The need to use two compressors in a booster set-up tends to increase the cost of a refrigeration system. A two staged system also needs synchronization, pressure control and lubrication. To reduce these costs, specialized equipment has been developed.
Economizer screw compressors are built by several manufacturers like Refcomp, Mycom, Bitzer and York. These machines merge both compressors of a two staged system into one screw compressor with two inputs: the main suction and an interstage side entrance for higher pressure gas. This means there is no need to install two compressors and still benefit from the booster concept.
There are two types of economizer setups for these compressors, flash and subcooling. The latter works like a two staged booster with subcooling. The flash economizer is different because it doesn't use a heat exchanger to produce the subcooling. Instead, it has a flash chamber or tank, in which flash gas is produced to lower the temperature of the liquid before the expansion. The flash gas that is produced in this tank leaves the liquid line and goes to the economizer entrance of the screw compressor.