R290 Heat Pumps: Efficient and Eco-Friendly Heating and Cooling

AXEN's R290 heat pump is a heat pump system that uses R290 (propane) as a refrigerant. In recent years, it has received widespread attention in the fields of refrigeration and heating. R290, which is propane, is a new environmentally friendly refrigerant. It has an ODP (Ozone Depletion Potential) value of 0, meaning it does not harm the ozone layer and has a very low impact on Earth's atmospheric warming. It is internationally recognized as an eco-friendly refrigerant. Additionally, the R290 refrigerant has low flow resistance, low pressure, and low refrigerant injection amount, making it capable of achieving ultra-high energy efficiency. R290 is mainly used in central air conditioning, heat pump air conditioning, household air conditioning, and other small refrigeration equipment. It can be used as a temperature-sensitive medium and can replace refrigerants like R22 and R502, being compatible with existing systems and lubricants.

Working Principle of R290 Heat Pump

The R290 heat pump mainly consists of core components such as the compressor, condenser, evaporator, and expansion valve, with R290 (propane) circulating as the refrigerant in the system.

In heating mode, the working principle of the R290 heat pump is the opposite of the cooling mode, but the core mechanism is still to achieve heat transfer through the phase change cycle of the refrigerant.

Compressor Operation

The compressor compresses the low-temperature, low-pressure R290 refrigerant gas into high-temperature, high-pressure gas.

Evaporator Heat Absorption

At this time, the evaporator is located outdoors, absorbing heat from the outdoor environment and causing the refrigerant to evaporate into gas.

Condenser Heat Release

The high-temperature, high-pressure R290 refrigerant gas enters the indoor condenser, releases heat, and condenses into a liquid. This heat is used to warm the indoor air.

Throttling Pressure Reduction

The condensed liquid R290 refrigerant passes through the expansion valve to reduce its pressure and then flows into the outdoor evaporator, starting a new cycle.

Advantages of R290 Heat Pump

Environmental Friendliness

As a natural medium, R290's environmental friendliness is one of its greatest advantages. Against the backdrop of growing global consensus on green and sustainable development, the application of R290 heat pumps helps reduce reliance on traditional refrigerants and lowers negative environmental impacts.

High Energy Efficiency

The low flow resistance and pressure of the R290 refrigerant enable the heat pump system to achieve higher energy efficiency. For example, some R290 heat pump systems can reach the highest A+++ energy efficiency rating according to European standards.

Safety

Although R290 is flammable and explosive, advanced technologies like explosion-proof electrical components, physical isolation of electrical controls, and smart concentration detection ensure the safe and stable operation of R290 heat pump systems.