Press Release

Press Release

Development and Marketing of High-efficiency Hot Water Heat Pump, "HEM-HR90"

February 09, 2010
Kobe Steel, Ltd.
Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc.
Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc.
Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.

Development and Marketing of High-efficiency Hot Water Heat Pump, "HEM-HR90"
-First hot water heat pump able to efficiently and simultaneously supply hot water at 90°C and cold water at 7°C-



Kobe Steel, Ltd. and Chubu Electric Power Co., Ltd., as well as Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc. and Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. have jointly developed the HEM-HR90, the industry's first high-efficiency hot water heat pump able to simultaneously supply hot water at 90°C and cold water at 7°C. Kobe Steel will commence sales of the unit from April 2010.  

 

Factories in industries including the food and beverage, chemical, and electronic device industries employ processes that use hot water for disinfection and cleaning and cold water for refrigeration and cooling, and generally employ boilers and refrigeration equipment to supply this hot and cold water. When able to supply cold water at a temperature of 7°C, previous heat pumps were only able to supply hot water at a temperature of 70°C, limiting the heating processes in which they could be applied. The ability to supply water at higher temperatures was necessary.

The use of a two-stage screw compressor for the first time in a hot water heat pump, engineering of the compressor motor for high-temperature operation, and use of the optimum refrigerant in the developed HEM-HR90 has enabled the realization of high-efficiency simultaneous supply of hot water at 70-90°C and cold water at 5-30°C. This means that the unit can be used to supply hot water at 70-90°C for processes such as heat sterilization of beverages and hot water cleaning.

When simultaneously supplying hot water at 90°C and cold water at 7°C, the unit achieves a total COP of 4.5*1, dramatically reducing running costs, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions against conventional systems that combine a boiler and refrigeration equipment.

 

The main features of the HEM-HR90 are as follows:

1. Realizes simultaneous supply of 90°C hot water and 7°C cold water

A heat pump able to circulate and utilize hot water (adapted to circulation and heating) enables high-efficiency simultaneous supply of 90°C hot water and 7°C cold water for the first time in the industry.
In addition, the unit is able to simultaneously supply hot water at 70-90°C and cold water at 5-30°C.

2. High energy efficiency reduces running costs, energy costs, and CO2 emissions

The unit achieves a total COP of 4.5 when simultaneously supplying 90°C hot water and 7°C cold water. This high energy efficiency reduces running costs and energy consumption by approximately 60% and CO2 emissions by approximately 70% against conventional systems combining a boiler and refrigeration equipment.

 

*1  Total COP (Coefficient of Performance):

Total ability to heat hot water and cool cold water, measured in kW, divided by power consumed during operation, measured in kW. The higher this number, the more energy-efficient the device.
The total COP of 4.5 for this unit means that it produces 4.5 times as much heat energy for each unit of input energy (power consumed).
The total COP of 4.5 was measured for hot water at temperatures of 80°C at the inlet and 90°C at the outlet, and for cold water at temperatures of 17°C at the inlet and 7°C at the outlet.  

 

[Product inquiries]

Kobe Steel, Ltd.        Rotating Machinery Section (Contact: Hiroaki Sumimoto) +81-3-5739-6774

 

[Inquiries about this press release]

Kobe Steel, Ltd.        Secretarial and Public Information Section  +81-3-5739-6010

Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc.  Corporate Communication Division  +81-52-961-3582

Tokyo Electric Power Company Corporate, Inc.   Communications Dept. +81-3-6373-1111 (Representative)

Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. Community Relations Department  +81-6-7501-0242

 

 

Reference

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