Daikin Altherma is an Electrically Driven Air to Water Heat Pump system designed to provide space heating (via under floor, low temperature radiators or fan coil units), domestic or sanitary hot water and space cooling. It combines heat pump hot water system for domestic use with space heating and cooling.
The air-source to water heat pump system is designed to replace conventional fossil fuel boilers (gas/propane/oil/direct electric). Unlike the typical heat pump system on the current market which is limited in application by the low-ambient temperature, Daikin Altherma efficiently extracts low-level heat from the ambient air and raises it to temperatures capable of comfortably heating a house and providing domestic hot water in outdoor temperatures down to -4º F. In doing so, Daikin Altherma makes use of renewable aero-thermal energy.
The variable speed technology based heat pump technology employed is highly efficient (3 to 5 kWh of heat for every 1 kWh of electricity consumed. The product was recently awarded the European Eco-label (2009) being recognized as a renewable energy solution.
The Daikin Altherma system has the following characteristics and applications:
- Daikin Altherma can be installed as a two-unit split system consisting of an outdoor compressor unit and an indoor unit or "Hydrobox" containing the hydronic parts. Alternatively, the system can be installed as a monobloc system with a single outdoor unit combining the compressor and hydronic parts.
- The split system includes R-410A refrigerant piping between the outdoor unit and the hydrobox, and water piping between the indoor unit and the indoor heating appliances/tank. The Monobloc Type includes water piping between the outdoor unit and the heat emitters / domestic hot water tank.
- The Daikin Altherma system heat pump compressor incorporates inverter technology, with an integrated frequency-converter that adjusts the rotational speed of the compressor to meet the heating or cooling demand. Therefore, the system seldom operates at full capacity.
- The domestic hot water tank includes a supplemental electrical heating element to boost the domestic hot water temperature if necessary.
- The Daikin Altherma system also can be tied into a solar thermal collector system that supports the production of domestic hot water.
- The Hydrobox for the split system and contained in the outdoor unit in the Monobloc Type both include a built-in electric back-up heater to provide additional heating during extremely cold weather.
Daikin Altherma may be used in 3 different configurations:
- Mono-valent: Daikin Altherma is the only source of heat for the entire house and domestic hot water production. This configuration would generally be used in mild climates, where winter temperature would not fall under -4ºF on a consistent basis.
- Mono-energetic: a back-up electric heater is used to supplement the heat pump operation on the coldest days of the year.
- Bi-valent: The Daikin Altherma heat pump is configured so an external boiler can be used for the coldest months. This is ideal in Northern territories where temperatures in winter fall drastically. This system is the best solution in terms of investment, operating cost and environmental conservation.
