••• 7 ••• Innovationen Development of Heat Pump Solutions Propane for the Replacement of Gas and Oil Appliances In the project “LCR290 –Low charge HP solutions”, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE is designing possible solutions for replacing gas and oil heating systems in existing multifamily houses. One focus is on floor heating systems. For this purpose, heat pumps are to be used which rely on the natural and climate-friendly refrigerant propane (R290). Fraunhofer ISE has founded a project consortiumwith companies from the heating sector and the housing industry for practical as well as rapid implementation. The project budget is seven million euros and is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. The housing industry needs standardized heat pump solutions for replacing gas and oil heating systems for all applications; after all, heat pumps will be the dominant heating technology in the energy system of the future. Propane has become a recognized refrigerant solution for the heat pump industry and is now widely used in externally installed heat pumps. Fraunhofer ISE is currently researching viable solutions, especially for indoor applications. Together with the heating industry and the housing industry, Fraunhofer ISE intends to develop heat pump solutions for three fields of application: • Floor heating systems • central heating systems installed indoors •higher performance classes for externally installed heat pumps. The new collaborative project “LCR290 – Low charge HP solutions” aims to close these gaps. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection. The budget is seven million euros. If heat pumps are to be operated with propane as a replacement for gas floor heating systems or also gas and oil heating systems in the basement, special safety requirements must be observed for filling quantities above 150 grams. In the preliminary project “LC150” it has already been demonstrated that a heating capacity of 7 to 10 kilowatts can be achieved with less than 150 grams of the refrigerant propane. This is the basis for implementation as a floor heating system. Within the framework of the new project, suitable storage and source concepts are being developed for this purpose. To this end, solutions for connection to the hydraulic and source system as well as suitable control approaches will be devised and demonstrated in the laboratory with the support of heat pump manufacturers and the housing industry. For the replacement of the central heating in the basement, heat pumps with a higher capacity are to be developed. Here, too, results from the “LC150” project will be used to transfer refrigerant reduction to larger capacities. Knowledge on refrigerant charge reduction gained from the LC150 project will be transferred to systems with larger capacity in the new project Foto: Fraunhofer ISE
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