Heat pump manufacturers will soon be forced by regulations to use even more eco-friendly refrigerant gases. Let’s see how innovative solutions will be developed in the near future.

Reducing carbon emissions and saving energy are two key objectives when choosing to install an air conditioning system in a new house, or to upgrade an existing system. As we all know, heat pumps are an environmentally friendly solution capable of heating, cooling and even producing domestic hot water in the home, due to their use of clean energy such as that provided by air, water or underground heat.

In previous articles, we gained an insight into the importance of the refrigerant’s role in a heat pump, discovering how regulations have become increasingly stringent in terms of safety, and that in the near future manufacturer’s will be “forced” to use much more eco-friendly refrigerant gases, such as propane.

Propane is a natural gas, labelled R290, which boasts a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 3, a much lower value than another, already environmentally friendly refrigerant commonly used in air conditioning products such as Difluoromethane R32 (GWP: 675). This is a huge amount when considering the values of other refrigerants of the past, such as R410A (GWP: 2090), which will no longer be allowed on the market from 2025 because it is banned by European regulations.

R290 is currently the most environmentally friendly alternative to R32, but it must comply with regulations so that it is preferable to use in units that have been installed outdoors and in buildings.

The best way today to take advantage of all the benefits of the R290 refrigerant, which in addition to being more eco-friendly has a higher efficiency than R32, is to choose a model based on Hydro-Split technology.

No refrigerant in the home

Hydro-Split heat pumps consist of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, connected only by hydronic piping, through which water flows. As a result, no refrigerant piping runs inside the house, hence eliminating the risk of refrigerant leaks.

What are the main differences between this system and traditional products with Refrigerant-Split technology?

Firstly, the location of the exchanger where the heat transfer between the refrigerant fluid and the water in the system takes place. In Refrigerant-Split systems it is located in the indoor unit, whereas in Hydro-Split systems it is left outside, so that pre-heated or pre-cooled water (depending on the season) enters the home.

Hydro-Split technology also eliminates any restrictions on the refrigerant charge to be used in the home, thereby avoiding the need for the user to refer to EN 378.
And that’s not all: products of this type are much easier to maintain and do not require an F-gas licence.

Hydro-Split solutions by Clivet
Sustainable comfort and the well-being of people and the environment

Sustainable comfort and the well-being of people and the environment are two cornerstones that for over 35 years have guided the work of Clivet, a company that is always ready to embrace change, renew itself and invest in new technologies. It is no coincidence that, in addition to its wide range of Refrigerant-Split heat pumps, packaged heat pumps with ecological R32 refrigerant and propane packaged heat pumps (R290), Clivet has also introduced Hydro-Split heat pumps.

Thanks to the new hydronic modules, which can be combined with the heat pumps of the EDGE family, with both the EDGE EVO 2.0 using R-32 and the new EDGE F that uses R-290 propane, Clivet’s Hydro-Split solutions now offer a water-split system that makes application in the residential sector even simpler, safer and more environmentally friendly.

  • Tower-version of the hydronic module designed for basement installation and featuring the option of a 190- or 250-litre domestic hot water storage tank. Like all other products in the Hydro-SplitEASYmodule line, the unit also has a system expansion tank, integrated inertial storage, magnetic dirt separator filter with pressure relief valves and integrated WiFi for remote connection to the app.
  • The compact version of the hydronic module that does not have a storage tank, but has a 3-way valve for DHW production. 
  • A wall-mounted hydronic module that, unlike the Tower-version, has a smaller 50-litre storage tank. In addition to the 8-litre system expansion tank, the product features a 3-litre DHW expansion tank and a single-area booster water kit already included with the standard unit.
  • The uncased version of the hydronic module that represents a complete central heating plant built into the wall of the house. Equipped with a 150-litre DHW tank, which can be expanded up to 300 litres, the indoor unit is compact and is also available in a hybrid version with a 24 kW or 34 kW boiler. Like the other modules, the EASYInINInvisible also has a system expansion tank (12 litres), inertial tank (15 litres), magnetic dirt separator filter with pressure relief valves and anti-burn mixer.