Natural refrigerant R290 propane

Air source heat pumps are a solution that is increasingly used in various types of buildings. One of the main reasons for their popularity is the optimization of heating costs.

When deciding to buy such a device, it is worth knowing how it works and which type of refrigerant should be used in it, so that the pump fully complies with all the standards set out by the F-Gas Act (it used a refrigerant with a GWP below 2500) and was as efficient as possible.

Air source heat pump operation

You often come across the opinion that air source heat pumps are a great alternative to ground source pumps. The installation of an air pump is cheaper and the operating costs of both devices are similar to each other. How can they keep the building warm? The mechanism of operation of air pumps is not too complicated. The easiest way to describe it is that energy from a source with a lower temperature is transferred to a source with a higher temperature. Knowledge of this constantly occurring phenomenon was used in the pumps. Interestingly, the air-water heat pump can not only increase the air or water temperature in the building, but also lower it, which is especially useful in summer.

Type of refrigerant

When deciding to buy an air source heat pump, it is worth considering what refrigerant is used in it. The parameter of particular importance when choosing the right device is the so-called GWP index (the abbreviation comes from the English - global warming potential). It determines how a given substance can influence the greenhouse effect. One kilogram of refrigerant and the same weight of carbon dioxide are taken into account when comparing the value of the heat absorbed by these gases. In order for the calculations to be reliable, the factor is converted for a specific time period (usually one hundred years). In this way, it is possible to calculate which particular refrigerant has the greenhouse potential. This parameter should be taken into account especially now, when new legal regulations appear to stop unfavorable climate change. From January 1, 2020, the so-called F-Gas Act prohibits the production of pumps using environmentally harmful refrigerants. From time to time it is necessary to top up the refrigerant, which can be quite a demanding endeavor if the pump is going to be using product coming out of service. By deciding to purchase an air pump with R-290 natural refrigerant, it is possible to avoid this problem.

Environmental impact

Increasingly, there is talk of progressive climate change. New laws are introduced to reduce the emission of gases harmful to the natural environment. One of the laws enacted to protect the climate is the so-called F-Gas Act, which entered into force on January 1, 2020. Since then, it is legally prohibited to produce appliances that use a refrigerant with a GWP of 2500 or more, while five years later it will be forbidden to market products with a GWP of 750 or more. Among the group of refrigerants banned from January 1, 2020, are R-404a, R-434a, and R-507a, and in 2025, R-134a, R-407c, R-410a will also join this group.

Natural refrigerant R-290

People who buy an air source heat pump using the natural R-290 refrigerant should not worry about the new legal regulations. Propane, otherwise it can be called R-290, fully complies with all EU directives - GWP is 3. This number is several hundred times lower than the GWP of refrigerants that are legally prohibited from the beginning of 2020. Therefore, you can safely buy air heat pumps based on R-290. HKS Lazar cares about the environment, so we use the enormous potential of propane. By using the energy accumulated in the air, the heat pump we produce allows for efficient and fairly cheap fencing of the house or business, as well as for taking care of the natural environment. An undoubted advantage of this device is its enormous efficiency - the pump maintains the heating power (from 11.5kW to 22.2kW) even at the lowest temperatures (down to minus twenty-five degrees Celsius). In summer, it is possible to reverse the operation of the pump, so that it will cool and perform an air-conditioning function. When you choose to purchase a heat pump from HKS Lazar you can be sure that it will be extremely efficient and will help you optimize your costs. In addition, it is important to be aware of not contributing to the advancing climate change - the natural refrigerant R-290 meets all the requirements of the European Union, thanks to which it is known that it is safe for the environment.