Heating water in New York City’s buildings can be expensive and harmful to the environment, especially if fossil-fuel-burning heaters or furnaces are used. In fact, older heaters can waste up to 20% of their fuel, and even newer models can waste up to 10%. This results in more money spent and more carbon emissions released into the environment.
Heat pumps use the same operating principle as an air-conditioner or refrigerator. Utilizing electricity and compressors, they absorb energy from air or water, and transfer it into domestic water at useable temperatures. Heat-pump water heaters enable buildings to energy efficiently heat water to temperatures as high as 185°F in a single pass.
Heat-pump water heaters are the best alternative for conserving energy. This is because they move heat with a heat pump, rather than generating it via fossil fuels or electric resistance. Depending on the air- or water-source temperature, water can be heated using 1/3-1/4 of the energy required by gas or electric resistance.
Colmac’s electric heat-pump water heaters (HPWHs) are the optimal choice for domestic water heating for the following reasons:
Colmac heat pumps for domestic hot water can be used in a variety of applications, including:
The CxA series is the next generation of air-source heat pumps from Colmac WaterHeat. This represents a leap forward in controls and operation from the previous HPA design.
Models include compressors from 10 to 30 hp, with optional VFDs to provide turndown and soft-start capabilities. ECM propeller fans come standard, with optional ECM plenum fans that can accommodate up to 3″ of external static pressure. Modifications to the refrigeration circuit allow the CxAs to operate with air temperatures 10°F lower than HPA units.
CxA units are modular with a taller profile and reduced footprint design. CxA-10 and -15 models are designed to fit through a standard 36″ door and inside most elevators for easier installation, particularly in retrofit applications. CxA units require no service clearance on the sides, allowing them to be placed next to each other in arrays of up to eight units. The units’ slide-out drawers allow for in-place servicing of the refrigeration components. As with all Cx series units, individual unit controllers can interconnect via ethernet to perform their own staging, run-time balancing and BMS communications.
To improve COPs and improve hot water output, the CxA series has a completely redesigned defrost system. Hot-gas defrost has been added to the evaporator, cutting defrost times to mere minutes. New intelligent defrost controls monitor operating conditions so units only go into defrost mode when necessary.
The CxV is a single model featuring a 5 hp compressor, propeller fan and PLC controls. Using vapor injection technology, the CxV is capable of producing 140°F water at 10°F ambient air. The unit can continue to operate down to -4°F, producing 120°F water.
The CxV utilizes the same intelligent-defrost control and hot-gas defrost that was developed on the new CxA series. This improves hot water output and minimzes defrost cycles, maximizing COPs.
As with all Cx series units, individual CxV unit controllers can interconnect (up to 8 units) to perform staging, runtime balancing and BMS communications.
The CxV’s swing-out door allows for excellent access to all internal components. It also features external high- and low-pressure measurement ports.
Colmac CxW modular water-source heat pumps use energy collected from a fluid stream to heat domestic water to temperatures up to 185ºF.
The source fluid can be any filtered, non-corrosive, pressurized stream of liquid at temperatures as low as 50°F.
CxW modules can be arranged in banks to meet any capacity requirement. Their PLC interconnectivity allows multiple units to act as a single machine.
All CxW models will fit through a standard 36″ door, making them ideal for retrofits and high-rise applications. They are also stackable, doubling the capacity per square foot.
Energy from a pressurized liquid stream is absorbed by refrigerant in the evaporator causing the refrigerant to change phase from a liquid to a gas. This gas refrigerant is then compressed by a compressor that adds temperature and pressure to the refrigerant. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas is then condensed to a liquid in a condenser where energy is traded from the refrigerant to sanitary water suitable for human consumption. Finally, the high-pressure liquid refrigerant is passed through an expansion valve that causes the refrigerant’s pressure and temperature to drop so it can once again enter the evaporator and absorb energy from the liquid source.
To maximize the efficiency of a water-source heat pump, use the warmest liquid with highest specific heat and try to deliver the lowest sanitary water temperature acceptable. This minimizes the compressor work, which is the largest operational cost associated with a heat pump. Building hydronic loop water, return chilled water, condenser or cooling tower water, geothermal loops or wells and industrial-process water are a few of the possible heat sources that can be utilized by this heat pump.
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Our team partners with engineers, contractors, owners and operators across all commercial and high-rise residential building types. We customize our building efficiency technologies for every job to meet the specific needs of the most demanding structures.
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