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Hitachi

Part 2 Striking features of Hitachi Eco Cute!

An in-depth report! Make your life more comfortable with the latest eco-technologies.

The Eco Cute has gained popularity for an awareness of the global environment that goes a step further than that of our competitors' products, and for its energy-saving effects through its fabulous economic efficiency. It will increasingly make our lives more comfortable thanks to Hitachi's unique ideas and latest eco-technologies.

Ensuring the needs of our customers are properly reflected in our products...

In 1983, Hitachi developed the world's first scrolling-type compressor. This is the heart of our air conditioners and is highly regarded as the most innovative model of compressor. Eco Cute is evolving into a comfort-giving piece of household equipment with a lower environmental load, by taking advantages of these world-class technologies.

[Image] Technology utilised by Hitachi is proudly displayed to the world in the Eco Cute! We are using technologies and performance developed for air conditioners for Eco.

[Image] Hitachi developed the world's first scrolling-type compressor

Hitachi Eco Cute is developed, designed and manufactured by the Shimizu Works in Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka City. This is the main Hitachi plant for air conditioners for corporate use and household equipment. One of its multiple production lines is used to manufacture approx. 150 units of electric water heaters and the Eco Cute per day and approx. 4,000 - 5,000 units per month.

[Image] 150 units a day 4,000 - 5,000 units a month. Many electric water heaters and the Eco Cute have been manufactured from a single production line.

[Image] The production line of the Shimizu Works

Mr. Hiroshi Arita, Products Planning Division, Shimizu Home Appliance Group, Hitachi Appliances Inc. who is in charge of the development and design of Eco Cute, said, 'Technologies such as those for tanks used in electric water heaters have been introduced in combination with those developed for air conditioners in the Hitachi Eco Cute. We have realised the functions needed by customers one by one using this know-how'.

[Image] Mr. Arita is talking

For example, when family members do not have enough hot water to take a bath one after another, they have to heat the cold water in the bathtub each time by adding hot water. However, it is a waste of both energy and water. Therefore, Hitachi's Eco Cute accommodates a 'water heating function' based on the technology of electric water heaters. This is also nothing more or less than Hitachi's development philosophy of ensuring the needs of its customers are reflected in its products.

Industry first features*! Unique technologies such as the water service direct pressure system have given improved features

The 'water service direct pressure system' model has been added to the Hitachi Eco Cute series. But, for many people, this term may not make sense. To put it plainly, this is the capability to provide high pressure hot water and showers.

[Image] The Eco Cute was developed with a more comfortable shower feature with unique technology! The water service direct pressure system allows for the direct use of the pressure of water supply.

[Image]showers of 'water service direct pressure system'

Mr. Arita explained the background of the problem. 'The pressure of the water supply source to send water is usually from about 300 to 400kPa (3-4 times the atmospheric pressure). However, since the tank of the water-heating system becomes swollen when the pressure is raised, the pressure needs to be lowered to about 170kPa. As a result, we are forced to use showers with low pressure'.

[Image]Mechanism of Water service direct pressure type

Of course, this does not mean that everyone feels that the pressure of the Eco Cute shower is weak. Some customers who took a shower on the second floor felt that 'the intensity of shower was a bit too weak' when the other family members used hot water at the first floor simultaneously.

Mr. Arita explained the advantages of the water service direct pressure system. 'To meet the needs of such customers, we have advanced our development in order to improve the shower features to make them easier to use under any circumstances. Consequently, we have become confidently able to offer showers even on the third floor, which had been difficult before'.

[Image] The Eco Cute can also be used for 3-storey houses.

Concerns for the water service direct pressure system models in regards to low shower pressure are removed when users change to using Eco Cute as their gas water heater. In addition, Eco Cute is available for 3-storey houses, which have increased in urban areas recently. These features show the major progress of the Eco Cute in terms of its wide-scale penetration in households.

*Industry first features: The BHF-FS37DD and BHF-FS46DD for household heat pump water-heating systems, released on May 18, 2006.

Industry first features*! The development of square-shaped hot water storage tanks has realised thinner, space-saving bodies

[Image] The very slim tank is just 415mm thick! The thin and space-saving body has been made possible by the square-shaped hot water tank.If you have a 500mm wide space, you can install the Eco Cute.

When we asked Mr. Arita for further details, he told us some more interesting and profound aspects of the technology of Hitachi's Eco Cute. These were about the development of a square-shaped hot water storage tank that can save more space than the conventional round-shaped hot water storage tank with the same capacity.
He said, 'There is often not enough space to install Eco Cute in houses in urban areas. As there is only a narrow space between such houses, we needed to develop a hot water storage tank unit of a much thinner and smaller size to allow Eco Cute to be installed in a narrow space'.

[Image] The industry' s thinnest body *1 allows you to install the Eco Cute in a narrow space. Moreover, the size of tank itself is reduced!

Although Mr. Arita explained it as if it was very simple, it was actually not so easy to remake a round-shaped tank into a square-shaped tank with the same capacity.
This is because square-shaped tanks have a technical problem in that the lateral sides swell easily due to water pressure. According to him, however, this problem could also be solved in Hitachi's unique way.

Moreover, although this is not a big problem for round-shaped tanks, square-shaped tanks must have, all surfaces joined with high accuracy, because a slight crevice in the joint will lead to large-scale corrosion. If hot water at 90 degrees is stored constantly, even a stainless-steel tank can easily develop a hole.

[Image] Mr. Arita is talking

'This is caused by chlorine contained in tap water. This chlorine is activated at high temperatures and promotes corrosion in the crevices of the joints. Advanced joining techniques and know-how are required to solve this problem', said Mr. Arita. Unfortunately, we cannot report the concrete details, as they are confidential.
However, we will say that the fact that only Hitachi uses square-shaped tanks in the industry is proof of his word. This must have been achieved through analyses of various conditions and repeated testing.

*Industry first features: Announced on May 18, 2006. BHF-FS37DD and BHF-FS46DD for household heat pump water-heating systems, released on May 18, 2006.

In the next section, we will provide an interview with Mr. Arita, including stages in the development of Hitachi Eco Cute.

A more user-friendly remote control with features including voice guidance.

[Image] Operations by a remote control

Operations from pouring hot water into the bathtub to heating water are automated with a single touch of a button. Large buttons and an LCD are used, being conscious of universal design. Moreover, users can record how much hot water they use in a week and utilise these records to save water, as it can be checked on the screen.

Related Links

'Eco Cute' Boils Water by Harnessing Hot air
  1. Part 1 Have you heard of the 'Eco Cute'?
  2. Part 2 Striking features of Hitachi Eco Cute!
  3. Part 3 Our dream is to make a water heater suitable for the age of the environment!