LG Electronics is establishing the "LG Advanced Cold Climate Heat Pump Laboratory" in Alaska, USA to research and develop HVAC products.
According to LG Electronics, it recently launched the "Consortium for Advanced Heat-pump Research (CAHR)" in Anchorage, Alaska, which will be applied to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) products. The consortium includes the University of Alaska Anchorage and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, both of which have strong polar research programs.
Heat pump heating and cooling products have a difficult time achieving high heating performance in areas with low temperatures, such as Alaska, because the pressure to compress the refrigerant is reduced and less refrigerant is circulated. In order to create heat pumps that deliver the highest level of heating performance in any environment, LG Electronics has established a laboratory where products can be developed and verified in cold environments.
The laboratory conducts repeated tests for a long time, reflecting various environmental conditions such as snow, rain, and extremely low temperatures that cannot be reproduced in conventional laboratories, as well as variables that have not been considered. This process is expected to improve the heating performance of the products, as well as their overall quality and reliability.
The labs will be located on the campuses of the University of Alaska Anchorage and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. It will be decorated like a real residential space with a living room, master bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, and products such as heat pump air conditioning systems and heat pump water heaters will be installed to conduct various tests.
Starting with CAHR, the company plans to continue to expand its global R&D organization for heating and cooling solutions to develop differentiated products and increase business competitiveness.
"Through this consortium, we expect to grow by leaps and bounds in air conditioning technology and become a leader in the heating and air conditioning market by introducing innovative products with performance and environmental considerations that go beyond the existing limits," said Lee Jae-sung, head of the Air Solutions Division at LG Electronics' H&A Business Division.
