NEW YORK - You could say that computers are starting to drive the ductless cooling market, from those in home offices to portable cooling designed specifically for large computer rooms, some with advanced control features that are branching out from their root applications. Contractors should keep their eyes on these profitable solutions for an expanding customer base.

The DigiSmart™ PTAC from Amana Heating and Air Conditioning (www.amana-ptac.com) offers wireless control. The in-room PTAC and its peripherals are connected with the push of a button, the company said; there is no wiring to run. All of the PTACs in a building’s system can be wirelessly connected to a single hardware interface, Tridium Inc.’s Jace® controller. Using Jace Internet browser-based software, each PTAC can be viewed from a computer to check unit performance, temperature, settings, and maintenance issues.

Carrier Corp.’s (www.carrier.com) EEZ™ ductless high-wall split system offers a heating-cooling solution for special residential environments such as sunrooms, home theaters, and historic renovations. The compact cabinet design mounts onto walled surfaces and uses Puron® refrigerant. Motorized louvers can control and direct airflow into specific areas; a remote control also is provided. The outdoor unit’s small footprint allows it be installed in small areas, such as a balcony or patio.

Daikin AC (Americas) Inc. (www.daikinac.com) introduced its VRV® III, which features 460-V, three-phase power supply, capacity up to 20 tons, the potential to connect up to 41 indoor units from one piping network, and excellent part-load efficiency performance, the company said.

The VRV III system “offers advanced zoning capability with up to 200 percent diversity, a refrigerant auto-charge function, the longest piping length in the VRF segment, and Daikin inverter compressor technology,” said Russell Tavolacci, vice president for Daikin AC. The system is designed to answer larger-scale building applications, directly competing with other central plant technologies. The company also launched a compact cassette indoor fan coil able to fit flush into a standard (2-by-2 foot) architectural ceiling grid without cutting the ceiling tiles.

ZoneAire Portable air conditioners from Friedrich Air Conditioning Co. (www.friedrich.com) are said to offer up to 40 percent faster cooling with a dual-hose exhaust; remote control operation; a self-evaporative condensate system; and operation on a 24-hour timer. It is said to be ideal for applications such as garages, home offices, dorm rooms, sunrooms or enclosed patios, and supplemental emergency cooling (a possible benefit for contractors’ preferred service contract customers).

MaxPower Corp., a distributor of critical power and infrastructure solutions, introduced the CoolCube10 (www.coolcube10.com), a space-saving cooling unit specifically designed to handle the load of IT facilities. Its cube-like configuration allows the unit to be stacked to increase its cooling capacity. It can be installed in ceiling spaces, placed on a shelf, hung, or simply stacked on the floor for supplemental or emergency cooling.

HEATING CAPACITIES

The ductless market isn’t just about cooling. Today’s products are offering heating capacities down to some pretty low temperatures.

Amcor’s (www.amcogroupusa.com) AmcorAire® Duo cooling and heating systems were developed after market research indicated that many homeowners either didn’t have central cooling ductwork, or they wanted to reduce energy bills by localizing cooling and heating to specific zones of their homes.

The Duo ductless splits incorporate R-410A refrigerant and are said to be easy to install. All models include an interior “plug-and-play” air handler, exterior condenser, remote control, 25-foot flared pipe, and wire kit.

According to Andrew Ziegler, Amcor’s director of product management, “These dual-function units offer easy, no-mess installation for installers.” They are connected by refrigerant lines running through a small opening in the wall or ceiling. The outdoor unit cycles the refrigerant through the lines to and from the indoor unit. The systems are said to cool or heat up to 1,000 square feet. Heating capacities perform down to -13°F.

Mitsubishi Electric HVAC’s (www.mehvac.com) Advanced Products Division introduced its Hyper-heating Inverter (H2i) technology for select Mr. Slim® split-ductless and City Multi® VRFZ systems. The technology allows H2i outdoor units to operate at 100 percent of rated heating capacity down to 5°, said Meredith Emmerich, manager of application support, Mitsubishi Electric HVAC.

“At -4°, the system operates at 87 percent of rated heating capacity; and at -13°, the system operates at 70 percent of rated heating capacity.

The patent-pending flash process cools the compressor, allowing for higher compressor speeds at lower temperatures without overheating, the company said.

According to Emmerich, the H2i systems overcome issues commonly associated with conventional heat pumps such as decreases in low-side pressure, refrigerant mass flow rate, and operational capacity.

Publication Date: 02/18/2008