Case Study: Chiller Replaced by Two 22 kW ECO-TEC R290 Heat Pumps
In brief: in an office building and industrial hall served by fan coil units, an existing chiller was replaced by two 22 kW ECO-TEC heat pumps using R290. The new solution can provide both summer cooling and winter heating. According to the project information published after implementation, operating costs fell by 35%.
| Project details | Implemented solution |
|---|---|
| Application type | Office building and industrial hall |
| Room-side distribution | Fan coil units |
| Replaced equipment | Chiller |
| New solution | Two ECO-TEC heat pumps |
| Declared rated output | 2 × 22 kW |
| Combined rated output | 44 kW |
| Refrigerant | R290 |
| Functions | Summer cooling and winter heating |
| Published result | 35% lower operating costs |
Project background
The installation serves an office building and a hall equipped with fan coil units. The existing system used a chiller for air conditioning.
The goal was to modernise the heating and cooling source by replacing the chiller with equipment capable of operating in both cooling and heating modes.
The implemented solution
We installed two ECO-TEC heat pumps rated at 22 kW each, with a declared combined rated capacity of 44 kW.
Both units use the refrigerant R290. The building’s existing fan coil units distribute heating and cooling energy to the occupied areas.
From a chiller to a reversible system
The key functional difference is that the new installation does more than produce chilled water. The heat pumps also allow the building to be heated during colder months.
The same fan coil distribution infrastructure can therefore be used for both operating modes specified in the project.
Published result: A 35% reduction in operating costs
Following installation of the two heat pumps, the original project material reported a 35% reduction in operating costs.
This figure applies to this specific project and its operating conditions. It should not be interpreted as a guaranteed saving for every building or chiller replacement.
The original information does not include before-and-after electricity consumption in kWh, the energy tariffs used for comparison or the exact monitoring period. We therefore present the percentage as a published project result, without further extrapolation.
Summer operation
In summer, the installation cools the spaces through the fan coil units. The existing room-side distribution is retained; the main change is the equipment producing the cooling energy.
Winter operation
The heat pumps also provide heating during the colder season. The project documentation mentions R290 and the system’s heating capability, making it a reversible solution for this building.
Operational flexibility
The original material describes a programmable system that can respond to building demand. This is important in a mixed office-and-hall application, where loads vary throughout the year.
Confirmed project data
This project explicitly documents two units with an output of 22 kW per unit, the use of R290, the office-and-hall application with fan coil units and the reported 35% reduction in operating costs.
We do not add measured COP values, supply-water temperatures, annual consumption or payback periods because these are not documented in the original project information.
Why this project matters
This is a specific example of modernising an existing installation, not merely a theoretical presentation of heat pumps. Two units replaced a chiller in a real building and were integrated with its existing fan coil distribution system.
It is particularly relevant to commercial and industrial properties that already have hydronic distribution and are considering a modern heating and cooling source.
Further technical documentation
For general selection criteria, see the ECO-TEC guide to heat pumps (Romanian).
You can also browse available ECO-TEC heat pumps and the article about ECO-TEC R290 heat pumps for industrial applications (Romanian).
Technical analysis and documentation: ECO-TEC Technical Team.
