300 Litre air source heat pump water heater
Our 300 litre air source heat pump water heater is for domestic hot water production only. They are a high-performance R290 refrigerant air source heat pump with a built-in cylinder of 300 litres of volume manufactured in premium Duplex Steel 2205 (thus suitable for soft and hard water areas), with an efficiency rating of “A++” at 20°C external air temperature or an “A+” efficiency rating at 7°C for the hot water system, helping to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions with this eco-friendly heating technology.
Heat pump technology is used by air source heat pump water heaters to efficiently capture heat from the external air and transform it into domestic hot water through a heat exchanger process. They need electricity to generate heat via the water heater’s heat pump component and the backup or top-up immersion heater (electric heating element).
Domestic hot water heat pump energy efficiency
They have a COP (the coefficient of performance, or COP for short), which is a measure of immediate energy efficiency in heat pumps that is calculated by dividing heat output by electrical input. Improved efficiency and reduced operating expenses are associated with a higher COP. Because heat pumps move existing heat rather than create it from scratch, they routinely achieve a COP above 1.0 (or 100% efficiency).
A COP of 4.0, for instance, indicates that the system generates 4 units of heat using 1 unit of electrical power, which means it operates at 400% efficiency when heating water.
COP = Heat Output (in kW) / Electrical Input (in kW)
Our 300 Litre domestic hot water air source heat pump, depending on the outside air temperature, has COP figures of 3.7 on average (the range is 3 to 5 depending on air temperature). This means they are 3.7 times more efficient than electric direct water heaters.
By using renewable energy sources to power the air-source heat pump for hot water only, you can lower energy consumption and mitigate climate change with a low-carbon hot water system for your home or business. This line of air-to-water heat pumps is used to provide hot water for homes or social housing or even generate hot water for a light commercial water heating system (recovery / heat-up times dependent) in an environmentally friendly manner.
Our air-source heat pump water heaters, with their high energy efficiency ratings, can significantly lower carbon emissions and are ideal for eco-conscious homeowners and businesses looking to reduce carbon emissions while producing DHW.
Due to current heat pump technology, an on-demand heat pump water heater range with high flow rates is not currently feasible for your hot water needs.
However, heat pump domestic water heaters are highly efficient and perfect for eco-conscious homeowners and businesses to reduce carbon emissions when they produce hot water with our energy-efficient water heaters.
Domestic hot water heating system
Just to clarify, domestic hot water is the sanitary-grade hot water that comes out of a shower or hot water tap for hot water bathing or washing up. This is not space heating-grade hot water that flows through radiators or an underfloor heating scheme.
How hot can a heat pump water heater get?
Our R290 air-source heat pumps can produce flow temperatures of approximately 75°C (65°C with the heat pump operating alone and 75°C when using the built-in top-up immersion heater/electric heating element). Such temperatures can be particularly useful for domestic hot water storage, periodic legionella-control cycles and properties requiring relatively high cylinder temperatures.
R290 refrigerant heat pumps can be installed indoors if their capacity is 150 grams or under, and our 300L air source heat pump domestic hot water heater meets this value.
Air source heat pump hybrid hot water heater
Our 300 litre hot water heat pump storage tank is fitted with an additional heating coil as standard, which can be used as an additional heat source for the hot water system, such as a conventional boiler, or with other renewable energy sources such as solar thermal systems.
As a result, they may be referred to as an “air source heat pump hybrid hot water heater” or a “hybrid hot water system” that is heated by two energy sources in a space-saving solution while producing reliable hot water for the home or property.
By special request, we can produce a twin-coil version of this water heater (e.g., one to be supplied by a gas or oil boiler and the other supplied by solar thermal), but these are manufactured to order and may require a minimum order quantity.
Product detail of our 300 Litre heat pump hot water heater
Dimensions of the 300-litre floor-mounted DHW air source heat pump water heater, which is designated the Aquaflex2 – 300DC
Height: 1,825 mm
Diametre: 640 mm
Empty weight: 85 kg
Electrical supply: 240 volt single phase
Aquaflex 2-300DC technical specifications
Please note that the above data is based on the Europe Average Climate Zone, as defined by the Europe EN16147 regulation for testing domestic hot water heat pumps. This regulation involves an ambient air temperature of 7℃ and heating the water from 10℃ to 53℃. Stage C from EN16147 refers to silent heating mode.
The full details are in the following manual.
ASHP DHW heater product features
- A++ energy efficiency rating at 20°C ambient air temperature and A+ at 7°C;
- Factory-sealed with 150 g of R290 natural refrigerant;
- A high-performance rotary compressor mounted on anti-vibration pads, a DC variable-speed fan, and a soundproof hood all contribute to the extremely silent operation.
