What is a heat pump?
A heat pump is a special device that transfers thermal energy from a low-temperature source to a heat carrier, increasing its temperature in the process. These systems are ideal for standalone heating and can be easily connected to centralized heating systems.
Types of heat pumps
Heat pumps are classified based on several criteria that determine their features and ways of obtaining heat:
- Open type: Water is supplied to the pump from a body of water and returned back.
- Closed type: The pump's circuit is located in the body of water, which extracts heat and transfers it to the pump itself.
- Horizontal type: The circuit is laid along the ground surface at a specified depth.
- Vertical type: The circuit is located perpendicular to the ground surface, usually used for extracting heat from the soil.
Components of a heat pump
The main components of a heat pump include:
- Compressor: In a gaseous state, the refrigerant enters the compressor, where it is compressed, resulting in increased pressure and temperature.
- Condenser: This is a heat exchange device that releases heat.
- Expansion valve: Lowers the pressure and temperature, leading to the evaporation of the liquid.
- Evaporator: Utilizes low-potential heat and also acts as a heat exchanger.
- The process repeats: gaseous refrigerant goes back into the compressor.
Usage and power of heat pumps
Although the compressor does not generate heat, it plays an important role in its transfer. Heat pumps can also be used for cooling air.
The choice of power for a heat pump depends on the size of the space. For small spaces, low-power pumps that consume less electricity are sufficient. For heating large areas, it is better to choose a pump with a high nominal power to ensure efficient operation.
Advantages of heat pumps
Heat pumps have gained popularity due to their advantages, including:
- Economical.
- Safe.
- Environmentally friendly.
- Accessible.
Heating systems based on heat pumps are environmentally clean, as they do not emit harmful substances into the atmosphere, and the process of fuel combustion does not occur. Additionally, by connecting electricity to the system, one can obtain 3-5 kW of thermal energy for every 1 kW of electrical energy consumed. These figures depend on operating conditions and system mode of operation.