Italian-based HVAC manufacturer Rhoss has extended its propane (R290) air-to-water heat pump offerings, with its newly released four-pipe units providing simultaneous heating, cooling and domestic hot water for commercial, industrial and multi-family applications.
The UniPACK-P comes in 10 models covering a 50‒160kW (14.2‒45.5TR) capacity range, using on/off scroll compressors. The MidiPACK-PI, using inverter scroll compressors, comes in four models covering a 20‒25kW (5.7‒7.1TR) capacity range. Rhoss released POKERR290, its first-ever natural refrigerant product, at ISH 2023.
“Our first R290 heat pumps could provide heating or cooling but not simultaneously,” Marco Zanella, Product Manager at Rhoss, told NaturalRefrigerants.com. “These new units do.”
Rhoss showcased the UniPACK-P and MidiPACK-PI at ISH 2025. The event was held March 17‒21 in Frankfurt, Germany. The company launched UniPACK-P last September and released MidiPACK-PI at the event.
“Since launching UniPACK-P, we’ve seen sales in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands for multi-purpose comfort heating and cooling retrofit applications of small buildings and apartments,” Zanella said, adding that the heat pump has replaced boilers. The company expects sales in Southern Europe later this year.
MidiPACK-PI: In ambient temperatures ranging from −20 to 40°C (−4 to 104°F), the unit, designed for light commercial and multi-family applications, provides up to 80°C (176°F) hot water. It produces cold water between 7 and 23°C (44 and 73°F) in air temperatures of 35°C (95°F).
- The SCOP for the model ranges from 4.5 to 4.7 in low-temperature applications at 35°C and from 3.6 to 3.8 in medium-temperature applications at 55°C (151°F).
UniPACK-P: In ambient temperatures ranging from −20 to 40°C, the unit provides up to 72°C (161°F) hot water. According to Zanella, the unit’s cold water output ranges from −10 to 20°C (14 to 68°F) for comfort cooling or process applications.
- The integrated software allows up to four units to be used in parallel. According to Zanella, combining 5 to 10 units, which provides a heating capacity of up to 1.6MW (455TR), requires Rhoss’s external manager controls.
- Depending on the model, the charge per circuit ranges from 5 to 10kg with an SCOP of up to 3.8, based on the application.
Past/present/future: After releasing POKERR290, Rhoss refined its R290 heat pump technology, providing two “technical upgrade” models in 2024: POKER-PI and POKER-P, with 48–190kW (13.6–54TR) heating capacities.
- “We started big, and now we are covering the lower part of our portfolio,” Zanella said. “Next, we will cover the middle.”
- He mentioned that Rhoss intends to further develop its R290 range, with plans to expand into larger capacities units and water-to-water heat exchange technology.
Quotable: “We see R290 as the future for heat pumps, with the EU F-gas Regulation set to ban monoblocs with a refrigerant GWP above 150 in 2027,” Zanella said.
“We see R290 as the future for heat pumps.”
Marco Zanella, Product Manager at Rhoss
