All you need to know about domestic hot water heat pumps
At Clade, we love talking about the benefits of natural refrigerant heat pumps. After all, they’re environmentally friendly, highly efficient and cost-effective. What’s not to like?
But did you know that they’re not just a great option for space heating? Rather, they can be used for domestic hot water (DHW) too! Here, we’ll answer all your questions about domestic hot water heat pumps.
Are domestic hot water heat pumps any good?
One of the myths that you might hear about heat pumps is that they’re not reliable at heating water above around 60°C.
However, this is simply not true.
Some heat pumps are only designed to heat hot water up to this temperature – like our standard Birch heat pump.
But others are capable of heating water to significantly higher temperatures.
For instance, our groundbreaking Birch HT heat pump delivers flow temperatures up to 80°C, which is more than enough for most hot water requirements.
Similarly, our CO2 heat pumps have proven repeatedly that they can consistently produce a hot water supply at 80°C – even with variable ambient conditions.
Better still, DHW heat pumps can do all this while maintaining a low coefficient of performance (COP). In fact, heat pumps are up to 400% efficient. This makes heat pumps for private buildings a complete no-brainer for both people and the planet.
How do domestic hot water heat pumps work?
If you’re keen to use a heat pump for DHW, you’ll have two main options:
- Install it as a standalone water heating system
- Install it as a combination water heating and space conditioning system
In other words, you can use a heat pump to provide only hot water. Or, you can use a heat pump to provide hot water and space heating – offering 100% heat decarbonisation.
Either way, heat pumps work by moving heat from one place to another – rather than generating heat directly.
Essentially, they extract warmth from the air, the ground or water (depending on what kind of heat pump you choose) and convert it to a higher temperature using a compressor.
In this way, a heat pump can heat water (and buildings) in a way that feels similar to a normal boiler.
Which heat pumps are best for DHW?
At Clade, we believe that natural refrigerant heat pumps are the best solution for DHW.
Why? Well, natural refrigerants are clean, non-toxic and better for the environment – as well as being high performing.
We design, manufacture and install DHW heat pumps using two natural refrigerants: CO2 and R290. Here’s why.
Why use CO2 heat pumps for DHW?
CO2 heat pumps have repeatedly proven that they can produce a hot water supply at 80°C – even with variable ambient conditions.
In fact, at Clade, our CO2 heat pumps provide consistent, sanitary hot water for leisure centres, schools and healthcare institutions, amongst other commercial settings.
Previously, these buildings would have used gas boilers or combined heat and power for DHW. However, the need to decarbonise led them to consider alternatives.
CO2 as a refrigerant has a global warming potential of just 1, making it a great option for businesses looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
At the same time, it’s able to maintain a large delta temperature and a low COP of just 4 – meaning businesses can decarbonise without sacrificing performance.
Why use R290 heat pumps for DHW?
R290 (propane) heat pumps are another fantastic option for DHW.
Until recently, propane heat pumps would only commonly provide hot water up to 60°C.
However, our new Birch HT heat pump is specially designed for high-temperature heating needs.
Engineered as a direct replacement to traditional boilers, it delivers up to 80°C flow temperature with 70°C return.
In this way, it can achieve 100% decarbonisation without requiring modifications to your existing infrastructure – making it a gamechanger for businesses looking to retrofit a heat pump.
Similarly to CO2, propane is high-performing, non-toxic and has a low GWP of just 3 (or less depending on the time considered) – so, it’s a real all-rounder.
Which brings us onto…
What are the benefits of a natural refrigerant DHW heat pump?
Whether you’re looking for a heat pump that will solely deliver DHW, or a combined system that can provide space heating too, natural refrigerants are the way to go.
Here are their main benefits.
Environmentally friendly
Natural refrigerants have a very low GWP, zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and they’re free from environmental toxins such as PFAS.
They’re also pure refrigerant gases, which means you can easily top up your refrigerant levels after any losses – preventing you from having to replace them entirely which is costly and wasteful.
In this way, natural refrigerant heat pumps are a fantastic opportunity for you to reduce your business’ impact on the planet.
Future-proof
As countries attempt to reduce their carbon footprint, F-gas regulations are tightening.
Likewise, we can expect more regulatory action in relation to PFAS, which show up in many watercourses where they poison wildlife and, in some areas, even endanger human health.
Opting for a natural refrigerant heat pump could be seen as the best way to safeguard your heat pump’s longevity and prevent it from becoming a stranded asset in the future.
High performing
There’s no need to sacrifice performance to enjoy all these environmental benefits.
Rather, natural refrigerants actually achieve higher COP at low ambients and high flow temperatures than synthetic refrigerants.
They also tend to offer wider delta temperatures and higher flow temperatures – making it easy for you to retrofit a heat pump with minimal adjustments to your existing gas heating system (if any!).
Let us help you with a DHW heat pump
As you can see, a natural refrigerant DHW heat pump is a win for both businesses and the planet – providing an environmentally-friendly, futureproof and efficient way to heat your hot water.
If you’re sold on a heat pump for DHW, why not have a chat with our team here at Clade?
We’ll be happy to chat through your requirements and design a bespoke solution that meets the needs of your business perfectly.Simply get in touch with us today.