Hospital domestic hot water with 2 × ECO-TEC ECU149-SBY

A private hospital in Cluj-Napoca previously produced domestic hot water by burning biomass, mainly sawdust, throughout the year. During summer this meant operating the biomass plant solely for domestic hot water.

The ECO-TEC solution uses 2 × ECU149-SBY air-to-water heat pumps. Each unit has variable capacity from approximately 4.3 to 18.7 kW and can supply water at temperatures of up to 80 °C.

The two heat pumps are connected through an intermediate heat exchanger to the hospital's existing 5,000 L domestic-hot-water storage tank. The heat exchanger separates the heat-pump circuit from the potable-water circuit, allowing the existing storage infrastructure to be retained.

The previous biomass system can remain available as backup rather than being the primary summer heat source. This is particularly useful because an air-to-water heat pump generally operates more efficiently when outdoor air temperature is higher, exactly when the hospital still requires significant domestic hot water but no space heating.

Project configuration

• 2 × ECO-TEC ECU149-SBY heat pumps
• R290 refrigerant
• Approx. 4.3–18.7 kW variable capacity per unit
• Supply temperature up to 80 °C
• Intermediate heat exchanger
• Existing 5,000 L domestic-hot-water storage tank retained

The project demonstrates how heat pumps can reduce the need to run a combustion-based heat source solely for domestic hot water in hospitals, hotels, guesthouses and other buildings with year-round hot-water demand.