Swedish heat pump maker Qvantum has debuted an award-winning apartment heat pump that’s so compact, it can fit under a kitchen sink.
Limhamn, Sweden-based Qvantum’s new QG apartment heat pump, which offers integrated heating, cooling, and hot water in one system, was awarded the German ISH Design Plus 2023 award this month. The Design Plus award is given to “future-proof products” that demonstrate “sustainability, aesthetic appeal, and functionality.”
The 6 kW heat pump is modular, so it’s easy to install and service. Its dimensions are 230 mm x 430 mm x 410 mm (9 in x 17 in x 16 in), and it weighs 30 kg (66 lbs).
The pre-plumbed indoor water tank unit can be hung on a wall anywhere in the apartment. Its dimensions are 500 mm x 500 mm x 1,050 mm (19.7 in x 19.7 in x 41 in) and weighs 95 kg (209 lb.). It has a capacity of 145 liters (38 gallons).
Qvantum’s apartment heat pump is based on local low-temperature district heating networks with centrally placed heat pumps. The networks have a water temperature of around 10-20°C (50-68°F). The energy in that grid is used by the apartment heat pumps to provide heating and cooling. The company says its apartment heat pump can produce hot water up to 70°C (158°F).
Excess heat and cold is harvested along the circuit, and the energy is recycled to the grid. The concept is known as fifth-generation district heating, and it saves around 80% of energy compared to gas heating. It’s also net zero if renewable electricity is used.
Qvantum CEO Fredrik Rosenqvist explains:
The majority of all apartments in Europe are heated by small gas burners that are installed in each apartment.
We replace the gas burners with low-temperature local district heating networks that are then combined with these compact heat pumps. Our solution makes it possible for European building owners to rapidly switch to fossil-free heating, both in new and old developments.
Qvantum is building a new factory to meet demand, and it will have a production capacity of around 50,000 heat pumps per year, but the company doesn’t indicate when its factory will be up and running.
Top comment by Steve Zodiac
District heating is great in a well-run country managed by municipal bodies but when it ages or it's run on a shoestring it can be a nightmare for residents who have little control over its operation and little recourse to resolution of breakdowns and leaks. It's the public transport of the heating world.
In 2023, the 30-year-old company raised €42 million from investors in a B-round. Besides the apartment heat pump, Qvantum also sells exhaust air, geothermal, and air-to-water heat pumps that range from 4 to 192 kilowatts.
Read more: The heat pump market will more than double to $13B in cold climates by 2031
Photo: Johan Marklund for Qvantum
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