Daikin Applied Americas announced the launch of the Trailblazer HP, an air-cooled scroll chiller that uses heat pump technology to deliver electricity-powered heating and cooling for commercial buildings and industrial processes. The Trailblazer HP is built on a product platform that Daikin Applied has successfully leveraged in Europe, a region where heat pumps are prevalent — hitting a record high in sales in 2022.

“As a global brand, Daikin is uniquely positioned to combine the best in technology and talent to deliver innovative solutions across markets,” said Jim Macosko, vice president of product marketing for Daikin Applied. “Given the climate impact of heating and cooling commercial and industrial facilities, decarbonizing buildings is key to meeting carbon-reduction goals. That includes moving from fossil fuel-powered to all-electric equipment. And heat pumps are one of the primary technologies driving the electrification and increased efficiency of HVAC. They help create a better climate both inside and outside buildings.” 

The Trailblazer HP is an air-to-water heat pump chiller that provides a reversing function that allows the chiller to switch between cooling and heating modes based on the temperature requirements of the space or process being conditioned. In a cooling application, the refrigeration cycle allows for heat removal from the internal space, dissipating excess heat into the external air. In heating mode, the refrigeration cycle reverses and transfers heat absorbed from the outside air into the internal space or process.  

Traditional heating systems that rely on fossil fuels or electric resistance heat operate with efficiencies in the range of 80 to 99 percent. With Trailblazer’s technology, however, the chiller is up to 300 percent efficient at typical operating conditions, which means it can transfer three times more heat than the energy used by the equipment. That leads to a significant reduction in energy use and direct greenhouse gas emissions, as well as day-to-day operating costs.  

Available as a stock unit, Trailblazer HP’s design allows for easy installation in new and retrofit applications, including office buildings, schools, commercial retail spaces and a range of other facilities.