Panasonic launches R290 ECOi-W chiller

GERMANY: Panasonic is set to launch a range of R290 versions of its ECOi-W heat pump chiller.

Manufactured at its factory in France, the currently available 35kW unit will be joined by four more models with capacity ranges of 50, 60, 70 and 80kW.

An innovative plate heat exchanger and a powerful scroll compressor are said enable the unit to achieve an SEER of 4.33 and SCOP of 3.54. 

With an intelligent control system also providing system regulation, the ECOi-W R290 can be equipped with a variable speed pump providing energy consumption reductions of up to 70% compared to a fixed-speed pump. The unit can also be equipped with fan speed control, which is controlled by the condensing pressure.

To ensure maximum safety, an intelligent expansion valve minimises overheating of the evaporator. The electronically controlled safety ventilation also ensures that operation is stopped immediately, and an alarm is triggered if R290 is detected by the gas sensor. The self-contained ventilation system is then said to guarantee safe venting of the gas to the outside. The optimised heat transfer in the condenser enables a 50% reduction in refrigerant charge, which means less than 3kg of R290.

Thanks to extended operating limits, ECOi-W R290 can be used very flexibly, with an outdoor temperature of up to 40°C, the chiller can provide temperatures as low as -15°C. In heat pump mode, the unit provides a hot water temperature of up to 45°C down to -20°C outside temperature. At 0°C, the ECOi-W R290 reaches water temperatures of 60°C.