Heat Pumps News & Trends

Alfa Laval, a globally renowned company in the field of heat transfer, centrifugal separation and fluid handling, has announced winning an order to supply compact heat exchangers to a refinery and petrochemical plant in China. The order has a value of approximately SEK 95 million. It is booked in the welded heat exchangers unit and the gasketed plate heat exchangers unit of the Energy Division, with delivery scheduled for 2021. Alfa Laval compact heat exchangers The order comprises Alfa Laval...

A water heater is an essential appliance in the home. Most tank water heaters use either natural gas or electricity to warm up water and hold it in the storage tank until it’s needed. If the unit is older and they’re looking to replace it with a new one, they may be wondering if users could change the type of water heater. The answer is yes, but there is a lot to consider. Allow Electric water heater It’s not as easy as removing one type of water heater (say electric) and in...

Responding to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Viessmann has converted part of its production facilities in Germany to manufacture its own ventilators, mobile intensive care units, respiratory protective face masks, and hand sanitizer. Production lines of the German family business normally reserved for heating and cooling products have been transformed within days to make completely new products, while engineers have collaborated with clinicians and regulators to fast-track new medical...

The team at Panasonic has introduced a series of interactive, online accredited CIBSE CPD courses to enhance skills during these unprecedented times. The CPD courses have been developed by Panasonic and support learning in a variety of heating and cooling disciplines. Panasonic’s CPD program has been running throughout the year either at the company’s Bracknell HQ or in various locations around the UK and have been presented by the experienced and knowledgeable team at Panasonic. Ho...

Aquatherm are now able to offer a CPD certified presentation on plastic piping systems in the building services industry. This presentation covers the history of plastic piping, the benefits of using plastic piping, plastic pipes and the environment, identification of the correct plastic pipe for the job and installation methods. This presentation will also allow attendees to gain one CPD hour from the Construction CPD Certification Service.

SPX Cooling Technologies, Inc., a full-line, full-service industry provider of the design and manufacture of evaporative cooling towers, announces the expansion of the Marley DT Fluid Cooler product line. New Marley DT Fluid Cooler models incorporate finned coils that expand thermal performance and permit dry operation during a broader range of ambient temperatures. The new models can more effectively reject heat without evaporating water at ambient temperatures up to 20 degrees higher than wit...

It is well-publicized that the NHS is crying out for personal protective equipment (PPE) for its frontline workers who are dealing with victims of the coronavirus pandemic.   On hearing this news, design engineers at the Preston-based site of boiler manufacturer Baxi Heating have taken up the baton, swapping the use of their 3D printers from making prototype boiler components to frames for protective face masks. 3D printing  Having seen an article about 3D print hobbyist Sid Lo...

Belimo releases standalone airflow measurement and control actuators with digital communications for rotary, linear, and induct applications. Select actuators have pressure independent control characteristics combined with an integrated differential pressure sensor to calculate and deliver designed flow regardless of pressure fluctuations in the system. The actuator communicates directly with the Building Automation System (BAS) using BACnet, Modbus, or MP-Bus. Select models offer Near Field Co...

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announces that its European subsidiary Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V. acquired on April 1 all shares of AQS PRODUKTER AB, a comfort, process, and IT cooling and heat pump distributor in Sweden, a market with promising prospects. AQS, which has been selling commercial cooling and heat pump products for 35 years, possesses excellent technical capabilities and know-how. Until now, Mitsubishi Electric has been selling mainly residential and light commercial products...

In the now seemingly distant days before the COVID-19 curbs were enacted across the nation, the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering’s (CIPHE) ‘Dinner with the President’ was held on World Plumbing Day, 11 March.  43 guests joined National President, Christopher Northey, at the Innholders' Hall, London, for a special dinner celebrating his year in the Institute’s most coveted position. The theme of the Dinner Industry collaboration, public healt...

The Annual General Meeting of March 30, 2020 was held at the headquarters of BELIMO Holding AG in Hinwil (Switzerland) excluding personal attendance of all shareholders. Having regard to ordinance 2 on measures to prevent coronavirus (COVID-19) the Board of Directors decided to take this precautionary measure for the protection of its shareholders. The independent proxy therefore represented 86.91 percent of voting share capital at 2020's Annual General Meeting. The shareholders approved all mo...

The heating and plumbing industry carries out essential frontline work to maintain the supply of heating and hot water to UK homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses. It still needs to operate to ensure people are kept safe in their homes and businesses. Further to updated Government direction on the circumstances where people should leave their homes during the current pandemic, an additional advice note has been compiled which has sought to clarify those businesses which should close. ...

The global pandemic COVID-19 has had unprecedented effects on the lives of us all. These are unchartered times causing untold uncertainty and fear amongst us all. The heating and plumbing industry carries out essential frontline work to maintain the supply of heating and hot water to UK homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses. It cannot simply cease to operate. Therefore, the heating industry has identified a number of actions that frontline engineers- who are currently still operating - can...

With people stockpiling toilet paper in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and a subsequent shortage on supermarket shelves, there will inevitably be those who are left without something that everyone’s come to assume will be there, whenever it is required. As a consequence, it will be tempting to reach for the wet wipes, paper kitchen towel, or cotton wool in desperation, but it is important to be aware that these items should never be flushed down the toilet. Avoiding plum...

Viessmann has continued its path of consistent growth for the third consecutive year, reporting global sales of EUR 2.65 billion, an increase of 6.4 percent, in 2019. The business grew by 5 percent in both 2017 and 2018. Seamless climate solutions Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Martin Viessmann as Chairman and Max Viessmann as Co-CEO, the family business is progressing its strategic transformation from a traditional heating manufacturer to a provider of integrated solutions for living space...

