The Little Box Of Thermodynamics
The Magic Thermodynamic Box Company has launched a new hot water system for the UK market, which retrofits to existing hot water cylinders.
The Little Magic Thermodynamic Box is a third-generation design based on feedback from the company's original Little Magic Box system.
The improvements made in the process have resulted in better performance and reduced running costs, power consumption, vibration and sound emittance, says the company. It is also more compact and easier to install.
As with the original model, the system works in conjunction with a black thermodynamic solar panel that can be mounted on an external wall or roof. Made from aluminium, the panel uses a refrigerant liquid that absorbs energy from the ambient temperature outside as it circulates through it.
This transforms the liquid into gas, which carries the heat energy to the thermodynamic box where it is compressed to increase the temperature. The spent gas reverts back to a liquid, which flows back in to the panel, allowing the process to be repeated.
At the same time, a water pump pulls cold water from the cylinder into the unit. This acts as a heat exchanger, extracting the heat from the compressed gas and then returning the heated water to the cylinder. This flow continues until the water in the cylinder reaches 55oc. Once this is achieved, the system goes into standby mode. The new product's improved performance is due to a redesign of the internal layout and components designed to work with typical systems in the UK.
It will still retrofit to an existing cylinder and is compatible with both vented and unvented systems, and with both gas (natural and LPG) and oil-fired boilers.
Company director, Scott Styles, said: "The improved components and overall development of the new British-made Little Magic Thermodynamic Box means that we have been able to increase daytime output by 30%, night time output by 20%, and have increased COP to a tested UK average of three at 7 centigrade and panel-heat collection up to 60%. The maximum compatible size of a cylinder has now also increased up to 300 litres and has a faster recovery time."
The product comes with a five-year manufacturer's guarantee and will be on display at the company's new trade showroom in Essex where heating and solar thermal installers are invited to visit for demonstrations.
