Eco Cute shipments in Japan will pick up again this year, after a decrease in the construction of new housing led to a slowdown in sales last year. In 2008, a general upwards trend in the construction sector, and more specifically a growth for all-electric houses, is expected to promote the purchase of energy-efficient CO
2 heat pumps. An extensive information campaign run by government and industry over the last months, thus bears fruits, as the share of all-electric houses now stands at 44.5% of all newly constructed Japanese single-family homes – 3.5 points above pre-year level.
According to the Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association (JRAIA), domestic shipments of Eco Cute units were at 91,200 in the first quarter (April – June) and at 103,400 units in the 2
nd (July – September) of 2007 – up 30% and 20% respectively from 2006 levels. For this year, the high growth rate will continue, due to an ever rising willingness of Japanese heat pump manufacturers to serve different market segments and comfort needs.
New Models & Features
Japanese companies continue to launch new CO
2 heat pump models in 2008 to adapt to more specialized consumer needs in terms of space restrictions, climatic conditions, or design. Overall, the following features are key to diversify the EcoCute range:
Performance: Several manufacturers launched new models with reduced power consumption, higher heat transfer efficiency, and significant reduction in heat discharge loss. Hitachi’s two new “Niagara Hot Water Supply” units with 370/460 liters tanks, launched in May, feature a 4% improved compressor efficiency and a 2% increase in heat exchanger efficiency. Melco (Mitsubishi Electric Corp.), the first to serve the market with units operational at outside temperatures of -25°C, has invested in a joint research with the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to launch high-efficient units for low-temperature regions. CO
2 heat pumps for cold temperatures are also offered by Sanyo which received the Energy Conservation Grand Prize for its model last year. Daikin’s new series feature a 15% reduction in heat discharge loss, and a 4% reduced power consumption.
Size & Weight: Various types of EcoCute are now delivered as space-saving models with built-in tanks, and with separate slim hot water storage tanks. Matsushita’s new K series is 16 kg lighter than previous models and features a more compact hot water storage unit for easier installation. Overall, Japanese companies follow the trend to install CO
2 heat pumps in narrow spaces next to houses.
Automatic Types: Full-auto type Eco Cute models can fill the bathtub with hot water, retain or adjust the water temperature and supply additional hot water supply if needed. Also available as semi-auto types, such intelligent systems are gaining in popularity. In the case of R744 heat pumps with learning function, only the necessary amount of water is heated, based on past usage patterns of an individual household.
Instant Supply: Another key innovation is the direct tap water pressure applied system. It can supply up to 11 litres/minute of hot water for showering while providing the kitchen with water at the same time. The systems, maintaining stability of hot water volume and temperature, are already offered by Matsushita and Hitachi. The latter also offers a “high-speed hot water fill-up” mode for filling the bathtub in less than 10 minutes.
Design: Several manufacturers are currently working to enhance the visual appearance of CO
2 heat pumps, adapting displays and model colours to match the surrounding, or adding an elegant touch to the hot water units.
Other innovations: From June on, Melco will offer a “Bubble Cleaning” function for its full-auto models with two effects. Firstly, it automatically cleans bathroom piping with micro bubbles, making sure that hot water can flow unaffected to and from the bathroom. Secondly, it catches dirt and grime, preventing it to enter the heat exchanger, which can operate more efficiently. Mitsubishi tested the micro bubble technology in its factory where it drastically reduced the environmental load attributable to the amount of detergent used in the past.
Background
"Eco Cute" is the commercial name of CO
2 heat pump water heaters sold in Japan, both for domestic and industrial use.
