Samsung Tests Next-Gen Heating Technology at Freezing Temperatures

Samsung has opened a new HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) test lab in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. The city’s temperature often falls below 20 degrees Celsius, and monthly accumulated snowfall reaches up to 127 cm. This extreme environment will help the company develop and test next-gen heating technologies.

Samsung aims to improve heating technology through its new HVAC test lab

The new lab will focus on improving the reliability of the defrost system and heat pump solution in extremely cold climates. The former determines the heating performance of air conditioners, while the latter provides a highly efficient heating and cooling system.

During heating operation, moisture in the air can condense and freeze on the heat exchanger. This reduces the system’s ability to transfer heat, making it less efficient and less powerful. Thanks to defrost technology, it removes frost that accumulates on the heat exchanger. The system automatically checks for frost and starts the defrost process at the right time to maintain stable performance. Samsung is developing products that improve both heating performance and energy efficiency using this defrosting technology. The company plans to make this system even better through research and verification at its new test lab.

Meanwhile, Samsung teamed up with the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, Lulea University of Technology, to conduct research to advance heat pump technology. It plans to validate the results at its test lab while speeding up product development with powerful performance. Furthermore, the HVAC test lab is participating with Samsung Research Japan (SRJ) and Hokkaido University to bring advancement in core HVAC technologies.

“Samsung Electronics has established an additional testing facility in Hokkaido, Japan, which has a harsh climate, to advance high-efficiency heating and cooling solutions that provide stable performance in various climate environments,” said Samsung Electronics DA Business Division Vice President Moon Jong-seung. “We will actively target the global air conditioning market, which is continuously growing, by securing new growth engines.”