JCI-Hitachi’s first cold-climate VRF
1st May 2024
USA: Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning has launched its first cold-climate VRF heat pump in North America.
The air365 Max with HeatForce is a top-flow VRF heating and cooling system that can operate at 100% heating capacity with outdoor temperatures as low as -13ºF (-25ºC) and at 90% heating capacity down to -22ºF (-30ºC).
This energy efficient performance is made possible by SmoothDrive 2.0 which allows the system to control compressor rotation speed with precision of 0.1Hz per step, significantly increasing energy efficiency at partial load. The ability to directly control the capacity, even at low loads, helps increase efficiency up to 39% under part-load conditions, and decreases running costs.
Installation of air365 Max VRF systems is simplified for contractors with airCloud Tap, an app designed to help HVAC professionals install, read, change equipment settings and read detailed diagnostics data with ease on mobile devices.
Available with heat pump and heat recovery modes up to 24 tons, the air365 Max with HeatForce boasts an EER of up to 12 and a COP of up to 4.2.
The wider outdoor unit operating temperature range and increased heating and cooling capacity is made possible with Hitachi’s vapour injection compressor technology. The systems are also equipped with intelligent frost detection, which allows for longer time periods between defrost cycles ensuring seamless comfort while heating.