- High-efficiency DC fan motor for reduced electrical consumption and quieter operation;
- Premium 2205 duplex stainless steel hot water storage tank with insulation;
- Provides useful cooling and dehumidification of the air while recovering waste heat for domestic hot water production;
- Built-in Wi-Fi with app control via the Apple App Store and Google Play;
- Magnesium anode for additional corrosion protection;
- External aluminium micro-channel condenser wrapped around the storage tank for the heat transfer, helping to prevent scaling within the refrigerant heat exchanger and eliminating direct refrigerant-to-water contact;
- Integrated 1.6 kW electric immersion heater to provide supplementary hot water heating when required, including during low ambient temperature conditions;
- Integrated control panel with LCD touchscreen display on the 300-litre capacity water cylinder model;
- Programmable weekly anti-Legionella sanitisation cycle;
- Fixed or dynamic domestic hot water (DHW) setpoint control for improved energy management;
- An external ON/OFF contact switch integrates solar PV, allowing the property or location to use photovoltaic electricity for domestic hot water production.
If you require a larger unit, then the next size-up unit is our 400 Litre Air source heat pump water heater.
Solar PV electricity compatible
Our units are SG Ready (Smart Grid Ready) as standard at no extra cost, meaning our heat pump water heater has an interface that lets an external energy management system, smart electricity tariff, or solar PV system control its operation, so electricity consumption can be shifted to favourable periods and surplus energy can be stored as domestic hot water.
Air duct installation options
The most common setup is to duct in ambient outside air and duct out exhaust air from and to the heat pump domestic hot water heater.
The intake air and exhaust air outlets are 160 mm in diameter.
The maximum air intake duct and exhaust air duct distance, including a 90-degree bend off the heat pump using rigid ducting, is a total of 15 metres for X and Y in the below diagram (i.e., 7.5 metres for the intake air and 7.5 metres for the exhaust air ducts); however, if using flexible ducting, this distance is reduced to 8 metres in total (flexible ducting uses internal support rings or wire helixes that disrupt airflow and create more pressure drop than smooth rigid ducting)
Air exhaust options
The exhaust air from a heat pump water heater (HPWH) is cool and dry, which provides a built-in dehumidification and cooling effect ideal for a laundry room or a wine cellar.
or a two-room setup
Heat pump technology
Condenser technology for our hot water heat pump cylinders
Our full range of the “Aquaflex 2” series of DHW heat pumps is equipped with a highly efficient type of condenser that encases the inner stainless steel hot water tank of the models. The condenser is made of aluminium and features flat micro-channels, which increase the contact area between the R290 refrigerant and the tank as the gas flows.
With more heating surface area, more heat is transferred into the hot water tank. This results in faster heating of the domestic hot water, reduces the unit’s running time, and ensures freedom from scaling and gas/water contamination.
Aluminium micro-channel alloy is a very mature technology that has been used in heat pumps and air conditioners for many years.
Benefits of an R290 Refrigerant Domestic Hot Water Heat Pump
R290 is refrigerant-grade propane used as a natural refrigerant in air-source heat pumps. It offers several important benefits for domestic hot water production.
The main advantage is its extremely low environmental impact. R290 has a published 100-year Global Warming Potential (GWP) of approximately 0.02, meaning that an accidental refrigerant leak has a negligible climate impact compared with common HFC refrigerants. Because it is not an HFC, it is unaffected by many restrictions associated with the phasedown of high-GWP fluorinated gases.
With less than 150 grams of R290 refrigerant, which meets the specific requirements for a sealed space from the F-gas regulations based on the EN378 standards
R290 also has excellent thermodynamic properties. When used in a correctly designed domestic hot water heat pump, it can provide the following:
- Good energy efficiency and potentially high coefficients of performance for air-source heat pump cylinders.
- Strong heat-transfer performance
- Effective operation across a wide outdoor air temperature range.
R290 systems may also represent a more long-term refrigerant choice, as UK and European policy continues to reduce reliance on higher-GWP HFC refrigerants.
Heat pump control and installation
App controllability – Remotely control your ASHP water heater from your phone or tablet via Wi-Fi.
Our app-controlled air-to-water heat pump water heaters let you remotely monitor energy use, change water temperatures, and set daily schedules using a compatible smartphone or tablet. It also has diagnostics, so you can receive immediate fault alerts if the system malfunctions.
Control the DHW ASHP water heater with your phone or tablet via our app, on the go from a remote location when you have Wi-Fi.
The smart controls in our heat pump water heaters allow for scheduled heating to take advantage of lower energy rates and quiet operation periods. It also has a weekly programmable cycle for legionella sanitisation.
Our heat pump water heaters require a 230V / 1-phase power supply, and a qualified professional must perform the installation and maintenance of these heat pump cylinders.
Operating performance of heat pumps declines in freezing temperatures, affecting the COP. That’s why all our heat pump cylinders come with an immersion heater in the hot water cylinder for top-up heating of the stored water.
Contact Flexiheat UK to find out further information
Should you require further assistance, information, check on delivery times, have questions on the product, or wish to purchase or order one of our highly efficient 300 litre air source heat pump domestic hot water heaters, which are an environmentally friendly product and, when powered by renewable energy sources, result in lower CO₂ emissions, with a premium duplex stainless steel tank, then please contact our UK customer sales team on 01202 822221 or click here for our email contact form to send an email.