Daikin officially launched the Natural HVACR 4 LIFE research project last week.
Co-funded by the European Union’s LIFE program, the project is coordinated by Daikin Europe N.V in partnership with Daikin Airconditioning Germany GmbH and Daikin AC Spain.
The project is embedded in a company-wide initiative to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, including the emissions generated throughout the life cycle of Daikin products.
The research project will demonstrate and evaluate “Conveni-Pack”, a combined refrigeration, comfort cooling and heating solution which is preassembled and easy to install.
The unit recovers heat from the refrigeration display cabinets and evaporators and reuses it to heat other areas of the building at no extra cost.
Current Conveni-Pack uses refrigerant R-410A, an HFC refrigerant that allows for high energy efficiency and a compact design, ideally suited for locations with limited outdoor space.
Using a diverse range of refrigerants and continuously exploring ways to provide the best balance between refrigerant GWP, safety, energy efficiency, affordability and total environmental impact is an integral part of Daikin's refrigerant policy, the company said in a statement.
Through the Life project, Daikin will demonstrate a Conveni-Pack which uses a non-HFC refrigerant, R744 ( CO2 ) , and research further mitigation options to ensure safety and enhance energy performance, typical challenges of using CO2 as a refrigerant, especially in warm climates.
At the Daikin Europe Ostend plant in Belgium, the first prototype will be tested in a simulated convenience store, followed by the demonstration and monitoring of prototypes in actual supermarkets in Germany and Spain. The total project duration is expected to be three years.