Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US LLC (METUS) announces the introduction of Hybrid VRF, a cutting-edge two-pipe VRF zoning system designed to use water instead of refrigerant in indoor spaces.
The Hybrid VRF system exchanges heat between refrigerant and water using Mitsubishi Electric’s proprietary Hybrid Branch Circuit Controller (HBC). The HBC enables Hybrid VRF to provide heat recovery for simultaneous heating and cooling while keeping indoor piping refrigerant-free and reducing the system’s overall refrigerant charge. Hybrid VRF is compatible with CITY MULTI N-Generation outdoor units and L-Generation water-source units facilitating a uniform installation approach.
“Hybrid VRF is a breakthrough technology that incorporates the efficiency and heat recovery benefits of a VRF system with the additional comfort and control of a 4-pipe chiller system by utilizing hydronic indoor units,” says James DeBerry, manager, commercial marketing, Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US LLC. “As building owners, engineers and architects consider new refrigerant regulations and design challenges attributed to ASHRAE 15, Hybrid VRF is a possible all-electric zoned comfort solution. The technology uses water for heat transfer at indoor units and provides simultaneous heating and cooling. We believe that Hybrid VRF is scalable and suitable for many building applications even in low ambient conditions.”
Hybrid VRF can be tailored to fit various applications with specific zoning requirements, such as hotels, offices, hospitals, multi-family, schools, dorms and senior living facilities. Each designated indoor unit can be individually controlled by local remote controllers to provide better overall occupant comfort for individual settings.
Additional Hybrid VRF system features include:
- Main Hybrid Branch Circuit Controller (HBC) – Exchanges heat between refrigerant and water. Conditioned water is pumped to the individual zone, eliminating refrigerant in the indoor spaces and reducing the overall system refrigerant charge.
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Simultaneous Heating and Cooling – Users can choose between air-source or water-source units to achieve design flexibility. Compatible units include CITY MULTI N-Generation Standard or High Efficiency Air Cooled units (6-14 tons) or CITY MULTI L-Generation Water Cooled outdoor units (6-14 tons).
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Scalable – Similar to conventional VRF systems, Hybrid VRF is scalable. To increase the flexibility of a Hybrid VRF system, including the number of zones, users can pair a Sub HBC to each Main HBC. Hybrid VRF can be intermixed with standard VRF systems on projects requiring no refrigerant in smaller spaces, such as multi-family, hotels, senior living facilities and dorm rooms.
