Daikin Applied (UK) has expanded its portfolio of R-290 (propane) chillers and heat pumps, introducing a new generation of systems designed to support decarbonisation across commercial, industrial and mission-critical HVAC applications.
The extended range combines natural refrigerant technology with modular system architecture and advanced safety engineering, enabling building owners and operators to transition to lower global warming potential (GWP) solutions while maintaining the reliability and efficiency required for large-scale plant installations. The portfolio spans capacities from 17 kW up to 2,000 kW, supporting a wide range of hydronic cooling and heating requirements.
Propane (R-290) is a natural refrigerant with an extremely low GWP and zero ozone depletion potential, making it an increasingly attractive option as the HVAC industry responds to tightening environmental regulations and ambitious decarbonisation targets across the built environment.
Because R-290 is a flammable refrigerant, safety considerations are central to the design of these systems. Daikin has addressed this through a comprehensive engineering approach known as the Daikin Safety Shield, which integrates multiple layers of protection throughout the unit.
This includes continuous refrigerant leak detection, ATEX-certified ventilation in the electrical switchbox and both visual and acoustic alarms to alert operators to abnormal conditions. Safety systems are supported by an independent 230V power supply provided by the customer, ensuring monitoring devices remain operational even in the event of a main power supply failure.
Additional protection features include factory-charged refrigerant storage tanks to improve safety during transport and installation, mechanical safety valves to manage potential overpressure events, and controlled-discharge systems designed to release refrigerant safely outside the unit if required.
The hydronic circuit is also protected: if a refrigerant leak is detected, the water circuit is automatically isolated to prevent refrigerant from spreading beyond the unit and to safeguard the wider system.
For higher capacity applications, the portfolio includes the EWYK-QZ modular heat pump range, designed for scalable plant installations.
Using a modular architecture, multiple units can be combined to deliver capacities of up to 2,000 kW, operating together as a single integrated system. This approach allows designers to match installed capacity closely to project requirements while retaining flexibility for future expansion.
Each module is equipped with inverter-driven scroll compressors and electronically commutated (EC) fans, allowing continuous capacity modulation in response to real system demand. Because many commercial and industrial HVAC systems operate for long periods at part load, this capability can significantly improve seasonal efficiency while reducing mechanical stress caused by repeated on-off cycling.
The modular configuration also simplifies transport and installation compared with traditional large packaged chillers and allows greater flexibility when integrating equipment into complex plant room layouts.
Complementing the modular systems, Daikin has also introduced the EWA(Y)K-CZ monobloc range, which covers capacities from 17 to 85 kW and is available in both cooling-only and heat pump versions.
These compact air-to-water units are suited to smaller commercial buildings, light industrial applications and distributed hydronic systems, where a compact footprint and installation flexibility are important. They can also be deployed as part of distributed plant strategies or to support satellite cooling and heating loads within larger facilities.
The units operate across a wide outdoor temperature range from –20°C to +46°C and incorporate Daikin-designed inverter scroll compressors and inverter-controlled fans to ensure efficient performance under varying load conditions.
Together, the monobloc and modular systems enable Daikin to provide a continuous R-290 solution across a broad capacity spectrum, supporting the transition to low-carbon HVAC infrastructure in a variety of building types and industrial processes.
For complex installations, system control operates on two levels. Within a single array of modules, a built-in multi-unit sequencer coordinates operation across the individual units.
Where several arrays are combined, plant performance can be optimised using the Daikin Intelligent Chiller Manager (iCM). This platform manages load distribution, sequencing and system optimisation across multiple units to maintain efficiency and ensure continuity of service in large-scale applications such as hospitals, data centres and industrial facilities.
The introduction of propane-based systems reflects the broader transformation underway in the HVAC sector as building operators seek to reduce carbon emissions while maintaining reliable heating and cooling infrastructure.
By combining natural refrigerants with scalable system architecture and integrated safety engineering, Daikin Applied aims to provide a practical pathway for organisations to adopt future-ready cooling and heating technologies.
Installation of R-290 systems must be carried out by qualified and authorised personnel, and commissioning is recorded through Daikin’s proprietary e-Care application, providing traceability of start-up procedures and helping ensure systems operate as intended throughout their lifecycle.
For more information about Daikin Applied chiller and heat pump solutions for commercial and industrial HVAC systems, visit https://www.daikinapplied.uk.