CIATESA is presenting before the different agents in the sector the comparative study “Hidronic Sistems. Performance compared with variable refrigerant systems”, carried out by AIE Hidrofive, which has conducted a series of comparative tests in an Approved and Neutral Laboratory, with which today it can present objective and comparable data.
 

The study, which highlights hydronic systems with adequate treatment of ventilation air, analyses several aspects in which this system, according to the authors, offers clear advantages compared with direct expansion systems, designated as variable refrigerant. Among them, the envirnmental impact is minimized in the hydronic system through the use of a much lower quantity or refrigerant fluid. Furthermore, in the hydronic system the heat transport fluid is water, an absolutely inert fluid and which only presents one risk for the user: a possible leak just like the rest of the water installations of the building. The refrigerant stays in the machine located outside or in a technical room. In the variable refrigerant installation, the refrigerant circulation all over the building is obviously a risk for the user, more so if the installation doesn’t include leak detectors and shut-off valves, as it unfortunately often happens.

On the other hand, one should highlight the compliance with regulations, such as the Refrigeration Plants Safety Regulations, which is much more simple, and thus inexpensive, in the hydronic system, and also the fact that it is not dependant on brands all through the installation’s operation life in the case of the hydronic installation, which in its future changes or extensions is free of dependences, reveals the company’s press release. Finally, the higher energy efficiency of hydronic systems has been proven in the tests performed for this study, with the Hydronic System in cooling mode featuring an EER always higher from + 8% to +54%, and , regarding the COP, in the heating mode the Hydronic System also features more favorable values from +0,3% to 10ºC in outside temperature, progressively increasing this difference to lower temperatures, already +24,3% for an outside temperature of 2ºC.