Sometimes, there's nothing like experience and realizing a real problem to start the creative engine that ignites the inspiring stories of entrepreneurs. In the Spanish ecosystem, some of them are reliable sources talent in this country Jose Raul Martinez is one of them.
He CEO and sole founder of Alicante company Hydronic With more than three decades of experience in the maintenance and repair sectors, he has spent the last 12 years in large facilities such as hotels, hospitals or apartments.
A real event today is the emergence of a powerful startup that has revolutionized water heating systems with a technology. Puts an end to traditional heating systems that are 50 years old By accumulation.
Hydronic not only eliminates the Legionella problem, so important for this type of installation, but also saves energy and requires no maintenance.
Your proposal has just been completed Winner of the sixth edition of the ScaleUP project, Promoted by the Valencian Institute of Competitiveness and Innovation (Ivace+i) in collaboration with the European Center for Business and Innovation (CEEI) of Valencia.
[CEEI Valencia o el 'efecto llamada’ de la innovación abierta que abraza la pyme para una nueva economía]
It all started back in 2016 A major breakdown in a hotel Its maintenance contract is under the responsibility of Jose Raul. Entrepreneurs faced the eternal dilemma: „Do we repair something that won't last more than six months, or do we replace it?”
“Both options are not viable in this case becauseA Repairs are difficult and do not last more than six months, on the other hand, andn market There are no appliances in the room. And they can reach a basement three floors underground, accessible only by a narrow and steep staircase,” Martínez explains to D+I – EL ESPAÑOL.
However, the engineer in charge of the hotel chain, José Raúl knew of his passion for hydraulics to solve complex challenges It was not easy for him. „He asked us for both solutions.”
While the entrepreneur admits that D+I doesn't have a perfect solution, the case challenged his skills, but, as expected, I'm not ready to throw in the towel.
The Hydronik team during the CEEI Valencia ScaleUp project award ceremony.
The solution must answer three key questions:What's the biggest thing that fits on that staircase? How do I get space to put it in the room? Finally, „How do I get this little piece of equipment to make enough water for the entire hotel?”
He didn't know it yet, but the entrepreneur had rekindled that flame four years later, and many more challenges. Hydronik and what would become its IHI-800 (Inertial Hydrodynamic Exchanger)..
So, in 2019, José Raúl was fully aware that he had acquired equipment for heating water that was not available on the market. Eliminates the problem of legionella in accumulation, very compact, efficient and easier to maintain than traditional systems.
From there, Hydronik started founding Soluciones Técnicas, SL in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic, and a year later, Hydronik's star range, the IHI organization, was launched.
A technology developed in Spain
Facilities such as hotels, hospitals or residences provide domestic hot water (DHW) service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To produce this water, these companies They emit about 40,000 tons of CO2.
Current opinion The domestic hot water production room has been around for over 50 years And while heat-generating machines have advanced a lot, „the whole system is inefficient,” Hydronic explains. „These designs are inherited from a time when it didn't matter if your car consumed 4 liters of fuel or 40.”
„Most domestic hot water installations have outlived their useful life and only those suffering from breakdowns or severe deterioration have been replaced”
But at present, with A climate emergency is the backdrop And since energy is one of the major costs of the global economy, being efficient in its use and reducing our carbon footprint is an important priority.
In this context, it is important to highlight that most domestic hot water installations have not been renovated since 2008. A series of chain-linked economic and health crises”Most facilities have outlived their useful lives. To date, only those suffering from fractures or severe deterioration have been replaced,” Hydronik continues.
„We are facing a market that cannot extend the useful life of older systems and is being pushed Replace them with current regulations or look for alternatives„.
Hydronic solves a real problem for thousands of companies Technological development and production Made in Spain Throughout the process. But what does your technology proposal consist of?
A new way to accumulate heat and transfer it to water
The Hydronik IHI system is a passive hydrodynamic exchanger mainly used for heating or cooling liquids. „It is a three-in-one device, a device that performs all the functions performed in traditional accumulation systems – accumulator, plate exchanger and secondary pump.”
“It provides and allows 100% health protection Up to 80% maintenance cost savings and 15% energy savings Primarily, it allows easy installation and space in the room for other applications,” says the company partner.
Installation with Hydronik IHI.
„This way we change the way heat accumulates and the way it goes into drinking water.”
The key to its innovation is „Innovative design of coils and how large volumes of water could be instantly heated with very little pressure loss”.
Success story: Hotel Melia Sitges
Through its technology, customers have achieved more than 30% savings in energy for different installations, reaching 44% savings.
The company highlights The success story of Melia Sitges Hotel where are youAccumulators They were at the end of their useful lives, in an iInstallation Complex and oversized energy storage and not facilitated with a cDonation Inefficient renewable energy.
„We ensured that the Meliá Sitges Hotel achieved savings equivalent to the CO2 absorbed by 5,534 trees”
A proposal from the start of Alicante was included Replace large domestic hot water tanks, their exchangers and pipesWith six exchangers from Hydronik's IHI range, „for semi-instantaneous DHW production, IHI addition to the solar thermal sector.”
Annual savings and efficiency results include: 27 m³/year in water savings; 21,048 KwH/year electricity savings and 482 m3/year in gas savings.
Extended Hydronik IHI exchanger.
“This gas savings translates into 122 MT CO2 savings per year. Savings equivalent to CO2 absorbed by 5,534 trees!„, stand out from Hydronic.
In short, the installation of hydronic technology took a 34% reduction in gas consumption; AndL DHW- increased efficiency of the heating package; LA Simplification of installation and maintenance (low cost); LEliminating the risk of Legionella formation and Opportunity to use renewable energies like solar thermal.
In the face of climate change and the adoption of regulations to mitigate its effects on the planet, that is clear Technology is a key ally in this challenge.. „What's good for the customer must be good for the planet.” A true manifestation of Jose Raul Martinez's intentions.
