In apartment blocks with a centralised system, it is necessary to use units capable of supplying a varying number of apartments.

The primary objective of a residential air conditioning system, whether it is a new system or a solution used in a building renovation, can only be to achieve a high level of living comfort. Naturally, depending on the type of building, the systems used for heating and cooling, and also for air handling and domestic hot water production, will have very different characteristics and configurations. In today’s article we will look into the main types of solutions for centralised systems in apartment blocks, which usually differ according to the type of heat distribution terminals.

Compared to a single home, which requires a stand-alone system, in apartment blocks with a centralised system it is necessary to use units that are capable of supplying a varying number of apartments. Again, it is the numbers that make the difference. A small building with six apartments will have considerably different needs than a larger complex.

Generally speaking, the air conditioning system will nevertheless consist of a generator, such as a condensing boiler or a more eco-friendly heat pump (or possibly even both to create a hybrid system), a possible air renewal and purification unit, and units for distributing heating and cooling to the various rooms. To ensure substantial energy savings for the apartment building, the system should also be designed for the installation of solar or photovoltaic panels to reduce consumption.

Clivet has devised a range of specific solutions for centralised systems in apartment blocks, which differ according to the size of the rooms and especially to the type of distribution systems.
 

High temperature hot water to supply radiators

Although in new builds the most common system for distributing thermal and cooling energy needed for heating and cooling is the radiant floor heating system, older apartment buildings still feature traditional radiators. But what is the main difference between the two systems? Simple, for the radiator to be able to effectively heat a room, hot water must circulate inside it at a high temperature. 

This is why most blocks of apartments with radiators use a boiler as a generator, which usually distributes water at a higher temperature than heat pumps. During the renovations, and due to technological developments, it might be a good idea to opt for a more eco-friendly heat generation system, while still keeping the radiators. Clivet offers, for example, ELFOEnergy Magnum HW, the high temperature heat pump that ensures the production of hot water up to 65°.

Extremely reliable, thanks to its double refrigerant circuit, proven construction choices and the use of industrially manufactured components, the ELFOEnergy Magnum HW heat pump has a very extensive operating range, producing hot water at 65°C with outdoor air temperatures as low as -13°C (and ensures the production of hot water at 55°C even if the air temperature drops to -20°C). And that’s not all: the modulating pumping group consisting of two inverter-controlled pumps in parallel reduces consumption and simultaneously ensures its operation even in critical situations. Thanks to its small size, it is also possible to place multiple units side by side in confined spaces and control up to 7 units in cascade, while still achieving the highest efficiency.

Efficient heat pumps for radiant systems

Radiant systems offer numerous advantages compared to radiators, both in terms of comfort and energy saving. Through pipe-work laid under the floor, in which hot water between 30°C and 35°C is circulated, the heat spreads around the rooms smoothly and evenly, creating a pleasant feeling of well-being. Since these systems do not need to use very hot water, as is the case with radiators, consumption is also benefitted substantially. 

For all new apartment buildings and for those facing renovations entailing a switch from radiators to a radiant or fan coil system, Clivet offers ELFOEnergy Storm EVO and Sheen EVO 2.0 heat pumps. 

Both ranges are air-cooled full DC inverter packaged heat pumps using the eco-friendly R-32 refrigerant.

ELFOEnergy Storm EVO

ELFOEnergy Storm EVO is available in a range from 53 kW to 91 kW and stands out for its very high performance: class A++ in heating at low temperature (35°C) and a seasonal efficiency in cooling with SEER of up to 4.64. ELFOEnergy Storm EVO provides heating, cooling and the production of hot water up to 55°C, with an extensive operating limit from -15°C to +43°C outdoor air, and boasts a modular design. Up to 4 units can be hydraulically connected in parallel and up to 16 units can be managed in a local area network. Combinations can also be achieved with units of different power ratings. The modular system, obtained by combining multiple modules, retains the benefits of the single module, yet increases its advantages: greater reliability, simplified handling and installation, easy and fast maintenance, scalability.

Find out more ELFOEnergy Storm EVO
Sheen EVO 2.0

Sheen EVO 2.0 is available with a range from 24 kW to 94 kW and features two energy versions: EXCELLENCE version, with exceptional levels of efficiency in both heating and cooling (SCOP up to 4.54 and SEER up to 4.81), capable of ensuring the production of hot water up to 60°C and operation at down to -20°C outdoor air temperature, ideal for colder climates, with reduced noise emissions. PREMIUM version, a more effective and advantageous solution in terms of both initial investment and management costs due to its competitive efficiency (SCOP up to 4.29 and SEER up to 4.50), and high capacity delivered per size. It produces hot water up to 55°C, with an operating limit ranging from -15°C to +44°C outdoor air. SHEEN EVO 2.0 offers the solution of a hybrid version in combination with an external boiler supplied by Clivet.

“Factory Made” hybrid heat pumps are equipped with a boiler selected to optimise operation of the system. SHEEN EVO 2.0 is designed to connect up to 16 units in a local area network to achieve a maximum system capacity of 1500 kW

Find out more about Sheen EVO 2.0