Leading heating technology manufacturer Grant has developed its new QR cylinder range in response to the changing requirements of Irish homes and heating systems, as new-build and deep retrofit projects increasingly incorporate heat-pump-led, low-temperature heating.
As homes become more energy efficient and heating technologies evolve, the way domestic hot water is generated and stored also needs to be considered as part of overall system design. For Grant, this changing landscape helped inform the development of a new cylinder range specifically designed for modern heat pumps.
The range is designed and manufactured at Grant’s expanded manufacturing facilities in Birr, Co. Offaly, following an €8m investment in cylinder development and production. The investment forms part of the company’s wider focus on developing integrated heating technologies for the changing Irish housing market.
Explaining the thinking behind the development, Peter Darcy, R&D Manager at Grant, said: “Our objective was to ensure domestic hot-water storage no longer limits the performance of modern heat pump systems. Many conventional cylinders were designed for higher-temperature oil or gas boilers. When used with a heat pump, insufficient heat-transfer capability can result in slower recovery and reduced system efficiency.”
This presented Grant’s R&D team with a clear challenge. Rather than adapting a conventional cylinder design, the QR range was developed specifically around the requirements of low-temperature heating systems, with the aim of supporting effective heat transfer and integrated system performance.
Developing the range involved an extensive R&D programme. From initial concept and design through to prototype manufacture, laboratory testing, product refinement, certification and manufacturing validation, the process was focused on achieving the required heat-transfer performance while maintaining reliability and practicality for installation.
For developers, contractors and specifiers, cylinder selection is an important consideration because the performance of the finished heating system depends on more than the heat pump alone. Cylinder capacity, heat-transfer capability, controls and wider system design all need to be considered.
Featuring high-efficiency heat exchange coils and optimised internal design, the QR cylinders are designed to support effective heat transfer at the lower primary flow temperatures associated with heat pumps, alongside rapid hot water recovery and consistent hot water availability. Factors including coil construction and surface area, insulation performance and internal cylinder design were considered as part of the development process.
The range is available in capacities from 150 to 300 litres and across Standard, Slimline, Smart Pre-Plumbed and Smart Integrated configurations, providing options for different property types and project requirements.
The QR cylinders were developed in parallel with Grant’s award-winning Aerona R290 heat pump, allowing the company’s R&D team to consider the interaction between the heat pump and cylinder, including heat transfer, recovery and system controls. Installer feedback also informed development, particularly around ease of installation, factory-fitted components and servicing.
Manufacturing the range in Birr represents a significant expansion of Grant’s Irish manufacturing capability. The €8 million cylinder programme has included investment in product development and production facilities, supporting the company’s long-term strategy of developing and manufacturing heating technologies for Ireland and wider markets.
Grant also provides support throughout the heating project journey. This includes its free Heating Design & Specification Service, ongoing technical assistance during installation and commissioning of Grant heat pumps. This helps ensure the individual technologies within a system are correctly sized and specified to operate together.
As Ireland’s housing stock and heating requirements continue to evolve, Grant’s QR cylinder development reflects a wider shift in the industry towards considering heating as an integrated system, rather than a collection of individual products.
Visit www.grant.ie for more information on Grant’s range of innovative heating solutions. Follow Grant on Facebook @GrantIRL, Instagram @grant_irl, LinkedIn @GrantEngineeringULC and YouTube @GrantEngineeringIE
