Panasonic Introduces New VRF ECOi ME2 Solution

Panasonic’s latest line of VRF systems – the ECOi EX series – provides a new benchmark for the heating and cooling industry, surpassing other models in regards to environmental performance, quality and comfort.

The new Panasonic ECOi EX 7 Series ME2 VRF range is available from November 2016 and includes three sizes of single outdoor units ranging from 8HP to 20HP. Boasting a flexible combination design, installers are able to combine up to 80HP. The wide range of sizes enables Panasonic to provide a comprehensive heating and cooling solution for almost any application, from small scale commercial developments to large industrial facilities.

The innovative design of the Panasonic ECOi EX range makes it the most efficient performing inverter on the market. The heat exchanger features three joined surfaces that increases the capacity and efficiency of the heat exchanger. The redesigned bell mouth also contributes to the increased efficiency of the unit. The new curved shape and integrated top and bottom components ensures a smooth exhaust flow providing a much greater air volume at the same sound level, requiring less power input for the same air volume. Lower sound levels can be particularly important in commercial, urban environments where noise disturbance must be minimised. The layout of piping inside the unit has also been optimised to ensure peak efficiency, increasing heat exchange performance by 5%.

The efficiency of the new ECOi EX series enables the outdoor units to achieve market-leading performance in more extreme climate conditions. The robust and reliable new units can offer a very high cooling capacity in temperatures of 43C, while at -25C the units can still produce significant heating capacity, providing consistent indoor temperatures regardless of the climate. With the transition from direct online compressors to inverter compressors, Panasonic have developed their technology to produce greater capacity control with a lower power input. As a result, the ECOi Ex gives greater partial load control and reduces power consumption due to the soft start nature of the inverters.

The extended piping length and design has helped increase the market applications available to the ECOi EX series. Indoor units can be positioned up to 200m from the outdoor unit which is a considerable increase on previous models. The indoor unit can now also be placed up to 50m below the outdoor unit.

The total piping length from one outdoor unit can now be up to 1,000m, offering complete flexibility to installers faced with a challenging or large-scale installation. The piping length has increased significantly from previous models, enabling Panasonic to provide their market-leading heating and cooling solution to a much wider range of applications, including larger commercial buildings and distributed properties.

This new range features a unique 2-step Intelligent Oil Management System that drastically reduces oil recovery. Sensors are installed on each compressor to monitor the precise oil levels allowing an oil recovery of up to 90%.

With regards to the indoor unit, Panasonic’s advanced ECONAVI sensor detects human presence and adjusts the unit’s output so that energy is not wasted heating or cooling the area when it is unoccupied. The Panasonic AC Smart Cloud allows businesses to centralise control of Panasonic heating and cooling installations - using a tablet, smart phone or computer - to manage and schedule heating and cooling activities across entire networks of commercial buildings at unit level. This level of control enables organisations to make further energy and operational saving, in addition to those generated by Panasonic’s ECONAVI sensors.

Part of Panasonic’s core strategy is reducing the environmental impact of heating and cooling solutions. The ECOi EX series is leading the way with an exceptionally high EER value – even during part-load operation – as well as the highest COP and ESEER values on the market. With a strong environmental performance combined with increased installation flexibility, the Panasonic ECOi EX series provides a comprehensive and cost-saving heating and cooling solution that surpasses the competition.