AReCoS
U.S. Patent 12,768,557

For decades, frost has stopped heat pumps from heating. AReCoS heat pumps are designed not to.

All-electric and dual-fuel heat pump prototypes, designed to keep heating through frost. One patented controller in each unit runs the model on the machine, with no cloud in the control path. Rooftop units up to 10 tons first, then a 5-ton home size.

Reserve a place in the first units Evaluate one refrigeration rack

Free · no deposit · no commitment.

One rooftop unit for every season A rooftop unit on a low commercial building, designed to send cool air into the building in summer and warm air in winter. Inside it, the AReCoS air–water heat exchanger, designed to keep frost to a thin layer, cleared electromechanically, sits beside the embedded controller. Its water loop is a closed circuit; two connections on its side are where a ground loop can be added later, drawn as a dashed loop into the ground. Its embedded controller is designed to answer grid requests passed through the building's automation system, shown as a dashed line to the building. COOL AIR WARM AIR Embedded controller Rooftop unit Air–water heat exchanger DESIGNED TO KEEP FROST THIN Grid signal WATER LOOP Ground loop later Summer → cool air Winter → warm air

The AReCoS rooftop unit: one unit for summer and winter.

Research collaboration: AReCoS collaborates with UT-Battelle, LLC under a CRADA supported by the U.S. DOE, testing the AReCoS controller; UT-Battelle manages and operates ORNL under contract with the DOE.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the oak leaf symbol are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Energy. Use of this mark does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof or its contractors or subcontractors.

Two paths

Optimize the equipment you run, or pilot the next one.

Optimize existing equipment

Available for evaluation today

  • Refrigeration controllerSupermarket racks and walk-ins, transcritical CO2 racks and two-stage ammonia plants.
  • Chiller controllerPlant setpoints first, with no change to the chiller; inside the machine with the OEM.
  • A Digital Twin on the controllerDesigned to set compressors, valves and fans together for lower total energy, and to rank likely faults with the check that confirms the top one (how the model runs on the machine).
  • The first stepOne rack or one chiller plant. We agree the baseline, access, safety and measurement plan, then meet on the results.
Evaluate one refrigeration rack The four chiller stages

Develop new equipment

Prototypes · pilot places open

  1. The first stepRegister interest and we check the site fits. A pilot place is not a purchase; terms go in a written pilot agreement.Now
  2. Rooftop heat pump, up to 10 tonsAll-electric or dual-fuel. Pilots of both targeted for 2027; commercial units 2028.Target 2027
  3. Residential heat pump, up to 5 tonsAll-electric, or with the home’s gas furnace. Pilots targeted for late 2027.Target late 2027
  4. EV heat pumpA complete thermal-system pilot, or the control software on your own thermal controller. Pilots targeted for summer–fall 2028.Target summer–fall 2028
Reserve a pilot place Request an EV program call

Dates after today are targets. How the heat pumps work · evidence and status.

Watch

See how it works in 60 seconds.

Design animation, not field footage

Three points: heat designed to stay on through frost; the model runs on the controller in each unit; units designed to share the load among themselves. Prototype design · certification planned. Watch the 2:12 full explainer.

Download the rooftop heat pump brief PDF · Rev 14

First units

Reserve a place in the first units.

The first units are planned to be built with established manufacturing partners. Sites in the UK, Europe and elsewhere abroad are welcome to reserve too (pilots outside the United States).

Add details (optional)

No payment, no obligation. Your details are used only to plan the first units. Privacy.

  • Pilot costs mostly covered. Planned for the first pilot sites, under a written pilot agreement (how).
  • Judged in public. Pilot data is planned to go live on heatpumpmonitor.org, for anyone to check (how).
  • Priority for the first units. Reservation order is weighed with site suitability and pilot requirements. Early sites help set configurations.
  • First to hear pricing and schedules. Before anyone else.

Owning, installing, warranty and verification: answers for owners, contractors and utilities.

Let's talk.

Heat pump pilots, refrigeration evaluations and OEM integration.

Reserve a pilot place

Evaluate one refrigeration rack

Discuss OEM integration

info@arecos.net