DAIKIN UK has stepped out of its air conditioning box to introduce a new range.
In November last year at IKK in Hanover, Daikin Airconditioning UK told trade journalists to watch this space and now it has fulfilled its promise.

Altherma is a heat-pump-based high efficiency residential heating, domestic hot water and cooling system. Daikin is an industry leader in heat pump technology with more than 40 years experience.

The Altherma air-to-water system can extract enough heat from the outside air to heat residential properties comfortably, even on the coldest winter days.

While traditional boilers achieve energy efficiencies (COPs) of less than 1, Altherma delivers energy efficiencies of 3 or more. The result is less primary fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions. Altherma connects to standard low temperature radiators and underfloor heating elements and is suited to both new build and renovations.

According to Daikin, the Altherma is easy to install as it has no chimneys, fuel tanks or gas connections. The main components are an outdoor unit and an indoor hydro-box. The outdoor unit can be placed outside new and existing houses and apartments, even where space is limited.

The heat pump extracts available heat from the air, upgrades it and transmits it to the indoor hydro-box where it is transferred to warm water, which is pumped to radiators and underfloor heating.

The hydro-box requires no separate plant room and contains all necessary system controls.

There is a domestic hot water option which takes advantage of heat pump efficiency while providing hot water of 65OC or above.

For this option, there is a purpose-built stainless steel hot water tank. The lower section is heated by water pre-heated to 55OC from the heat pump. An electric heater in the upper part of the tank boosts the temperature further to the required levels. A cooling option is also available. The heat pump will also provide enough cooling to run a couple of fan coil units. According to Daikin, this option will cost about £700 more than a traditional gas central heating system and is currently being sold into new build.

However, Daikin is not about to abandon the air conditioning market while it expands its business horizons.

It has introduced what it describes as the World's first split air conditioner to humidify and dehumidify without an external water source. This new heat pump system, with an indoor unit (FTXR-E) and an outdoor unit (RXR-E) is available in three sizes with nominal capacities of 2.8, 4.2 and 5kW, COPs of 5.00, 4.00 and 3.42 (cooling) and 5.14, 4.32 and 3.97 (heating). All units in the range have A class energy label ratings. It is called Urura Sarara (which is Japanese for humidify and dehumidify).

Correct humidity levels play a major role in achieving internal room comfort conditions. A relative humidity (RH) of 50% at a temperature of 22OC enables an occupant to feel warm, whereas a RH of 20% at 28OC can leave an occupant feeling cold. In addition, the correct level of humidity also prevents dry skin and sore throats.

Humidification is achieved during the heating mode via a built-in element of the outdoor unit. This extracts moisture from the surrounding air without any need for an external water source. After its transfer to the indoor unit, the humidified air is discharged evenly thoughout the room, thereby avoiding air stagnation at ceiling and dryness at floor levels.

And in as much as humidification has a beneficial effect on comfort levels, so does dehumidification. During the summer a high degree of ambient air humidity, even at moderate temperatures, can make a room feel hot and stuffy.

Ururu Sarara, however, reduces indoor humidity without affecting the room termperature by mixing dry cool air with warm air to produce comfortable dry air. This feature prevents overcooling.

If the indoor temperature becomes too high, Ururu Sarara reduces the humidity level by also reducing the temperature (dehumidifying by cooling).

Incoming air is purified in two stages, first in the outdoor unit and again in the indoor unit. Exhaust gases and unpleasant odours are decomposed and removed from the outdoor unit before air passes to the indoor unit where dust and pollen are filtered before the air is purified further in a photocatalytic filter. Finally, it is treated in the Flash Steamer - a process which is patented by Daikin - which breaks down any remaining viruses.

The systems has a number of other user-friendly features.

Its moisturising operation mode creates a particularly skin friendly environment by combining a high RH; a comfortable airflow pattern; the emission of vitamins and hyaluronic acid; and an airflow direction to simulate a pleasantly cool breeze. Also, comfort during sleep is increased by the comfort sleep mode, which adapts room temperature to match night time fluctuations in body temperature.

This is achieved by lowering the room temperature by 2OC over a three-hour period and then slowly returning it to the original seeting one hour before wake-up time. The three-hour drop in temperature also prevents undesirable mould formation within the room which, Daikin claims, is an industry first feature known as the mould shock function.

Ururu Sarara is controlled by a hand held remote controller.