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LPG powered Air Conditioning System World’s First

Oceanair Distribution has teamed with Calor Gas to rollout the world’s first lpg-powered heat pump VRF air conditioning. The technology operates on the same principle as lpg-powered vehicles and opens up new application areas for air conditioning.

The system also provides hot water and generates its own electricity – which can be used in buildings for lighting and other services.

Bob Cowlard, managing director of Oceanair Distribution, said: “It’s a hugely exciting development. Many buildings requiring air conditioning are maxed out on electrical power and don’t have adequate mains gas supply.

The new lpg-powered Sanyo system opens up a big and important new market for air conditioning. It is a major step forward – in terms of both technology and market opportunity.”

Limited power situations can arise in country hotels, club-houses on golf courses, leisure centres in rural settings, military bases and temporary facilities catering for sporting events or corporate entertainment. However, a surprising proportion of inner-city areas also suffer from lack of three-phase power and inadequacies in mains gas supply.

Some 40 per cent of commercial buildings are believed to suffer upper-limit electrical supply problems, and offices, shops and restaurants are potential applications for an lpg-powered solution. Upgrading a power supply to three-phase is expensive and disruptive – and is often not an attractive option for building owners. The new approach uses lpg as a fuel to power a Sanyo gas-driven heat pump VRF air conditioning system.

A modified 2-litre Nissan engine, operating at between 800-2100 rpm, is equipped with conventional engine components, such as spark plugs, oil and air filter, as on a standard car. The system only requires connection to a single-phase power supply to power start-up, a control circuit and inverter-driven fans.

The technology is highly efficient, ranging from between 1.4 (140 per cent) to 1.6 (160 per cent) when used as a heating or cooling system respectively. The technology is being promoted as an alternative to oil-fired heating systems, against which it offers immediate cost savings.

Due to the efficiency of the system, which delivers both hot water and up to 4kW electricity, Enhanced Capital Allowances are available covering both equipment and installation.

Bob said: “Lpg-powered air conditioning opens up a new frontier for the industry. Not only does it work, it delivers superbly in terms of efficiency and performance. It opens the door for a whole new generation of air conditioning installations around the country.”

Picture: Sanyo heat pump VRF air conditioning system powered by lpg.

Contact Oceanair Distribution on 08456 590044
www.oceanairdist.co.uk

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