Trane

Last updated
Trane Inc.
Company type Subsidiary
IndustryEquipment manufacturing
Founded1913;111 years ago (1913) as The Trane Company in La Crosse, Wisconsin, U.S.
Founder
Headquarters Swords, Dublin, Ireland
Products Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems
Parent Trane Technologies
Website trane.com

Trane is a manufacturer of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, along with building management systems and controls. The company is a subsidiary of Trane Technologies, a company focused on manufacturing HVAC and refrigeration systems. Trane employs more than 29,000 people at 104 manufacturing locations in 28 countries, and has annual sales of more than US$8 billion.

Contents

History

Trane chiller Patinoire, Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire 07 - Trane AquaStream 3G chiller.jpg
Trane chiller

In 1885, James Trane, a Norwegian immigrant from Tromsø, opened his own plumbing and pipe-fitting shop in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He designed a new type of low-pressure steam heating system, Trane vapor heating. Reuben Trane, James' son, earned a mechanical engineering degree (B. S. 1910) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and joined his father's plumbing firm. [1]

In 1913, James and Reuben incorporated The Trane Company. By 1916, the Trane's were no longer in the plumbing business, but instead focused their attention on manufacturing heating products. Reuben's invention of the convector radiator in 1923, which replaced the heavy, bulky, cast-iron radiators that prevailed at the time, was a major success. Trane's first air conditioning unit was developed in 1931.

In 1982, Trane purchased General Electric's Central Air Conditioning Division. [2] [3] With that purchase came many of the most recognizable traits of Trane's residential air conditioning products. Many of those traits, like the distinctive red "Climatuff" compressors, rotary compressors, the "Spine-Fin" all aluminum spiny outdoor coil and the all aluminum evaporator coil, are still found in Trane's residential equipment lines. [4]

In 1984, Trane was acquired by the American Standard Companies.

On February 1, 2007, American Standard Companies announced it would break up its three divisions. The company sold off its namesake kitchen and bath division and spun off WABCO, American Standard's vehicle controls division, while retaining Trane. American Standard then renamed itself Trane Inc. effective November 28, 2007. [5] [6]

On December 17, 2007, Trane announced it had agreed to be acquired by Ireland-based Ingersoll Rand in a cash and stock transaction. [7] [8] [9] [10] The sale was completed on June 5, 2008. [11] [12]

In September 2017, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and Allergy Standards Limited [13] announced that the Trane CleanEffects whole home air cleaner earned the Asthma and Allergy Friendly Certification, the first whole home air cleaner to receive this certification. [14]

In 2020, Ingersoll Rand spun off its non-refrigeration businesses and was rebranded as Trane Technologies. [15]

Trane building former headquarters Abandoned as of May 2023 Trane buildings headquarters front.jpg
Trane building former headquarters
Abandoned as of May 2023
Trane buildings plant 7 Trane buildings plant 7.jpg
Trane buildings plant 7
The Trane Company Trane buildings.jpg
The Trane Company
Trane buildings La Crosse Trane buildings La Crosse.jpg
Trane buildings La Crosse

Europe's largest cooling system

Map of the Channel Tunnel Course Channeltunnel en.svg
Map of the Channel Tunnel

The Channel Tunnel is a 50.45-kilometre (31.35 mi) rail tunnel beneath the English Channel, linking the United Kingdom with France. At its lowest point, it is 75 m (250 ft) below the sea bed and 115 m (380 ft) below sea level. [16] [17] [18] At 37.9 kilometres (23.5 mi), the tunnel has the longest undersea portion of any tunnel in the world. [19] During the design stage of the tunnel, engineers found that its aerodynamic properties and the heat generated by high-speed trains as they passed through it would raise the temperature inside the tunnel to 50 °C (122 °F). [20] As well as making the trains "unbearably warm" for passengers this also presented a risk of equipment failure and track distortion. [20] To cool the tunnel to 30 °C (86 °F), engineers installed 480 kilometres (300 mi) of 0.61 m (24 in) diameter cooling pipes carrying 84 million liters (18.5 million gallons) of water. The network—Europe's largest cooling system—was supplied by eight York Titan chillers running on R22, a Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerant gas. [20] [21]

