A new furniture store in Riddes, Switzerland, is using two propane (R290) heat pumps produced by German-based Secon to meet its heating and cooling demands, according to the hydrocarbon chiller manufacturer.
The system interconnects a water-to-water heat pump and an air-to-water unit. Secon has not disclosed the retailer’s name.
“We are delighted about the successful commissioning of two of our energy-efficient heat pumps for the sustainable heat supply of a Swedish furniture store in Riddes,” Secon said in a LinkedIn post. “[The units provide] maximum building efficiency through smart energy utilization, using natural refrigerants.”
Project specifications: According to the manufacturer, the installation combines the strengths of both units.
- The water-to-water heat pump provides simultaneous heating and cooling, with a 400kW (113.8TR) heating capacity and a 315kW (89.6TR) cooling capacity.
- The air-to-water unit provides 260kW (73.9TR) of heating capacity with an outlet flow temperature of 45°C (113°F) at an ambient temperature of −6°C (21.2°F).
- According to Secon, the store maintains a constant cooling demand, even in winter. The “naturally” more efficient water-to-water unit carries the primary load, with the air-to-water heat pump meeting the excess demand.
Increasing production: In the past year, Secon has initiated plans to expand its hydrocarbon HVAC&R production capacity.
- Last summer, the manufacturer announced plans to build a 20,000m2 (215,278ft2) facility in Croatia next to an existing production site operated by Frigo Plus ‒ a partly owned subsidiary of the German manufacturer. Once fully operational, the facility will expand Secon’s production capacity by 2,000‒2,500 units annually.
- Frigo Plus is also expanding its production capacity to meet the growing demand for heat pumps in Europe driven by EU regulation, according to company CTO Pavao Jerković. He indicated in May 2024 that Secon receives roughly 70% of the units Frigo Plus manufactures.
- In March 2024, Secon added almost 1,000m2 (10,764ft2) of manufacturing space at its Croatian facility to increase the production of hydrocarbon chillers.
New technology: At Chillventa 2024, Secon shared a booth with Czech OEM Mirai Intex.
- Last summer, Mirai Intex, a manufacturer of ultra-low temperature refrigeration systems using air (R729) refrigerant, completed stress testing its propane turbo compressor.
- Secon will be the first company to test the new technology with possible integration into its product line, according to Vladyslav Tsyplakov, Development Director at Mirai Intex.
Quotable: “We work exclusively with natural refrigerants, [having] supplied production liquid coolers with pure hydrocarbons (R290/R1270/R600a [propane/propylene/isobutane]) for more than ten years,” Secon says on its website. “With our devices, you can assume your responsibility for the environment with a future-proof investment.”
