SAN ANTONIO - Carrier Corp. unveiled its newest residential heat pump during the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Conference and Indoor Air Expo - and now can boast the industry’s highest air-source Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) of up to 13. The cooling efficiency of up to 20 SEER is certainly no slouch either, but the HSPF was the real news.

“Carrier is committed to developing residential heating and cooling products that take innovation to a higher degree,” said Chris Nelson, vice president and general manager, sales and marketing, Carrier Residential and Commercial Systems.

“We are proud our new Infinity heat pump with Greenspeed intelligence will be the highest heating efficiency air-source heat pump available. In the 3-ton size, it has 29 to 69 percent higher heating efficiency than any competitive product within the residential, air-source heat pump category.”

Nelson also told a crowd during a special product announcement event that the product has special interest for him. “This has been more than five years in the making; it has been a passion of mine, and of our company, to deliver a breakthrough product. It’s the best on the market, there is nothing like it.”

The higher HSPF means that homeowners can expect lower utility bills. A higher HSPF, such as with the Infinity heat pump line ranging from 2 to 5 tons, will enable a heat pump to operate at even lower ambient outdoor temperatures without a call for typically more expensive backup heat. According to the company, a 3-ton size Infinity heat pump with Greenspeed intelligence operating at 17°F can achieve 17 to 86 percent greater heating capacity than standard heat pump products on the market today.

“It became clear that the game changer is the HSPF. That’s what we will be pushing with our contractors, and we will be training them to talk to consumers about those benefits,” said Nelson.

COOPERATIVE RESULTS

Carrier announced the innovation behind this advanced heat pump technology - Carrier® Greenspeed™ intelligence - as a cooperative effort with Emerson Climate Technologies. The innovation was made possible by pairing the communication ability of Carrier Greenspeed intelligence with a Copeland Scroll® variable-speed compressor, optimized specifically for this heat pump.

“We could not have done this without the contribution of Emerson Climate toward the goal of delivering a higher degree of innovation,” said Nelson.

John Schneider, vice president of variable-speed technology for Emerson Climate Technologies, said that the new scroll compressor came with 25 new patents and 34 diagnostic codes. Impressive numbers, both, but the real highlight is that with Carrier Greenspeed intelligence, the scroll compressor enables the Infinity heat pump to operate fluidly between 40 and 100 percent capacity while heating or cooling a home.

“The Infinity heat pump with Greenspeed intelligence is a revolutionary breakthrough for home comfort and advances Carrier’s natural leadership in environmental technologies,” said John Mandyck, Carrier vice president, sustainability and environmental Strategies. “Greenspeed intelligence also demonstrates how technological innovation can reduce energy use and carbon emissions, continuing Carrier’s longstanding commitment to providing sustainable solutions.

“We can only drill so much oil; we can only harvest so much coal. We need innovation to a higher degree to address those challenges. We also need a culture of environmental stewardship; for us it’s not just a strategy or a fad, but it’s really the foundation for what we do every day. We also have a fundamental belief that a green product must start at a green company. We’ve been on a journey for the last many decades to green our own company because we think it’s important in the environmental products field to walk the talk. And, because of that, today we can bring you an innovative product that we are very proud of,” said Mandyck.

PRODUCT FEATURES

The new line of heat pumps is currently in the final stage of field testing, with availability scheduled for this summer. According to Carrier, its dealers will appreciate the ease in installation created by the two-wire control connection to the outdoor unit and Infinity Control diagnostic capabilities. Consumers will welcome the variable-speed motor’s lower energy usage and more consistent indoor temperature control all year long.

The heat pump also employs an upgraded Infinity control software package that constantly monitors a wider range of critical system parameters, including suction pressure and compressor temperature. This intelligence helps ensure performance efficiency, optimized comfort, and reliable operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The capacity control can match the load in a home during a wide range of conditions. This flexibility allows for improved temperature control and dehumidification as well as enhanced Infinity zoning, regardless of climate.

For more information, visit www.carrier.com for product information.

Publication date: 03/21/2011