Due to R22's ozone depletion potential (ODP) and high global warming potential (GWP), its use is being phased out in developed countries, and since 1 January 2015 it has been illegal in Europe to use HCFCs to service air-conditioning equipment—broken equipment that used HCFCs must instead be replaced with equipment that does not use it. In 2016, Trane was selected to provide replacement chillers for the tunnel's cooling network. [20] The York chillers were decommissioned and four "next generation" Trane Series E CenTraVac large-capacity (2600 kW to 14,000 kW) chillers were installed—two located in Sangatte, France, and two at Shakespeare Cliff, UK. The energy-efficient chillers, using Honeywell's non-flammable, ultra-low GWP R1233zd(E) refrigerant, maintain temperatures at 25 °C (77 °F), and in their first year of operation generated savings of 4.8 GWh—approximately 33%, equating to €500,000 ($585,000)—for tunnel operator Getlink. [19] [21]

Notable Trane buildings

The list of buildings below use Trane systems.

Manufacturing locations

Commercial products

Residential products

Brands

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning</span> Technology of indoor and vehicular environmental comfort

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is the use of various technologies to control the temperature, humidity, and purity of the air in an enclosed space. Its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. HVAC system design is a subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer. "Refrigeration" is sometimes added to the field's abbreviation as HVAC&R or HVACR, or "ventilation" is dropped, as in HACR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Refrigerant</span> Substance in a refrigeration cycle

A refrigerant is a working fluid used in the refrigeration cycle of air conditioning systems and heat pumps where in most cases they undergo a repeated phase transition from a liquid to a gas and back again. Refrigerants are heavily regulated due to their toxicity, flammability and the contribution of CFC and HCFC refrigerants to ozone depletion and that of HFC refrigerants to climate change.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chiller</span> Machine that removes heat from a liquid coolant via vapor compression

A chiller is a machine that removes heat from a liquid coolant via a vapor-compression, absorption refrigeration, or absorption refrigeration cycles. This liquid can then be circulated through a heat exchanger to cool equipment, or another process stream. As a necessary by-product, refrigeration creates waste heat that must be exhausted to ambience, or for greater efficiency, recovered for heating purposes. Vapor compression chillers may use any of a number of different types of compressors. Most common today are the hermetic scroll, semi-hermetic screw, or centrifugal compressors. The condensing side of the chiller can be either air or water cooled. Even when liquid cooled, the chiller is often cooled by an induced or forced draft cooling tower. Absorption and adsorption chillers require a heat source to function.

American Standard Companies Inc. was a manufacturer of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, plumbing fixtures, and automotive parts. The company was formed in 1929 through the merger of the American Radiator Company and Standard Sanitary Manufacturing Company forming the American Radiator and Standard Sanitary Corporation. The name was simplified to American Standard in 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chlorodifluoromethane</span> Chemical propellant and refrigerant

Chlorodifluoromethane or difluoromonochloromethane is a hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC). This colorless gas is better known as HCFC-22, or R-22, or CHClF
2. It was commonly used as a propellant and refrigerant. These applications were phased out under the Montreal Protocol in developed countries in 2020 due to the compound's ozone depletion potential (ODP) and high global warming potential (GWP), and in developing countries this process will be completed by 2030. R-22 is a versatile intermediate in industrial organofluorine chemistry, e.g. as a precursor to tetrafluoroethylene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vapor-compression refrigeration</span> Refrigeration process

Vapour-compression refrigeration or vapor-compression refrigeration system (VCRS), in which the refrigerant undergoes phase changes, is one of the many refrigeration cycles and is the most widely used method for air conditioning of buildings and automobiles. It is also used in domestic and commercial refrigerators, large-scale warehouses for chilled or frozen storage of foods and meats, refrigerated trucks and railroad cars, and a host of other commercial and industrial services. Oil refineries, petrochemical and chemical processing plants, and natural gas processing plants are among the many types of industrial plants that often utilize large vapor-compression refrigeration systems. Cascade refrigeration systems may also be implemented using two compressors.

