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INDEE3 – Sustainable cooling and heating in India

Demosites

Our demonstration sites showcase innovative heating and cooling solutions using natural refrigerants, developed in collaboration with Indian vendors and research partners. These sites highlight how pilot projects and research innovations can be scaled into commercially viable applications, supported by knowledge transfer and technical guidance from the INDEE3 team. Visitors will discover both full-scale industrial demonstrators and lab-scale systems, designed to demonstrate cutting-edge technologies and promote sustainable practices across the food supply chain.

Contact person

Demonstration sites

The demonstration sites are listed alphabetically below:

BITS Pilani - Onboard R290 refrigeration system

Collage showing two images of cooling systems.
Images: Prosenjit Singha/BITS Pilani and Alex Reimer/SINTEF.
  • Location: BITS Pilani 
  • Refrigerant: Propane (R290) 
  • Main sector: Fishing vessels  
  • Other possible sectors: Land-based seafood processing plants 
  • Contact person: Professor M. S. Dasgupta () 

A recently developed onboard refrigeration system demonstrates the technical and economic advantages of using propane (R290) on small fishing vessels. The system uses a screw compressor that is mechanically driven by the boat’s engine via a belt drive, removing the need for an additional power source. 

Unlike conventional onboard systems that cool seawater, this setup produces flake ice, matching the fisher’s traditional working practices. Ice is formed inside a specially designed evaporative drum, where a thin water film freezes on the inner drum surface, is scraped off, and collected for fish cooling.  

The system was developed at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani and is currently installed as a laboratory unit for testing and training. 

Why natural refrigerants work – and why they are the future? 

Propane (R290) is widely available and will remain accessible in the future. The efficiency of propane systems can be further improved through advanced design and optimisation. While flammability is a concern, it can be effectively managed by installing the unit outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. 

Future plans

Our goal is to develop a compact, efficient, and user-friendly system suitable for installation on fishing vessels. If you are a ship owner interested in installing such a unit, don’t hesitate to contact us. 

Publications 

Singha, P. et al. (Apr. 2025). “Thermodynamic comparison of various refrigerants for an on-board R290 refrigeration system with economizer subcooling in small fishing boats”. In: Thermal Science and Engineering Progress 60, p. 103443.