Panasonic gas-fired air conditioning overcomes power-supply issues
Panasonic’s gas-fired GHP VRF system has been installed to provide heating and cooling for new offices of real-estate organisation Savills in the centre of Dublin to overcome the problem of the availability of electricity in a city where the grid is operating at capacity. The new office is in a famous listed building and accommodates 170 staff. The load on the GHP system is 243 kW.
Jim Weldon, a director of Tech Refrigeration, which installed the system, explains, ‘There would have been a huge cost involved in upgrading the electricity supply with other solutions, so Panasonic’s GHP VRF range was the ideal solution for this type of commercial application, especially due to the power restriction.
Eco G 3-way outdoor units provide heat recovery with simultaneous heating and cooling. Excess heat from the engine means that there is no need for a defrost cycle in heat-pump mode. Heating output is maintained at ambient temperatures as low as -20°C.
The small amount of electricity required is single phase. The low power demand, especially during peak periods, makes the system’s payback noticeably shorter.
The system uses off-coil temperature control. Each indoor unit has a built-in air-temperature sensor that adjusts temperature automatically.
The project was awarded a Panasonic Pro award for best contribution of efficient projects in Europe.
Ethos Engineering was the M&E consultant, with L. Lynch & Co. as the mechanical contractor and Tech Refrigeration installing the Panasonic system.
