True Heat Pump Flexibility

True Heat Pump Flexibility

What heat pump solution to consider into the future.

The journey to true heat pump flexibility began over 15 years ago, when there was a shift in the Australian Market.

As prices of power supply costs shift across the Australian market, many consumers and businesses alike, have been seeking alternative solutions to reduce the ever increasing cost of supply.

Initially was the movement away from electricity powered elements to Gas based based system. this proved to be a wise start of a great cost saving move. The equipment cost more than electric elements, but the savings were significant.

Now with vast improvements in heat pump technologies, the swing back to electricity is now well underway. With heat pumps providing savings from 40% to 70% in general running costs against that of an equivalent gas based system.

Although much dearer to buy and install, than a gas system, the smart investor could see that with a payback periods from as low as 1 to 5 years,like with the original trade over, has become a very wise investment.

Early refrigerants were not so environmentally friendly and much research into newer refrigerants has jumped leaps and bounds forward. However the modern Stage 4 refrigerants have delivered many trade offs. As the refrigerants are becoming cleaner, their heat transfer efficiency & capacity has fallen off.

There has also been other advances in technology over the last decade or more. Into the world of Inverters and inverter based heat pumps.

The early inverter systems had poor reliability and often under a fault required an entire unit being replaced, causing much waste and landfill as it did frustrated clients. These days the technology has come a long way offering reduced running costs during low use periods.

However, some systems are often rated poorly, at COPs based on maximum output verses minimum input, giving unrealistic and often not achievable outcomes. also Considering that at full noise they do exactly the same as standard heat pumps, and when not at full noise take almost twice as long to do the same work load.

The main reason behind these issues is that the mathematics behind how thermal dynamics work has not changed in centuries.  You cannot get free or extra energy out of a given refrigerant, as they have a maximum capacity and thus a maximum heat or chilling delivery.  Any slower run system, may reduce input usage, but it will also greatly decrease potential outputs.

Every refrigerant has a maximum capacity & efficiency for a given input power input value. However, different equipment can use this capacity at different efficiencies. Most Heat Pumps have COP’s around the 4 to 6 mark, and chillers around the 2 to 4 mark.  Inverter systems at full noise are no different and also rely on these capacity limits.

In the attempt to make heat pumps even more versatile and efficient there is only so many things that can be done.

1. Using the most Efficient Refrigerant for a project – There are low temp, medium temp and high temp refrigerants. Refrigerants that have maximum capacity and efficiency at different temperature ranges.
2. Using Inverter Technology, Variable fans, Variable motors etc. Allow for reduced demand on input during periods of low requirement. But at full noise offer little over other systems
3. Using Solar Power to offset running costs – Although this does not increase a heat pumps efficiency, it will offset the running costs, and a well sized system can balance off and zero running costs.
4. Improved compressor technologies, fan coils and heat exchangers – The energy gained and released from a refrigerant is based around the potential efficiencies of the equipment benign used, however their is still a maximum capacity but it still is not at 100% used, but getting closer
5. Multi-purpose heat pumps, energy management, energy recapture and other methods to increase potential energy inputs and outputs.

Toyesi has specialised in the design and construction of heat pumps for over 30 years. We have one of, if not the most, efficient heat pumps in the market, allowing us true heat pump flexibility 2nd to none.

The reason we claim this is our methodology. Most heat pumps you buy from an imported option are built on basic designs to cover as many conditions as possible. This means they are generic off the shelf, what you get is what you get option. A 26kW heat pump has a different refrigerant capacity in Tasmania than the same system in Queensland.  So in Tasmania the 26kW heat pump is more likely to be a 15 to 20 kW output, and in Queensland 26 to 30kW output.

This fact is often not focused on when sizing systems for heat loads.

Toyesi takes time to firstly understand a project, size the project, work out the capacity of the refrigerant at project conditions, then custom builds the system to maximize efficiency and output for that project.

We also use R407C as our refrigerant choice, as it has one of the largest capacities and best efficiency for projects between 15oC to 55oC.

We do not use Inverters due to their often renown failure rate. However, this is beginning to improve, and is being considered for the future as these improvements occur. However, we have seen advantage of using localized or dedicated Inverters to control water pump speed or fan speed for example. Helping to achieve system efficiencies, and not just reducing running costs, at the loss of output.

Toyesi believes that true future savings, and increased efficiencies comes in the development of smart technologies and versatile multi-functional heat pumps.

Multi use heat pumps currently in use in today’s market are limited by the control boards being used in the machines. This means a limit to what and how many systems can be used in a single unit.  To open true multipurpose systems  needs a high degree of flexibility. Designing new PC-Control-Boards can cost more than $50,000 plus R&D costs to develop a new system design, just to add a new feature.

Toyesi wanted to reach out and create a truly unique system with true flexibility in a multi-functional system. We knew there had to be a better way.

Toyesi designed its multi function systems over 15 years ago. Achieving combined COPS of 10 plus from a single system. However, the available technology at the time was expensive, and out of the reach of most businesses.

Technology has finally caught up, and has allowed a truly new and fresh look at how heat pumps work, function and deliver required energy work.

This fresh look came about through long discussions, many hours of training and support of our new systems partner Innotech Pty Ltd, and their Omni DDC Controllers.

Omni technology coupled with thermal energy management know how, has allowed Toyesi to develop systems capable of such functionality never before dreamed of from a single system. From Smart Thermal handshaking, waste energy management, smart compressor cooling and much more. We can now deliver 2 to 4 and even more outputs from the same single system, and thus the same single electricity input. Driving realistic COP potential off the charts.

Imagine a system combining a tap water chiller, pool heater, hot water shower  heating all done from a single supply system. Or a Cooling Tower hot water system, that can run all year long, even when there is now more benefit from the cooling tower. Or a Geothermal System that can switch between the Geothermal Source to Air Source and back again as efficiency require.  And a whole lot more.

• This now allows Toyesi the flexibility to add, control, monitor, schedule, multiple components into our system.
• We can drive independent inverters on water pumps and fans,
• We can turn on and off water pumps, switch water diversion valves
• Monitor water temperature and humidity and more
• Provide error reporting and project reporting
• Provide BACnet feedback to BMS systems.
• Drive automatic water balancing values. Maximizing system efficiencies all year round.
• We can drive the PC-Board or use the DDC to control all aspects of the heat pump.
• Allows us to smartly transfer heat from one part of the heat pump to another. Transthermal
• Allow for cold water, hot water, warm water, air source, geothermal, cooling towers, space heating or cooling, and energy management. And a lot more with a single smart system.
• And this is only the beginning.

If you have a heat pump or chiller project where an off the shelf solution may just not cut it. Or you have several requirements, or want a higher level of reporting. You need a system that can be customised for your BMS based system, or priority program. You want to run the most efficient system possible.

We cater for many clients, Process, commercial pools, geothermal, water to water, cooling tower, hot water, chilled water, research systems, aquaculture, horticulture and full customised systems for both indoor and outdoor applications. We can even do systems with sound attenuation kits.

Then contact Toyesi and we can see if we can design a true heat pump flexible system that just right for you.

All Toyesi equipment is Built here in Sydney Australia, and uses the best and readily available components, and only uses imported products when local supply is not available or not up to quality.

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