Triathlon (heat pump)
Encyclopedia
The York Triathlon was a heat pump
system for residential and small business heating and air conditioning introduced circa 1997. Unlike conventional designs where the compressor is driven by an electric motor on the Triathlon it was driven by a small natural gas
burning internal combustion engine. Maintenance requirements included annual changes of the oil and spark plugs on the engine. This equipment is no longer offered. Although it burned natural gas it should not be confused with the absorption cooling which is a heat-driven technology. The Triathlon units utilized the conventional refrigeration cycle and was unique only in its use of an engine to spin the compressor.
York is now a unit of Johnson Controls.
Heat pump
A heat pump is a machine or device that effectively "moves" thermal energy from one location called the "source," which is at a lower temperature, to another location called the "sink" or "heat sink", which is at a higher temperature. An air conditioner is a particular type of heat pump, but the...
system for residential and small business heating and air conditioning introduced circa 1997. Unlike conventional designs where the compressor is driven by an electric motor on the Triathlon it was driven by a small natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
burning internal combustion engine. Maintenance requirements included annual changes of the oil and spark plugs on the engine. This equipment is no longer offered. Although it burned natural gas it should not be confused with the absorption cooling which is a heat-driven technology. The Triathlon units utilized the conventional refrigeration cycle and was unique only in its use of an engine to spin the compressor.
York is now a unit of Johnson Controls.