Wilo USA, part of the Wilo Group ‒ a multinational technology company and supplier of pumps and pump systems ‒ showcased two new in-line pumps for hydronic delivery systems, including those connected to chillers and heat pumps using ammonia (R717), CO2 (R744) and hydrocarbons at the 2025 AHR Expo.
The new products included the Stratos GIGA 2.0, an up-to-30HP pump with variable-frequency drive (VFD), and the Wilo-IL‒HE/ILE‒HE line, 4-to-8in (10.2-to-20.3cm) units with a 1.5‒150HP range. The 2025 AHR Expo was held February 10‒12 in Orlando, Florida.
Both units, developed in the U.S. using applicable standards, are available to specify. Laurent Davis, Vice President of Project Management and Marketing at Wilo USA, told NaturalRefrigerants.com that the purchase availability of the Stratos GIGA 2.0 unit is expected by mid-summer and by the fourth quarter for the larger IL‒HE/ILE‒HE in-line pumps.
Meeting load demand
With VFD, the in-line pump Stratos GIGA 2.0 for closed-loop systems determines the correct operating speed based on the system’s pressure and temperature differentials. “This is one of the most efficient pump systems on the market today,” Davis said, with applicability ranging from data centers to sports arenas to snow melt.
The flange sizes available on the unit range from 1.5 to 4in (3.8 to 10.2cm) for pumping either water or a water/glycol mix with up to 40% glycol. It permits a fluid temperature range from −4 to 250°F (−20 to 121.1°C) in ambient temperatures up to 122°F (49.4°C), with a maximum operating pressure of 175psi (12.1bar).
The 2.0 unit offers communication interfaces for monitoring operational data within the building automation system and includes access via Bluetooth.
“This is one of the most efficient pump systems on the market today.”
Laurent Davis, Vice President of Project Management and Marketing at Wilo USA
The availability of the Wilo IL‒HE and ILE‒HE in-line pumps range in size from 4 to 8in, with VFD offered across its entire horsepower range from 1.5 to 150HP. The unit is available as either a closed-coupled model with the motor shaft driving the impeller or a split-coupled version. Seal configuration options include external mechanical, cartridge or packing.
Don Kahn, Senior Manager of Product Management at Wilo USA, told NaturalRefrigerants.com that the pump works for open and closed hydronic water or water/glycol systems with up to 50% glycol.
Residential market
On a smaller scale, the Wilo Group sees its Wilo-Para R and Wilo-Para MAXO pumps, manufactured in China, supporting the demand for propane (R290) residential heat pumps in the European and Chinese markets. The group also recently expanded its residential application offerings to include a new Wilo-Stratos PARA-C pump with a compact design.
According to Jackie Xiao, Marketing Director of Emerging Markets at Wilo Group, the Chinese branch of the company is working with more than 10 manufacturers producing R290 heat pumps for Europe. In an October 2024 interview with NaturalRefrigerants.com, he said the company expected roughly 70,000 residential units with Wilo pumps to be exported.
Xiao also sees a growing interest in residential R290 heat pumps in China stemming from energy-saving incentives and climate targets, including the country’s 2060 carbon neutrality goal. He told NaturalRefrigerants.com that several regional OEMs have approached Wilo for sample water pumps to include in R290 heat pump prototypes.
