✕

As the HVAC industry accelerates toward global decarbonization and digitization trends, Daikin continues to set the pace. The global manufacturer held its 2023 Daikin Group Sales Meeting (DGSM), Sept. 29-30 in San Antonio, leveraging the event as a stage to showcase emerging innovations across numerous industry sectors.

“Innovation isn't static, and neither is Daikin,” said Yu Nishiwaki, COO, Daikin Applied Americas. “We continue to bring innovations forward and remain process-oriented. Our goal is to keep Daikin at the forefront as the industry continues to transform.”

TUNED IN: A few 2023 Daikin Group Sales Meeting attendees enjoy a preview of the company’s latest innovations.

R-32: ‘Proven, Easy, Efficient, and Available’

At the event, Daikin touted its use of low-GWP refrigerants throughout its portfolio. One refrigerant in particular, R-32, drew wide acclaim from company representatives.

R-32 is an organic, colorless, odorless, mildly flammable hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) compound with the formula CH₂F₂. The refrigerant, which has a GWP of 675, is being specified by Daikin, and other HVAC manufacturers, as a next-generation equipment replacement for R-410A, an HFC that is currently being phased out by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) due to its high GWP value.

“R-32 is the most balanced refrigerant in terms of environmental impact, energy efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness,” said Philip Johnston, general manager, environmental business development center, Daikin Applied Americas. “We chose R-32 because it's proven, easy, efficient, and available.

“If all equipment currently using R-410A was replaced by R-32, the total CO₂ equivalent impact could be reduced by as much as 800 million tons,” continued Johnston. “This is the equivalent of 50% of the annual carbon absorption provided by the Amazon rain forest.”

Daikin is very familiar with R-32. The manufacturer first introduced the refrigerant in its heat pumps in November 2012 in Japan. As of December 2022, the company has sold approximately 42 million R-32 units in more than 130 countries and regions.

“R-32 has been proven to be effective time and time again,” said Kelly Hearnsberger, vice president of advanced product marketing and innovation, Daikin Comfort Technologies. “It’s currently a commodity worldwide, making it easy to obtain. And as a single-component refrigerant, it will be easy to reclaim, recycle, and reuse, which will be crucial going forward.”

New Products

Daikin announced it will be introducing 13 new products over the next 18 months, extending the manufacturer’s electrification, efficiency, and performance boundaries. Highlights include new centrifugal chillers, air-source heat pumps, water-source heat pumps, and more.

“We’re very excited about all of our new products,” said Kyle Evenson, vice president and general manager, AAH operations, Daikin Applied Americas. “Just in our business unit, we’re spending north of $30 million on new innovations, which includes upgrading factories, adding new machinery and robotics, and more. We can’t wait to get this new equipment out into the field.”

Chillers

The Magnitude WME-D magnetic bearing centrifugal chiller features full-load efficiency as low as 0.53 kW per ton and part-load efficiency as low as 0.32 kw per ton. It is designed to use R-1234ze and R-515B and is capable of producing 125°F condenser leaving water temperature. The unit, which features a capacity of up to approximately 450 tons, is currently in production. The company expects to begin taking orders in March 2024.

“The compressor in the WME-D now has two stages inside the impeller,” said Jim Macosko, vice president, product and sustainability solutions, Daikin Applied. “In a centrifugal chiller, generally, the more stages, the greater the operating range. Rather than dumping that 125° heat out at a cooling tower, we can now circulate it into the building and use it to preheat the domestic hot water system.”

The Magnitude WMT magnetic bearing centrifugal chiller operates with a full-load performance as low as 0.50 kW per ton and a part-load operation of 0.30 kW per ton. It is designed to utilize R-1233zd, and Daikin anticipates taking orders on the unit in November.

“This chiller is designed for customers seeking a low-GWP, nonflammable refrigerant,” said Arthur Rizoli, director of centrifugal products, Daikin Applied Americas. “The two-stage unit is great for retrofits, due to its size and volume.”

The Trailblazer AGZ-F scroll chiller is available in 30-240 tons and operates at full-load efficiencies of up to 11.2 EER and part-load IPLV up to 16.7 EER. The unit will utilize R-32.

“There's been a lot of talk about aluminum microchannel coils and the challenge with corrosion, particularly in coastal environments, so we’ve introduced a proprietary Daikin blue coil coating,” said Macosko. “This coil comes with a 10-year warranty, granting customers assurance that their equipment is protected for years to come.

“This unit also showcases the advantages of R-32, as it’s smaller in size and features less aluminum and copper,” continued Macosko. “All of these factors, including a more efficient charge and performance, are appreciated by customers, especially when space and optimizing operations are primary concerns.”

Heat Pumps

The MEGA-Q heat pump is a VRV-based heat pump hot water generation system that warms water up to 194°. The inverter-driven heat pump operates using R-410A, and its split system design allows for indoor or outdoor installation. The product is expected to be available in the summer of 2024.

“This is our first offering into commercial domestic hot water,” said Darren Sheehan, vice president, VRV and commercial products, Daikin Comfort Technologies. “The MEGA-Q heat pump offers a solution for buildings that truly aim to be all-electric.”

The Rebel Applied Inverter Heat Pump packaged rooftop system, which operates with R-32, is available in 30- to 52-ton sizes. A smaller version, the Rebel Inverter Air-Source Heat Pump, is available in 3- to 31-ton sizes. Both units will be available to ship starting in the first quarter of 2024.

“We've really redesigned the entire Rebel unit and optimized its size,” said Macosko. “The footprint of this is about 30%-40% smaller than the prior model. To achieve that, we've moved the condenser unit onto the top of the unit, which takes up less room.”

The SmartSource Water-Source Heat Pump, available in vertical, horizontal, and V-stack configurations, is available in 2- to 6-ton sizes. The units are expected to be available by the end of the year.

“This unit will be offered in a three-tier lineup with a good, better, best approach,” said Macosko. “More and more geothermal projects are seeking higher efficiency units, so we wanted to make sure we were meeting those needs.”

Through all of its innovations, Daikin continues to focus on solving customers’ problems, regardless of the shape, size, or application.