Johnson Controls is introducing its air-to-water reversible York-brand YAS propane (R290) heat pump models to the European market, offering configurations that can supply cooling, heating or simultaneous cooling and heating, and deliver up to 65/77°C (149/171°F) hot water, depending on the model.
Using scroll compressor technology and axial fans, the three models ‒ YAS SC WP, YAS SC WP WA and YAS SC GPS ‒ operate in ambient temperatures as low as −20°C (−4°F). The units, which use 6.1 or 8.1kg of propane, offer heating capacities ranging from 86.7 to 139kW (24.7 to 39.5TR) and cooling capacities from 66.3 to 110kW (18.9 to 31.3TR), supporting residential, commercial and industrial applications, according to Johnson Controls.
“The scroll compressors with orbiting spirals are optimized for heat pump operation at high compression ratios,” Johnson Controls said. “Depending on the model, the [compressors] are arranged in tandem or trio configuration and paired with electronically controlled air flow on the source side, which enables excellent seasonal efficiency ratios.”
Either/or units: Two of the YAS models produce heating or cooling, with one version optimized for colder climates and the other one for higher ambient temperature conditions.
- The YAS SC WP model for colder climates offers heating capacities from 88.9 to 112kW (25.3 to 31.8TR), with a SCOP of up to 4.29, and cooling capacities from 66.3 to 89.2kW (18.9 to 25.4TR), with an EER of up to 2.51.
- The wide ambient model YAS SC WP WA offers 88.2kW (25.1TR) of heating capacity, with a SCOP of up to 3.77, and 105kW (29.9TR) of cooling capacity, with an EER of up to 3.55.
Simultaneous unit: The YAS SC GPS model offers three operation modes: cooling, heating or cooling with heating.
- When operating solely for chilling, the unit offers cooling capacities ranging from 72.1 to 99.1kW (20.5 to 28.2TR), with an EER of up to 2.73.
- When operating solely for heat, the unit offers heating capacities ranging from 86.7 to 116kW (24.7 to 33TR), with a COP of up to 3.92.
- In simultaneous mode, the unit offers cooling capacities ranging from 79.5 to 110kW (22.6 to 31.3TR) and heating capacities ranging from 101 to 139kW (28.7 to 39.5TR), with a total efficiency ratio of up to 8.68.
Australian application: In 2024 Johnson Controls received compliance certification from the Queensland Resources, Safety and Health (RSH) statutory board for its York-brand YAS large-scale propane chillers and air-to-water heat pumps.
- Working with local officials, the manufacturer replaced the existing HFC air-conditioning unit in a Windsor shopping center with two roughly 300kW (85TR)-capacity R290 chillers, according to Rickey Du, Product and Technology Manager of Industrial Refrigeration at Johnson Controls for Australia and New Zealand.
- Installed in August 2024, the project became Queensland’s “first” approved propane chiller deployment, according to Du, with final regulatory approval granted in December 2024.
Quotable: “Every unit is fully assembled and factory tested [and] supplied with the appropriate refrigerant and non-freezing oil charge,” Johnson Controls said. “As a result, installation only requires positioning the equipment and connecting it to the hydraulic and electrical supply lines.”
“The scroll compressors with orbiting spirals are optimized for heat pump operation at high compression ratios.”
Johnson Controls
