4-Pipe Heat Pump Cascade System
This cascade system was a great project for Lochinvar. Using three 4-pipe Amicus Altus ASHPs, this project demonstrated how heating and cooling can be managed simultaneously through the same heat pump system. We were commissioned to supply the complete system for this industrial building.
Objectives
For this project, the customer set high standards for sustainability and climate. The new installation had to be “future-proof” with the lowest possible GWP (Global Warming Potential) and they were looking for a total solution. They quickly came to the conclusion that this had to be a propane heat pump. Propane, also known as R290, has a GWP of only 3. Lochinvar proved to be the right partner to offer everything required: a complete solution, sustainable system and low GWP refrigerant.
Installation
The installation is mainly used to cool the laboratories and supply the air handling unit with heat recovery which is connected to existing buffer tanks. The three heat pumps together supply these two buffer tanks, one with cold water and one with hot water. Pipes run from the tanks to an air handling unit and the building. This air handling unit regulates the climate of the entire building.
The heat pumps ensure that both tanks remain at the desired temperature. They do this by working together. For this reason, the devices are linked to each other hydraulically and also in terms of control technology. This means that one of the heat pumps is the “master” and the other two are the “slaves”. The master keeps track of everything and controls which heat pump is allowed to run, either for cooling, heating or both.
Good to know: if the “master” fails, heat pump number two immediately takes over its function until the “master” is back in operation. Then everything returns to the original configuration.
This system consists of the following products:
- 3x Amicus Altus 4P
- 6x Degasser (propane degassers)
4-Pipe System Solution
A 4-pipe system is the perfect solution if you want to be able to provide cooling and heating at the same time.
The heat pump has one side for heating or cooling. The unit has four connections for space heating and cooling. In short, a hot side and a cold side that can be controlled independently of each other, so that there can be a heating demand and a cooling demand at the same time.
When both energy requirements from the building are almost equal, free heat can be extracted from the building and used to heat the building elsewhere. This is the biggest advantage of a 4-pipe system, heat recovery!
This system also has two heat exchangers. One for hot water and one for cold water. This allows the units to either heat or cool. There are therefore four possible operating modes.
Amicus Altus
The Amicus Altus is a modular heat pump that can supply hot water at a high temperatures (up to 75°C). This means that in most cases, additional heating is not necessary and the existing heat emission system can be used during renovation. In addition, it is an all-electric product. This means that there are no harmful emissions on-site.
Degasser
All three Amicus Altus heat pumps in this installation are equipped with an additional degasser, which further increases safety. Lochinvar offers a complete range of safety components and provides each customer with tailored advice for every project.
