Ecodan QUHZ air source heat pump
Mitsubishi Electric is to launch a new air source heat pump for the new-build market in January 2016, the Ecodan QUHZ.
The new, 4kW air source heat pump is squarely aimed at new homes being built off the gas grid. About 4 million homes are not connected to the gas grid in the UK, which is about 10% of the housing stock, according to Mitsubishi Electric.
The new, 4kW air source heat pump is squarely aimed at new homes being built off the gas grid. About 4 million homes are not connected to the gas grid in the UK, which is about 10% of the housing stock, according to Mitsubishi Electric.
Building mains gas supplies to new plots of land for domestic housing is costly. Mitsubishi Electric sees that strong demand for new houses and increasingly stringent building regulations on energy efficiency is a good opportunity for housing developers to use air source heat pumps as the space heating and hot water system of choice.
New Build Challenge
Changing Heat Demands
The new Ecodan QUHZ heat pump meets a changing market too.
Increasingly, newly built houses are better insulated than ever before which means the energy needed for space heating is decreasing. Thermal bridging and air tightness have improved too. When used with mechanical ventilation and heat recovery (MHVR), the heat demand on heat pumps is moving to be mainly for hot water production. As a result, Mitsubishi Electric designed its new air source heat pump to meet the changing new build housing market.
Increasingly, newly built houses are better insulated than ever before which means the energy needed for space heating is decreasing. Thermal bridging and air tightness have improved too. When used with mechanical ventilation and heat recovery (MHVR), the heat demand on heat pumps is moving to be mainly for hot water production. As a result, Mitsubishi Electric designed its new air source heat pump to meet the changing new build housing market.
Thermal Storage
The Ecodan QUHZ is different to the previous model, the Ecodan PUHZ. The new system includes a 4kW air to water monobloc fan unit, which can heat water to 70 degrees C and uses CO2 as the refrigerant.
However, the system does not use a hot water cylinder but, instead, includes a 200 litre thermal store which heats water instantaneously on demand. The system heats up mains water directly to 65 degrees C using a unique plate heat exchanger.
However, the system does not use a hot water cylinder but, instead, includes a 200 litre thermal store which heats water instantaneously on demand. The system heats up mains water directly to 65 degrees C using a unique plate heat exchanger.
Jordan Jeewood
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“This model uses CO2 as a refrigerant to ensure a large delta T between the flow and return temperatures to and from the outdoor unit”, said Jordan Jeewood, the company's Ecodan technical expert. |
Say Goodbye to Airing Cupboards
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The thermal store fits into the equivalent of an airing cupboard. However, the airing cupboard will be a thing of the past in newly built houses using the Ecodan QUHZ air source heat pump system. Because it stores no water, the thermal store poses no legionella risk either.
Easy to Install and Use
Mitsubishi Electric designed the MCS-approved system to be very easy to install too, which will please installers. With permission from the homeowner, Mitsubishi Electric can troubleshoot and anlayse the QUHZ remotely through their MELCloud control system. This will make supporting it easier for everyone.
Furthermore, the system is very easy for homeowners to use too. The thermostat is simple to use and the system is controllable by the property owner through an app on their smartphone or tablet PC. Energy use monitoring will be easy too. Quiet Heat
One aspect of the new heat pump is it quietness. The Ecodan QUHZ is extremely quiet. in fact, when viewing it with the Mitsubishi Electric team, it was difficult to determine that the fan unit was working it was so quiet. The fear of noisy heat pumps has been a factor which has put some homeowners off them in the past. There will be no problems with noise from the Ecodan QUHZ. In fact, it emits 41.2 dB(A) when 1.5 metres away from it.
As for its efficiency, its hot water SCOP is 2.9, while its space heating SCOP is 2.4. The list price of the complete unit will be £4,099 when it comes out at the end of January 2016. With the Ecodan PUHZ and the QUHZ air source heat pumps on the market, Mitsubishi Electric will have a good solution for the retrofit and new build markets, respectively. |
Thermal Store
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RHI Eligible?
Is the QUHZ eligible for the RHI? Heat Pumps Today asked Mitsubishi Electric via Twitter. Here's their reply:
@HeatPumpsToday it certainly is, but if applied on a new build application (with the exception of self-builders) then RHI is not available
— Mitsubishi Electric (@meuk_les) December 4, 2015
