On 24 September, Noritz, a Japanese manufacturer of household water heaters with a head office in Kobe, released the first Japanese R290 hybrid water heating system designed to cover the hot water supply and space heating needs of Japanese households. The system combines heat pump (HP) technology using propane as a refrigerant and a gas heater.
To celebrate the shipment of the very first R290 hybrid heat pump (HP) unit, more than 70 attendees including the president of the company, Soichiro Kokui, gathered at Kandatsu Factory in central Japan on 24 September.
The company’s adoption of R290 refrigerant in a domestic hybrid water heater is a first for the industry. Hot water is supplied by the heat pump, which has a heating capacity of 2.2kW, and is stored in a 90 litre storage tank. The heat pump unit is charged with 220g of propane refrigerant. The unit’s small footprint, with a depth of on 300mm, enables easy installation in urban residences with limited space.
Hot water is primarily supplied by high efficiency R290 heat pump system and stored in the tank. The additional gas heater starts working before hot water runs out or when the ambient temperature drops. Thanks to the hybrid system users do not need to worry about running out of hot water.
50% energy efficiency gains and 45% CO2 emission reduction
According to the company, the primary energy efficiency of the new hybrid system is 50% higher than a previous model of gas water heater and 18% higher than a heat pump with an Annual Performance Factor (APF) of 3.2. These efficiency gains can lead to annual utility expenses savings of 60,000¥ (€450). This equates to an approximate 45% reduction in annual CO2 emissions in comparison with previous gas water heaters.
First year Japanese market sales target 5,000 units
The hybrid system is available in two models. The SH-GTHC2400AD model provides hot water for household needs including bath hot water, while the SH-GTC2400A model provides hot water also for space heating. The space heating optimised unit is available for 865,000¥ (€6,550) while the hot water unit can be purchased for 765,000¥ (€5,800) excluding consumption tax. The company intends to sell 5,000 units on the domestic market in the first year.
The company’s adoption of R290 refrigerant in a domestic hybrid water heater is a first for the industry. Hot water is supplied by the heat pump, which has a heating capacity of 2.2kW, and is stored in a 90 litre storage tank. The heat pump unit is charged with 220g of propane refrigerant. The unit’s small footprint, with a depth of on 300mm, enables easy installation in urban residences with limited space.
Hot water is primarily supplied by high efficiency R290 heat pump system and stored in the tank. The additional gas heater starts working before hot water runs out or when the ambient temperature drops. Thanks to the hybrid system users do not need to worry about running out of hot water.
50% energy efficiency gains and 45% CO2 emission reduction
According to the company, the primary energy efficiency of the new hybrid system is 50% higher than a previous model of gas water heater and 18% higher than a heat pump with an Annual Performance Factor (APF) of 3.2. These efficiency gains can lead to annual utility expenses savings of 60,000¥ (€450). This equates to an approximate 45% reduction in annual CO2 emissions in comparison with previous gas water heaters.
First year Japanese market sales target 5,000 units
The hybrid system is available in two models. The SH-GTHC2400AD model provides hot water for household needs including bath hot water, while the SH-GTC2400A model provides hot water also for space heating. The space heating optimised unit is available for 865,000¥ (€6,550) while the hot water unit can be purchased for 765,000¥ (€5,800) excluding consumption tax. The company intends to sell 5,000 units on the domestic market in the first year.
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By Jan Dusek
Oct 09, 2013, 11:45
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