US startup developing defrost-free residential heat pump for cold climates
US startup TerraVis Energy is developing a residential heat pump that it claims can maintain high comfort levels without requiring defrosting.
“The system is based on our soon-to-be patented Zero-Frost technology that, as the name implies, never needs to go to the defrost mode,” CEO Lorenzo Rossi told pv magazine. “With normal heat pumps, whenever you go below 0 C, for every hour or hour and a half of heat, there would be anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes of defrost cycle depending on local temperatures. This means that the heat pump stops pumping hot air and reverses the flow of the refrigerant back outside to melt the ice on the coil.”
Rossi said colder temperatures require more heat and longer defrost cycles. There is also the recovery cycle, where the heat pump has to change all its programming to start resending the heat indoors.
“Both the defrost and recovery cycles impose significant energy losses, functioning as parasitic loads that waste substantial amounts of power,” he said.
The system comes in two versions, weighing 55 kg and 115 kg, with sizes of 18,000 BTUs and 36,000 BTUs.
The heat pump can be installed outside the home, while air handling units are placed indoors. It is reportedly more energy-efficient than conventional defrost-based systems, using less energy by avoiding defrost cycles and maintaining uninterrupted heating.
“When the machine is in the defrost cycle, the house gets nothing for 10 to 40 minutes,” Rossi said. “We also found that, because there is no defrost cycle, the amount of heat that the unit was producing was also higher.”
The company claims that even at -50 C, the heat pump never freezes and still pumps heat.
“With the tests we have done for two hours at – 50 C, the machine never stopped and never went to the defrost mode,” said Rossi. “At this very low temperature, we were still producing 30 C of heat indoors, which is something never achieved before. With our high heat output, the time required to warm the house is significantly reduced, leading to substantial electricity savings.“
The tests used equipment from Germany-based Testo SE & Co. KGaA.
“We utilized precision-certified tools with unique serial numbers to ensure 100% accuracy. Sensors were strategically placed throughout the system, and all data was meticulously recorded through video documentation,” Rossi said. “Some components or assembly processes may be outsourced to other countries, but the core manufacturing and quality control remain in Germany.”
The system reportedly has a seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) of 3.5 at -50 C.
“While other companies rely on vapor injection or multiple compressors (double or triple) to enhance performance, our system achieves superior efficiency with a simpler, more cost-effective design that reduces manufacturing complexity and expense,” Rossi said without providing more technical systems on the novel heat pump. “We will reveal more when we secure the patent.”
The company also claims the system is more durable than its conventional counterparts, as it doesn’t have to endure the stresses of defrosting cycles.
“The defrost cycle reduces heat pump durability by causing increased frequent switching between heating and defrost mode, which accelerates wear on the compressor, reversing valve, and other critical components,” Rossi said. “It causes thermal stress leading to the expansion and contraction of materials, increasing the risk of cracks and mechanical fatigue, as well as melting frost introducing water into sensitive components, leading to corrosion, electrical failures, and long-term degradation.”
Rossi said Zerofrost technology extends system longevity by minimizing mechanical strain and environmental wear but did not share further technical details.
Terravis Energy plans to initially sell the systems in North America. The startup is a unit of US-based Worksport Ltd., a manufacturer of hybrid and clean energy solutions for the light truck, overlanding, and global consumer goods sectors.
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