THE TECHNOLOGY

The Matrix is a high efficiency Integrated Mechanical System for residential application.
This natural gas fired appliance combines all the functions of space heating, domestic water heating (instantaneous), heat recovery ventilation, forced air and hydronic heat distribution into one compact appliance.

In independent energy testing, the Matrix was found to outperform both a combination system (condensing hot water heater with an air handler and HRV), and a condensing furnace equipped with a brushless permanent magnet motor.

The Matrix is also the first appliance ever to meet the CAN/CSA P.10 standard for Performance Assessment of Integrated Mechanical Appliances.

THE CSA P.10 STANDARD FOR INTEGRATED MECHANICAL SYSTEMS

The CSA P.10 standard (published March 2007) recognizes a basic and a ‘premium’ level of energy performance.

In 2007, the Matrix was confirmed by the Bodycote testing agency to exceed the overall thermal performance factor (OTPF) threshold value for premium performance.

The OTPF is an evaluation of the overall thermal performance of the appliance in delivering forced air space heating, domestic water delivery, and fresh air pre-conditioning via a heat recovery device. The CSA P.10 protocol requires the test specimen to be configured with controls configured as shipped from the factory. The OTPF criterion is computed in a fashion that includes the electrical consumption performance in a treatment that works against the thermal performance results – eliminating any possibility of trading off poor electricity performance for good thermal performance.

For basic CSA P.10 compliance, an OTPF score of 0.78 is required. For premium CSA P.10 compliance, an OTPF score of 0.85 is required. The NY Thermal Matrix was confirmed to have an OTPF much higher than 0.85. The rigor built into the CSA P.10 test protocol is a guarantee that good OTPF scores translate into real results on the homeowner’s utility bills.

COLLABORATION WITH NRCAN

In late 2006, the Sustainable Buildings and Communities (SBC) group of the CANMET Energy Technology Centre collaborated with NY Thermal Inc. SBC provided the technical assistance and partial funding for some simple instrumentation and data acquisition to be used by NY Thermal’s development group. By doing so, SBC was able to determine the minimum in-house performance instrumentation capacity required for manufacturers to successfully pre-screen prior to official CSA P.10 testing.

NEXT STEPS

The experience proved to NRCan that for a modest fee, any manufacturer could create a basic test rig with sufficient accuracy and data handling ability to permit partial CSA P.10 performance tests in-house. It was also determined that this same test capacity can be effectively used to evaluate the performance impact of certain product engineering decisions.

NRCan intends to continue to work with NY Thermal and other manufacturers wishing to collaborate on distribution solutions for ultra-low energy housing.

NRCan believes that Advanced Integrated Mechanical Systems (AIMS) that are compliant with the premium provisions of CSA P.10 will provide excellent energy performance value to homeowners.

Further demonstration and/or field trials are required to evaluate actual performance in occupied homes relative to more traditional mechanical systems.
A prototype of next generation AIMS equipment capable of receiving heated hot water from non-specific sources of low-grade heat is required. This might, in the longer term, become the energy distribution platform of Net Zero Energy Housing in Canada.

Innovation doesn’t stop. Neither do we.