James Alex Trane was a Norwegian-American inventor and industrialist. He was the co-founder of Trane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air conditioning</span> Cooling of air in an enclosed space

Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C (US) or air con (UK), is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment and in some cases also strictly controlling the humidity of internal air. Air conditioning can be achieved using a mechanical 'air conditioner' or by other methods, including passive cooling and ventilative cooling. Air conditioning is a member of a family of systems and techniques that provide heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). Heat pumps are similar in many ways to air conditioners, but use a reversing valve to allow them both to heat and to cool an enclosed space.

Thermo King is an American manufacturer of transport temperature control systems for refrigerator trucks and trailers, refrigerated containers and refrigerated railway cars along with heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems for bus and passenger rail applications. Headquartered in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota. Thermo King is a subsidiary of Trane Technologies.

Natural refrigerants are considered substances that serve as refrigerants in refrigeration systems. They are alternatives to synthetic refrigerants such as chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) based refrigerants. Unlike other refrigerants, natural refrigerants can be found in nature and are commercially available thanks to physical industrial processes like fractional distillation, chemical reactions such as Haber process and spin-off gases. The most prominent of these include various natural hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. Natural refrigerants are preferred actually in new equipment to their synthetic counterparts for their presumption of higher degrees of sustainability. With the current technologies available, almost 75 percent of the refrigeration and air conditioning sector has the potential to be converted to natural refrigerants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fan coil unit</span> HVAC device

A fan coil unit (FCU), also known as a Vertical Fan Coil-Unit (VFC), is a device consisting of a heat exchanger (coil) and a fan. FCUs are commonly used in HVAC systems of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings that use ducted split air conditioning or with central plant cooling. FCUs are typically connected to ductwork and a thermostat to regulate the temperature of one or more spaces and to assist the main air handling unit for each space if used with chillers. The thermostat controls the fan speed and/or the flow of water or refrigerant to the heat exchanger using a control valve.

Free cooling is an economical method of using low external air temperatures to assist in chilling water, which can then be used for industrial processes, or air conditioning systems. The chilled water can either be used immediately or be stored for the short- or long-term. When outdoor temperatures are lower relative to indoor temperatures, this system utilizes the cool outdoor air as a free cooling source. In this manner, the system replaces the chiller in traditional air conditioning systems while achieving the same cooling result. Such systems can be made for single buildings or district cooling networks.

Ingersoll Rand Inc. is an American multinational company that provides flow creation and industrial products. The company was formed in February 2020 through the spinoff of the industrial segment of Ingersoll-Rand plc and its merger with Gardner Denver. Its products are sold under more than 40 brands across all major global markets.

HVAC is a major sub discipline of mechanical engineering. The goal of HVAC design is to balance indoor environmental comfort with other factors such as installation cost, ease of maintenance, and energy efficiency. The discipline of HVAC includes a large number of specialized terms and acronyms, many of which are summarized in this glossary.

Daikin Applied Americas is a corporation that designs, manufacturers and sells heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) products, systems, parts and services for commercial buildings. Since 2006, McQuay has been a subsidiary of Daikin Industries, Ltd. McQuay world headquarters are located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Products are sold by a global network of sales representatives and distributors.

Trane Technologies plc is an American manufacturing company focused on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and refrigeration systems. The company traces its corporate history back more than 150 years and was created after a series of mergers and spin-offs. In 2008, HVAC manufacturer Trane was acquired by Ingersoll Rand, a US industrial tools manufacturer. In 2020, the tools business was spun off as Ingersoll Rand and the remaining company was renamed Trane Technologies.

