Closing the Loop: How Heuch Helped Supagas Turn CO₂ Waste into a Valuable Resource

Turning CO₂ waste into a resource with engineered cooling innovation | Heuch Cooling Solutions

posted by: heuchadmin

When Supagas Australia expanded its Dry Ice Production Plant, they faced a new challenge—how to efficiently re-liquify waste CO₂ and turn it into usable product. That’s where Heuch Cooling Solutions stepped in with a smart, engineered response.

The Challenge: High Volume, Harsh Conditions

Supagas needed a reliable system that could handle the re-liquefaction of high volumes of CO₂—up to 2,000kg per hour. But the job was more than just volume. The process demanded a solution that could operate under extreme temperature fluctuations, with adaptive controls, and within the narrow safety margins dictated by the triple point of CO₂.

Conventional plate heat exchangers couldn’t keep up with the high ΔT conditions, and moisture in the CO₂ vapour risked freezing and obstructing the system. To succeed, we needed to design something smarter, safer, and more robust.

The Solution: Heuch CO₂-R2000 Revert Refrigerated System

The answer came in the form of our CO₂-R2000 Revert Refrigerated System, a fully packaged, water-cooled condensing unit engineered specifically for CO₂ recovery and production plants. Built with reliability and flexibility in mind, the system features:

Variable condensing capacity to suit different loads
PLC-based safety and temperature controls for hands-free monitoring
Custom evaporators designed to overcome the extreme ΔT challenges
Turnkey delivery, making installation efficient and straightforward

Every component was selected for compliance with Australian electrical standards and for seamless integration into Supagas’ facility.

Overcoming the Complexities

Working closely with both Supagas and the plant operators, we fine-tuned the system to match real-world conditions. One key consideration was preventing CO₂ vapour moisture from freezing within the evaporator—a problem we solved by designing a defrosting and drainage schedule into the system’s operation cycle.

The Results: Efficient, Reliable, Future-Proof

Once operational inputs like water flow and power supply were stabilised, the system delivered precisely as designed. Supagas is now successfully converting waste CO₂ back into liquid, maximising efficiency and reducing environmental impact in the process.

Key Takeaway: Process Understanding = Project Success

This project reaffirmed a critical lesson—when engineers and clients collaborate closely and share a deep understanding of the process, great outcomes follow. Clear communication and transparency in the design phase ensured a system that not only performs well but sets a new standard for CO₂ re-liquefaction in Australia.