Daikin Applied introduced enhancements to its award-winning Rebel Applied commercial heating and cooling system. The packaged rooftop HVAC system is now available in a bigger cabinet that provides 45-75 tons of air-conditioning capacity with supply airflow volumes up to 29,000 cubic feet per minute (CFM). The new unit also features low-global warming potential (GWP) R-32 refrigerant. With the transition to a more climate-friendly refrigerant, the new upgrades provide building owners a cost-effective solution to improve energy efficiency and start decarbonizing facilities.
“Rebel Applied has already set the standard for high-performance design and efficiency, pairing unlimited configurability with low lifecycle costs,” said Jim Macosko, vice president of product and sustainability solutions at Daikin Applied. “Adding R-32 to this packaged system delivers even greater energy efficiency and ability to cut carbon emissions. It enhances how buildings can be designed to advance decarbonization efforts, and help optimize the environment indoors and out.”
Daikin Applied has committed to R-32 for applications that previously used R-410A refrigerant, which is gradually being phased out in accordance with new federal and state regulations in the U.S. As a single-component refrigerant, R-32 boasts a two-thirds lower GWP compared to R-410A. Not only is R-32 a more sustainable choice, but it stands as one of the most efficient and proven options available. In fact, with over 230 million R-32 HVAC units already installed worldwide, this refrigerant has been tested and widely recognized for its exceptional performance.
The addition of R-32 to Rebel Applied adds to a growing list of efficiency- and carbon reduction-focused features. For example, the system is available with Daikin inverter compressors - another technology that’s core to decarbonization. By continually adjusting to building load, these compressors help Rebel Applied consume less energy at part load to deliver an Integrated Energy Efficiency Rating (IEER) as high as 20.3, more than 40 percent above the ASHRAE 90.1 Energy Standard for Buildings. Rebel Applied also features Sorbent Ventilation Technology (SVT) from enVerid Systems that allows building operators to decrease the volume of outdoor air needed and the total cooling load of their buildings, which can trim HVAC energy use by up to 30%.
Rebel Applied now has three cabinet sizes - 45-75 tons (C cabinet), 31-52 tons (B cabinet) and 20-34 tons (A cabinet). These units also feature an adaptable base channel designed to ease the replacement of various rooftop products by fitting existing curbs and ductwork connections. This eliminates the need for a transition curb, which inflates installation time and costs, when replacing existing units. As a result, Rebel Applied is ideal for a range of facilities with distinct needs, from offices and hospitals to schools and retail stores.
The C cabinet is available with R-32 and the other two will be transitioned to the low-GWP refrigerant in the coming months.
