Rhoss EXP series screw compressor hybrid heat pumps

 

 

The Rhoss EXP series from Coolmation is a range of hybrid heat pump chillers.

Unlike ordinary heat pump chillers, the EXP series is a self-contained hybrid system capable of producing hot and chilled water simultaneously for commercial air-conditioning systems with delivery achieved through a 4-pipe system to provide significant savings on capital equipment, design, installation and energy costs.

By producing hot and chilled water simultaneously, the new range is especially suited to commercial buildings, hospitals, hotels and public buildings. Modern air-conditioning systems in this type of building may typically be required to heat one area whilst cooling may be needed in another, particularly in spring or autumn, outside of the traditional heating or cooling seasons or where sunlight falls on one side of the building but not the other at different times of the day.

In the majority of applications, the EXP series can effectively meet these requirements without the need for an independent boiler and chiller resulting in proven operational energy savings of up to 35%. At the same time, the new range reduces expenditure on equipment and pipework and significantly cuts the cost of installation.

The EXP series is available in a wide range of capacities, with air or water cooled condensers. Across the range, the new R134A screw compressor series has cooling capacities from 384kW to 680kW and water heating capacities from 409kW to 700kW. The original R407C  scroll compressor series has cooling capacities from 18kW to 307kW and heating from 17kW to 340kW. COPs (Coefficient of Performance) can be as high as 6.5.

What advances have been made to account for its improved effectiveness?

Rhoss has extended its range of EXP hybrid heat pumps by introducing the new air and water cooled series with R134A refrigerant. This is the fourth generation and applies EXP technology to screw compressors to deliver higher heating and cooling capacities.

The experience gained by applying their patented EXP technology to scroll compressor systems has been advanced through Rhoss’s collaboration with the IT department of the University of Padova and a significant amount of research within their own high technology R&D laboratory.

The electronics have been designed to always choose the best energy saving combination in terms of compressor saturation. Since the screw compressor operates at its most efficient at 100% loading, it will always direct compressors to operate in this way, balancing the load and set temperatures, while making sure that the minimum number of compressors are operating at their highest capacity.

The electronics integrated within EXP units with air cooled condensers manage a smart system which controls defrost setting so that defrost only takes place when necessary and completely independent of the second circuit.

 

 

What differentiates it from a standard heat pump?

One single unit can operate in both a 2-pipe and 4-pipe system and there is full independence of hot and chilled water production. Hot water can be produced in the main heat exchanger and in the heat recovery exchanger at the same time. The advanced electronics will, depending upon the system operating requirements, direct 100% of hot water production to one single heat exchanger or 50% to each.

By producing hot and chilled water simultaneously, the EXP Series is especially suited to large buildings such as offices, hospitals and hotels where the cooling and heating needs increasingly vary, depending on where you are in the building, according to a range of factors, such as the effect of direct sunlight, high load office equipment, etc.

How does it meet environmental concerns?

The UK government is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 34% by 2020 (from 1990 base levels) and a massive 80% by 2050. There are increasingly tough legislative drivers in place to bring about change in terms of the UK’s energy efficiency performance.

These include the Energy Performance in Building Directive and amendments to Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power) of the Building Regulations which came into force in England and Wales on 1 October 2010. They represent an average 25% improvement in efficiency over the 2006 regulations.

This year also saw the introduction of the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC). The CRC scheme is mandatory and aims to raise revenues from large energy users of around £1billion per year by 2014-15 by effectively taxing organisations for the carbon dioxide emissions that are attributable to energy consumption.

In order to meet these legislative requirements, energy-saving technology has to be installed. The EXP has COPs (Coefficient of Performance) as high as 6.5 and tests have shown that EXP’s running costs are up to 35% less when compared with a typical boiler and chiller installation

Summary

At a time when fuel costs are high and rising, while the government is driving the country to lower carbon emissions and energy usage, the EXP series provides significant energy savings and reduces a building’s carbon footprint by 35% when compared with a typical boiler and chiller installation (reducing by as much as 35%, the carbon footprint of a typical boiler and chiller installation).

The EXP series stands out from any standard packaged air conditioning or heat pump solution. Instead, this is a new breed of hybrid heat pump chiller, a first in the UK market. By producing hot and chilled water simultaneously, the EXP series is especially suited to large buildings such as offices, hospitals and hotels where the cooling and heating needs increasingly vary, depending on building orientation, the effect of direct sunlight, high load office equipment, etc.

Unlike ordinary heat pump chillers, the EXP series is a self-contained hybrid system which can produce hot and chilled water simultaneously then deliver it through a 4-pipe system to the part of building where and when either is needed. This system is not only energy efficient in terms of meeting the comfort cooling or heating requirements of the building owner, but also provides significant benefits for contractors by saving on capital equipment, design and installation costs.

Climate 4 hireChillers 4 HireService 4 ChillersCommercial Heat Pumps