In this short article, I want to summarize why OSB heat pump is committed to propane as a refrigerant gas instead of other very popular solutions.
During these months, after the release of the OSB inverter and now with the OSB inverter EVI, many installers and designers have asked us why we do not manufacture heat pumps with R32.
The first one and probably one of the most important is from the Environmental Point of view. If you are not familiarized with the GWP ( Global Warming Potential), the GWP is a relative measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere. R32 is composed of 50% R410A and 50% R125. So despite having a lower GWP than R410A, it is still a high value when compared to natural refrigerants, such as CO2 or propane.
For that reason, from our point of view, the R32 is intermediate solution between the current refrigerants used and the future, the natural refrigerants.
Another important point, especially when we talk about air-source heat pumps is the operation map. For that reason, in our first range of heat pumps, we bet for EVI (Enhanced Vapour Injection) compressors, which reduce the limitations of the R410A to produce high temperatures at very low outdoor temperatures. In the case of the R32, it´s true that R32 compressors have higher efficiency and they use a smaller amount of refrigerant (15% less gas charge compared to R410A) with a better heating performance at lower ambient temperatures.
Despite this, the map of operation of the R32 is very similar to the R410A and for the air source heat pumps, manufacturers are looking also for solutions with EVI technology. The next picture was taken from Danfoss Commercial Compressors R32 Compressor Technology and there is a comparison between one R32 EVI Compressor with R410A standard.
If you compare this picture with the next one, from Copeland´s Catalog. You can check that the R32 or R410 operating envelope with the R290, the balance is clearly positioned with the R290.
In the traditional air source heat pumps, the DHW production temperatures are around 45ºC-50ºC without auxiliary support. In some specific units, you can reach up to 60ºC but in the case of the R290, the heat pumps can produce above 70ºC. This is very important for the DHW production but also if you want to adapt your old installation and keep your old radiators. Thanks to this, now it is possible to work directly with radiators and not to change all the installation.
These three reasons have positioned OSB heat pump in favor of the R290. We firmly believe that the future goes through propane as a refrigerant. TAKING CARE OF THE PLANET AND TAKING CARE OF YOUR COMFORT
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Post time: Jan-09-2023