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CO2 Heat Pump Will Never Work in Aquatic Centres

poly sourced energy solutions heat pump imageAs we prepare for the HFC phaseout we need to keep in mind that the move away from gas and harmful refrigerants also offer huge financial benefits and so make good sense today. While CO2 systems are a good option for a heat pump, they will not work efficiently in an aquatic centre.

The heating and cooling of an aquatic centre is complex due to the temperature of the water and so a CO2 pump just isn’t going to cut the mustard.

At SmartConsult, we have been undertaking assessments for aquatic centres to address their heating and cooling needs with a Poly-Sourced Energy System. These systems are a highly recommended solution for a newly built centre or as a retrofit. Click here to view our report of Richmond Recreation Centre in Melbourne.

In the report we measure the performance of heat pumps in the Coefficient of Performance or COP figure. A COP measures the ratio of electrical energy that is consumed (1) to the amount of heat/cold that is being produced. If you are using 1kW of electricity and you are getting 5kW of heat you have a COP of 5. The COP on the cold side is 1 COP point lower than the warm (high) side.

Our report for the centre breaks down the existing energy usage (which is a combination of electricity and gas), turns this into a common measure of kWh and then compares this to the performance of a Low Charge Ammonia heat pump. In this way the council has an ‘apples to apples’ comparison to determine what sort of system will allow them to ‘go off gas’.

To find out more about how these integrated poly-sourced energy systems may be a suitable option for a recreation centre, shopping centre or laundry contact our consultant Derek directly on 0429 960 784 who is happy to answer your questions.

A Poly-Sourced energy system may cost more initially but the operating cost savings provide an equal return on capital. No operation is the same and so every energy solution must be customised. Firstly, we look at the data then we cross reference this with suppliers and converse with the client.      

A CO2 system will never work in an aquatic centre due the temperature of the pool.

In our recent reports on aquatic centres we have reviewed the performance of a CO2 system to replace gas and compared this with a low charge ammonia system and the results are conclusive. It makes no sense to put a CO2 system to replace gas – these will not work in aquatic centres and it is very important for architects and engineers to really understand this.

At SmartConsult we provide energy efficient solutions for businesses and Government entitles to move away from harmful refrigerants.  For an energy audit and assessment for your business or organisation click here to contact us.

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