to have minimal maintenance intervals to minimise the life cycle cost. As an option, the air conditioners can be equipped with a control system that warns the driver and or maintenance crew in case of any malfunction. This information can be given on a display or through a GSM / Wi-Fi connection.
Environmentally-friendly air conditioning units
DC Airco units have a low impact on the environment because of low energy consumption. Due to the unit’s high efficiency, it uses less energy than a similar product, but with the same cooling duty. DC Airco units have minimal refrigerant losses.
The DC Airco engineers use only high-quality materials, such as special refrigerant hoses that have minimal losses, therefore minimising impact on the environment and maintenance. The refrigerant used is R134A, which has no impact on the ozone-layer, is a greenhouse gas, but as it is inflammable it is the only safe low-pressure option.
CO2 systems have less efficiency and therefore use more power to make the same cooling, as well as requiring more recharging. Due to the higher system pressures it will also have more leaks.
Some of the railway air conditioning projects DC Airco has been involved in include:
- 1999 Metro Amsterdam EMU 24 2 test
- 2001 Metro Amsterdam EMU 24 48
- 2006 FGW UK 165/166 DMU 24 2 test
- 2007 FGW UK 165/166 DMU 24 118
- 2008 FCC UK 313 EMU 110 6 test
- 2008 Nexia UK 153 DMU 24 2
- 2008 Nexia 156 DMU 24 2
- 2008 Southern 456 EMU 24 48
- 2008 Tata Steel NL Electric loco 24 5
- 2009 FGW UK 143 DMU 24 16
- 2009 FGW UK 150 DMU 24 44
- 2009 FGW UK 153 DMU 24 24
- 2009 FGW UK 158 DMU 24 36
- 2009 Nexia 317 EMU 110 102
- 2009 FCC UK 317 EMU 110 24
- 2010 Southern 313 EMU 110 48
- 2010 Thai Railways GE locs dieselelectric loco 74 4 test
- 2010 FCC UK 313 EMU 110 12
- 2010 GBRF UK class 66 dieselelectric loco 74 20
- 2010 GBRF UK class 66 dieselelectric loco 74 20
- 2010 EMD UK class 66 dieselelectric loco 74 8
- 2011 Beacon class 66 dieselelectric loco 74 10
- 2011 EMD DE class 66 dieselelectric loco 74 2
- 2011 Arriva UK 158 DMU 24 2
- 2012 FGW UK 150 DMU 24 4
- 2012 FGW UK 150 DMU 24 2
- 2012 FGW UK 153 DMU 24 2
- 2012 FGW UK 165 DMU 24 2
- 2012 Thai Railways Alstom loc dieselelectric loco 74 12 test
- 2012 Eurotunnel Krupps dieselelectric loco 24 2
- 2012 Lihuania Rail DR-AM dieselelectric loco 110 6
- 2012 Grindrod South Africa NRE loc dieselelectric loco 24 2
- 2012 Grindrod South Africa NRE loc dieselelectric loco 74 15
- 2013 Grindrod South Africa NRE loc dieselelectric loco 74 42
- 2013 Transnet South Africa dieselelectric loco 74 4
- 2013 Alstom class 313 EMU 110 2
- 2013 Supertram UK Duwagg electric tram 24 50
- 2013 Eurotunnel France class 9 diesel/electric locos 400VAC 41
- 2013 Bombardier UK stansted express cab+passenger 90
- 2013 EMD UK class 66 dieselectric loco 74 60
- 2013 Grindrod South Africa NRE loc dieselelectric loco 74 98
- 2014 Grindrod South Africa NRE loc dieselelectric loco 74 105
- 2014 Grindrod South Africashunter dieselelectric loco 24 16
- 2015 CAF Spain tram 24 78
- 2015 Vossloh UK class 158 EMU 110 4
- 2015 Linsinger Austria milling trains 400VAC 34
- 2015 Abellio UK class 317 110 4
- 2015 SBB Ch 320/321 electric loco 400VAC 252
Other non-railway clients include but are not limited to:
- Telecom: Alcatel, BP Solar, Ericsson, Emerson, Nokia Siemens, Thales, Saudi Aramco
- Defence: Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, EADS security and defence, Saab
- Mining: Several global mining companies
