With energy prices constantly rising and energy efficiency requirements increasing, many people are looking for the best solution for heating their homes. Particular attention is drawn to the heat pump – a modern system that can not only heat the room but also provide cooling in the summer. If you are thinking about heat pump installation and want to learn more about this equipment, this article is for you.
What Is a Heat Pump And How Does it Work?
Despite the fact that there are many different models of heat pumps available on the market, they all, regardless of their design, work the same way. The only difference is in the source of low-potential energy and the method of extracting it.
The operating principle of a heat pump for heating a house is as follows:
- Inside the housing, there is a closed circuit through which the refrigerant circulates.
- In the external unit, there is an evaporator. In the tank, conditions are created for converting freon into a gaseous state. It is known that heat is absorbed during evaporation. The evaporator is positioned so that it comes into contact with a source of low-potential heat: air, geothermal circuit, etc.
- The refrigerant, in a gaseous state, is fed into the next chamber – the compressor. Here, the working pressure is pumped up, as a result of which the freon is heated to a temperature above 100 ° C. A transition valve is installed in the compressor, through which the substance under pressure is sprayed into the next chamber – the condenser.
- The condenser is also the heat exchanger of the system. In the chamber, there is a targeted condensation of freon, which is why a large amount of thermal energy is released. The walls of the compressor act as a heat exchanger and, through indirect heating, transfer energy to the coolant.
Air Heat Pumps
In this case, the source of low-potential energy is air. The design of the heat pump consists of two blocks and is in many ways similar to a conventional split system. Air pumps have the following advantages:
- Simple installation (installation takes several hours).
- The ability to quickly dismantle and move the station.
- Compact dimensions.
The heat pump works like a regular fan heater, heating the air in the room. The solution is ideal for unheated buildings: country houses, cottages, etc.
The performance of the system decreases as the ambient temperature drops. The heating system fails when the indicators drop to -15 ° C.
Air-to-Water Heat Pumps
When developing a heating system for a residential building using a heat pump as the main energy source, the choice often falls on air-to-water models. High thermal efficiency, ease of installation, and reliability – all this encourages potential users to choose this particular equipment option.
As with the previous model, the main source of heat is air. But after collecting low-potential thermal energy and converting it, the coolant circulating in a special container with a condenser inside is heated. This design solution significantly affects the efficiency of the device and has the following advantages:
- The ability to heat the entire house, not individual rooms.
- The pump is connected to the house’s water heating system. It is possible to integrate an additional backup heat source.
- The use of heat pumps in heating private houses is not limited to heating the coolant, most models additionally prepare water for hot water supply.
- Modern models of air-to-water heat pumps remain operational even at temperatures down to -32°C.
Water Heat Pumps
The operating principle of this type of heat pump is as follows:
- A circuit is laid at the bottom of a reservoir or thermal spring, through which propylene glycol circulates.
- At the bottom of the reservoir, the water does not freeze and is always able to provide the necessary amount of low-potential energy.
- Propylene glycol, passing through the circuit, is heated to a temperature of 6-8 ° C, after which it returns to the house.
- In the body of the heat pump, the received thermal energy is converted, as a result of which it heats the coolant.
The efficiency of heating the house in winter using this scheme is practically not reduced, since the water temperature does not drop to negative marks. The disadvantages of water heat pumps are the restrictions between the residential building and the reservoir, no more than 100 m. The depth of the lake should be at least 3 m.
As an alternative, artesian wells are used as a source of energy. In this case, water is taken, heat is extracted, and then returned back to the soil layers.
Ground-Water Heat Pumps
You can provide heating and hot water supply in the house using a heat pump with a primary geothermal circuit. The module works like the previous version, only the collector is not laid on the bottom of the reservoir but is buried in the ground or mounted in a well. This solution requires global excavation work. Therefore, installation is more expensive than previous versions of heat pumps.
Advantages of Heat Pumps
Efficiency is the main advantage of heat pumps. The financial costs of using heat pumps can be almost three times less than those of using natural gas. In addition, using a heat pump is an environmentally friendly and safe solution.
Using a heat pump as the main source of heating a house has many advantages, especially when compared to gas boilers. However, a heat pump is an expensive piece of equipment and may not be available to everyone.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a heat pump to heat your house is a big decision that requires careful consideration. Heat pumps offer several significant benefits: they are energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and can significantly reduce heating costs in the long term. Before installing a heat pump, it is important to consider several factors, including the type of equipment, its capacity, installation method, and cost. We recommend contacting Alpha Mechanical, a reliable heat pump installer and repair services.
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