Samsung’s exclusive Wind-Free™ cooling technology provides end-users with a cool indoor climate and optimal energy efficiency without the discomfort of direct cold airflow. Samsung’s Wind-Free™ advanced cooling models offer residential, light commercial and commercial solutions. Wind-Free™ models can be configured for 2-step operation, cooling the space with the louver open until the room temperature nears set temperature. Wind-Free™ operation will start auto...

FabricAir® Inc., Lawrenceville, Georgia, the original manufacturer of fabric HVAC duct, is celebrating its 45th anniversary campaign ‘45 Years of Proven Track Record’ this month in North America and throughout its 10 international subsidiaries. The first modern fabric duct was developed and installed in a slaughterhouse in 1974 by FabricAir’s precursor, Denmark-based IPS Dansk Presenning A/S, a company in the Eletrolux Group. The early fabric duct model designs successfull...

“Recently - this year at the G7 and UN meetings - the refrigeration sector which includes air conditioning, cryogenics and heat pumps, was brought to the spotlight almost for the first time." "Using the words of Mr. Antonio Guterres: “Implementation of the Kigali Amendment will be front and center for climate action. We need all countries to develop national cooling action plans to deliver efficient and sustainable cooling and bring essential life‑preserving services like vaccines a...

The market for surface heating/cooling developed positively in 2019 as well. The record high in 2018 of approx. 213 million pipe meters sold was again exceeded in 2019 with sales of 223.5 million running meters of pipe. “Thanks to the optimal interaction with renewable energies, surface heating/cooling is the standard for new buildings, but also increasingly for renovations. This technology is, therefore, the first choice for economical and sustainable construction and also serves to prot...

In response to a global shift away from R410A and R22, Danfoss has added a complete portfolio of components to help OEMs develop air conditioning systems with R32. With its relatively low global warming potential (GWP) at GWP-675, high volumetric capacity and efficiency, lower purchase price and system charge, R32 has become one of the most popular alternatives—along with R452B and R454B—to R410A for commercial air conditioning systems and heat pumps. In response to high demand&mdas...

An air-source heat pump option is now available on Greenheck model RV and RVE dedicated outdoor air systems. Air-source heat pumps are refrigeration systems that provide both cooling and heating; a reversing valve changes the direction of the refrigerant flow, switching the system from cooling mode to heating mode. This heating and cooling option, available on select RV and RVE models offering 5 to 30 tons of cooling, provides high efficiency in combination with inverter compressors and modulat...

Here’s a fun fact about Texas that probably noone knows. The state ranks as one of the highest for water hardness in the country. Hard water means that there are high levels of certain minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. Hard water isn’t bad for health but it can damage plumbing fixtures, and home appliances over time. For that reason, many of Pratt Plumbing's customers choose to install a water softener system in their homes. A water softener system offers many benefits, rangi...

A group of installers from the UK and Ireland recently visited Panasonic’s factory in Pilsen, Czech Republic, to see the company’s latest heat pump production facility. The factory started production of Panasonic’s Aquarea Air Source Heat Pumps in October 2018 in order to help meet the growing demand within Europe for renewable heating technologies and to ensure shorter lead times, as it works towards a greener and more sustainable future. “The visit to the factory was v...

The German heating industry is optimistic about the new year. The President of the Federal Association of the German Heating Industry (BDH), Uwe Glock, considers growth rates of up to 10 percent to be possible for systems that combine efficiency with renewable energies. The reason for this is the new funding incentives that have been in force since the beginning of the year, with which the federal government wants to bring the energy transition into the boiler room. "We expect a significant plu...

As part of its long-term succession planning, the Board of Directors has decided to nominate Stefan Ranstrand as a new Member. Stefan Ranstrand holds a Master of Science degree in Industrial and Management Engineering, which he received from the University of Technology Darmstadt (Germany), and the University Linköping (Sweden). He is President and CEO of Tomra Systems ASA, Asker (Norway), which is specialized in recycling solutions. Prior to that, Stefan Ranstrand has been working in vari...

Already backing its products with some of the industry’s strongest limited warranties, Amana brand Heating & Air Conditioning has announced new limited warranty enhancements for many of its air conditioning, heat pump, gas furnace and residential packaged products. Beginning February 1, 2020, a 2-Year Unit Replacement Limited Warranty will cover numerous Amana brand indoor comfort models should the heat exchanger or compressor fail on the original homeowner – provided that system...

Energy savings are usually a year-round concern for homeowners. The user wants to keep costs down, but still maximize the comfort. That’s where efficiency comes into play. Whether the HVAC system is heating or cooling the home, it always helps to keep on top of the maintenance plans. When the user runs the numbers with a truly efficient system, it’s easy to see how the user can keep those energy costs low. In the state of Indiana, the average residential electricity rate is around 1...

The Bundesliga football team, Borussia Dortmund and the technology specialist, Wilo have extended their partnership, which has existed since 2011, by a further four years with effect from the upcoming season. “As partners who have been working together for a while now and have some joint plans for the future, we are united by our love for Dortmund. And as ambitious companies, we’re united by our passion and our resolve to always become a little bit better in every area,” state...

It’s never a good sign when water is seen on the floor around the water heater. But before panicing, it’s important to figure out where it’s coming from. Upon further investigation, if water is found to be discharged from a small tube that comes out of the top or side of the unit, runs down the side of the tank, and ends near the ground, then the source is likely the temperature pressure relief valve, or relief valve, for short. What does the relief valve do? The relief valv...

Olimpia Splendid has been designing and manufacturing HVAC products for residential, light commercial and the multi-family housing industry since 1956, successfully marketing and selling throughout most of the world. The success of their Maestro Smart unit, the most innovative heat pump that requires no outdoor unit, was the catalyst for entering the North American market in 2019. The newest addition to their ever-expanding product line, the Maestro Pro an inverter driven heat pump that also do...