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF), also known as variable refrigerant volume (VRV), is an HVAC technology invented by Daikin Industries, Ltd. in 1982. Similar to ductless mini-split systems, VRFs use refrigerant as the primary cooling and heating medium, and are usually less complex than conventional chiller-based systems. This refrigerant is conditioned by one or more condensing units, and is circulated within the building to multiple indoor units. VRF systems, unlike conventional chiller-based systems, allow for varying degrees of cooling in more specific areas, may supply hot water in a heat recovery configuration without affecting efficiency, and switch to heating mode during winter without additional equipment, all of which may allow for reduced energy consumption. Also, air handlers and large ducts are not used which can reduce the height above a dropped ceiling as well as structural impact as VRF uses smaller penetrations for refrigerant pipes instead of ducts.

The Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC) is a model code developed by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) to govern the installation, inspection and maintenance of HVAC and refrigeration systems. It is designated as an American National Standard.

In air conditioning, an inverter compressor is a compressor that is operated with an inverter.

Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US (METUS) is a company jointly owned by Trane Technologies and Mitsubishi Electric.

References

  1. ↑ Trane Culture » Our History (Trane Inc.) Archived 2013-04-08 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ "Central Heating and Air Conditioning".
  3. ↑ "1987 General Electric Room Air Conditioners". June 2016.
  4. ↑ "Trane heating and air conditioning". Archived from the original on 2013-10-12. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
  5. ↑ Trane – News Release Archived 2009-03-26 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ La Crosse Tribune – 7.0 : Area leaders optimistic about company’s name change, but none predict that the headquarters will return to city
  7. ↑ Trane : Ingersoll Rand To Acquire Trane Archived 2013-04-06 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ La Crosse Tribune – 7.0 : Ingersoll-Rand to buy Trane for $10.1 billion
  9. ↑ La Crosse Tribune – 7.0 : Reaction to Trane sale cautious; mayor disappointed
  10. ↑ La Crosse Tribune – 7.0 : Union: New owner good fit for Trane
  11. ↑ Forbes.com [ dead link ]
  12. ↑ "Ingersoll Rand – Ingersoll Rand Completes Acquisition of Trane". Archived from the original on 2014-07-28. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  13. ↑ "Allergy Standards Website" . Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  14. ↑ "Trane® CleanEffects™ Air Cleaner Is the First Certified asthma & allergy friendly® Whole Home Air Cleaner Option" (Press release). GlobeNewswire. 21 September 2017.
  15. ↑ "Trane Technologies Completes Reverse Morris Trust Transaction and Begins Trading Today on NYS". Businesswire.com. 2020-03-02. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  16. ↑ "Folkestone Eurotunnel Trains". Transworld Leisure Limited. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  17. ↑ Institution of Civil Engineers (1989). The Channel Tunnel. London: Thomas Telford. p. 95. ISBN   0-7277-1546-1.
  18. ↑ Wise, Jeff (1 October 2009). "Turkey Building the World's Deepest Immersed Tube Tunnel". Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014.
  19. 1 2 Sharma, Gaurav (5 June 2018). "Europe's 'Largest Cooling System' Boosts Anglo-French Channel Tunnel's Sustainability Drive". Forbes . Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  20. 1 2 3 4 "HFO chillers to cool the Channel Tunnel". Cooling Post. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  21. 1 2 "Tunnel vision proves R1233zd efficiency". Cooling Post. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  22. ↑ Merrett, Neil (5 June 2018). "Eurotunnel lauds cooling efficiency gains after HFO switch". Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Magazine. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  23. ↑ "Trane project in Paris museum is a work of art". Modern Building services. 1 December 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Famous Trane Buildings". Trane. Archived from the original on 1 December 2007 – via Wayback Machine.
  25. ↑ "Case Study: Burj Dubai Tower" (PDF). Trane. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016 – via Wayback Machine.
  26. ↑ https://lex18.com/breaking-news/2018/10/04/employees-trane-plant-to-shut-down-next-year/ [ dead link ]
  27. ↑ "South Macon plant to close doors; 100 people's jobs in danger". 4 October 2018.
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