Designed to address cost concerns and peak heating and hot water demands of larger new builds and well insulated homes, the Hybrid ground source heat pump is available in 15kW and 21kW single phase models.
According to Kensa, twin compressor Hybrid heat pump harnesses the properties of two separate refrigerants in its compressors to deliver heat outputs similar to those provided by Kensa’s Standard models, along with hot water temperatures typically produced by their High Temperature models. This blended design is said to allow customers to enjoy both defining benefits of Kensa’s product ranges in one affordable unit.
Guy Cashmore, technical director of Kensa Engineering, said: “The properties of different refrigerants can meet specific needs, but each come with a compromise. For example, Standard Kensa models use R407C refrigerant to provide space heating outputs but as a result hot water temperatures are compromised to approx 50°C. The introduction of R134a refrigerant transforms the Standard into a High Temperature model, allowing the unit to produce hot water up to 60°C, but this reduces its space heating output. So to achieve space heating demand and hot water up to 60°C, traditionally we supplied a High Temperature model with a larger compressor to allow for the de-rating in the systems space heating output, which regrettably cost the customer more money.
“The Hybrid provides both space heating (up to 50oC) and hot water (up to 60°C) by using both refrigerants, one in each of the unit’s compressors. This removes the need to increase the compressor size of the unit to compensate for any de-rating in heat output associated with pure High Temperature refrigerant, and as a result saves the customer money.”