Toshiba says that its latest three-pipe heat recovery VRF air conditioning system, SHRM-e, sets a new industry benchmark for energy efficiency performance and continuous heating, achieving a world first of 8 ESEER (European Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) in most capacities.

It builds on the success of the company’s multi-award-winning SMMS-e VRF system, which exceeded 7 ESEER for all capacities, a previous industry first by Toshiba.

In addition to breaking new ground in terms of efficiency, SHRM-e delivers improvements in terms of occupant comfort, ease of installation and breadth of building application. This has been made possible by developments in key technologies such as the compressor and intelligent control system, supported by a battery of incremental improvements in almost all system components.

The new rotary compressor, developed and manufactured by Toshiba, uses a two-stage compression process for improved efficiency and performance. Wear surfaces on compression vanes are treated with a high-tech Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating, giving outstanding hardness, wear resistance and reliability.

It enables a significant increase in compressor rotation speed, resulting in a higher displacement volume – up to 50 per cent greater than for the previous generation of VRF systems. The enables a higher duty to be obtained from a smaller compressor, with less power.

The SHRM-e provides continuous heating, with no requirement to stop during defrosts, as with rival systems. This is made possible by the use of a new hot-gas bypass control, which simultaneously defrosts outdoor heat exchanger coils, while allowing the indoor unit to continue operating in heating mode.

A new approach to intelligent operation based on dual set points gives building occupants improved comfort and further enhances energy efficiency. It prevents the system from over-running and maximises the time it can operate in ‘off’ mode, while at the same time ensuring comfort conditions within the building are maintained at all times.

In addition to improved energy efficiency, this innovative approach helps extend the operational life of equipment and further improve reliability.

For installers, Toshiba’s new wireless commissioning and performance validation tool enables engineers to read and write data to the condensing unit using a smart phone, without making physical contact. It allows testing and commissioning to be carried out without taking the covers off the unit, another industry first.

The system allows performance data and status reports to be automatically emailed to the end users or engineer, enabling remote diagnosis and even system optimisation.

Improvements in pipe work and connectivity give significant advantages in terms of system design and application. Maximum total pipe work length for SHRM-e is 1000m (a full kilometre), double the previous allowable length, with the maximum actual length between an FS unit and a fan coil unit now 50m – versus 15m for the previous model.

Finally, as a result of the new compressors’ design and improved system controls, the operating temperature range has been significantly extended, and is now -10 to 46degC for cooling operation and -25degC to 15.5degC in heating mode.

David Dunn, director and general manager of Toshiba Air Conditioning and CIAT (pictured), said: “The latest generation SHRM-e is Toshiba’s most advanced heat recovery VRF system yet. It embodies important technical developments that break new ground for the industry, in terms of compressors, controls and wireless communications, which extend efficiency and the application envelope for VRF into new territory.”

He added: “While end users benefit from reductions in running costs and enhanced comfort, installers benefit from the new wireless commissioning and diagnostics system, reducing installation time and opening up fast two-way data exchange. SHRM-e represents a leap forward for heat recovery VRF technology – and sets the new industry benchmark in this competitive sector of the market.”

www.toshiba-aircon.co.uk