1.Introduction

A heat pump is part of a heating and cooling system and is installed outside your home. Like an air conditioner, it can cool your home, but it’s also capable of providing heat. In cooler months, a heat pump pulls heat from the cold outdoor air and transfers it indoors, and in warmer months, it pulls heat out of indoor air to cool your home. They are powered by electricity and transfer heat using refrigerant to provide comfort all year round. Because they handle both cooling and heating, homeowners may not need to install separate systems to heat their homes. In colder climates, an electric heat strip can be added to the indoor fan coil for additional capabilities. Heat pumps do not burn fossil fuel like furnaces do, making them more environmentally friendly.

1.1.How does a heat pump cool and heat?

Heat pumps do not create heat. They redistribute heat from the air or ground and use a refrigerant that circulates between the indoor fan coil (air handler) unit and the outdoor compressor to transfer the heat.

In cooling mode, a heat pump absorbs heat inside your home and releases it outdoors. In heating mode, the heat pump absorbs heat from the ground or outside air (even cold air) and releases it indoors.

1.2.What types of heat pumps are there?

The two most common types of heat pumps are air-source and ground-source. Air-source heat pumps transfer heat between indoor air and outdoor air, and are more popular for residential heating and cooling.

HOW DO AIR-SOURCE HEAT PUMPS WORK?
1. AMBIENT AIR
Heat is extracted from the ambient air.

2. REFRIGERANT IN TUBES
As the ambient air is pulled through the evaporator, refrigerant is circulated through the evaporator.

3. COMPRESSOR
This raises the temperature of the refrigerant and turns the liquid refrigerant to gas.

4. CONDENSED REFRIGERANT
The hot gas is then passed through a condenser where the heat is passed onto water.

5. EXPANSION VALVE
Once the heat has been removed the hot gas turns back into a liquid to start the cycle again.

Ground-source heat pumps, sometimes called geothermal heat pumps, transfer heat between the air inside your home and the ground outside. These are more expensive to install but are typically more efficient and have a lower operating cost due to the consistency of the ground temperature throughout the year.

HOW DO WATER / GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMPS WORK ?

1. Heat extraction
   Heat is extracted from the ground/water.

2. Evaporator
   The heated air is then passed through an evaporator which heats liquid refrigerant.
3. Compressor
   The liquid refrigerant is then compressed, turning the liquid refrigerant into gas.
4. Hot gas
   The heat is extracted from the hot gas into water which then feeds into your heating system.
5. Cycle begins again
   The now cool gas turns back to a liquid and the cycle begins again.

1.3.Where do heat pumps work best?

Heat pumps are more common in milder climates, where the temperature does not typically drop below freezing. In colder regions, they can also be combined with furnaces for energy-efficient heating on all but the coldest days. When the temperature outside drops too low for the heat pump to operate effectively, the system will instead use the furnace to generate heat. This kind of system is often called a dual fuel system – it is very energy efficient and cost effective.

1.4.What are the components of a heat pump system?

Major components of a heat pump system:

• Outdoor unit with a coil that acts as a condenser in cooling mode and an evaporator in heating mode
• Indoor unit that contains a coil (just like the outdoor unit) and a fan to move the air through your home
• Refrigerant that absorbs and releases the heat as it circulates through the system
• Compressor that pressurizes the refrigerant
• Reversing valve that changes the direction of the refrigerant in the system, to enable the shift between heating and cooling
• Expansion valve that regulates the flow of refrigerant through the system

2.Overview of heat pumps history

1748: William Cullen demonstrates artificial refrigeration.
1834: Jacob Perkins builds a practical refrigerator with dimethyl ether.
1852: Lord Kelvin describes the theory underlying heat pumps.
1855–1857: Peter von Rittinger develops and builds the first heat pump.
1877: In the period before 1875, heat pumps were for the time being pursued for vapour compression evaporation (open heat pump process) in salt works with their obvious advantages for saving wood and coal. In 1857, Peter von Rittinger was the first to try to implement the idea of vapor compression in a small pilot plant. Presumably inspired by Rittinger’s experiments in Ebensee, Antoine-Paul Piccard from the University of Lausanne and the engineer J.H. Weibel from the Weibel-Briquet company in Geneva built the world’s first really functioning vapor compression system with a two-stage piston compressor. In 1877 this first heat pump in Switzerland was installed in the Bex salt works.
1928: Aurel Stodola constructs a closed loop heat pump (water source from Lake Geneva) which provides heating for the Geneva city hall to this day.
1937-1945: During and after the First World War, Switzerland suffered from heavily difficult energy imports and subsequently expanded its hydropower plants. In the period before and especially during the Second World War, when neutral Switzerland was completely surrounded by fascist-ruled countries, the coal shortage became alarming again. Thanks to their leading position in energy technology, the Swiss companies Sulzer, Escher Wyss and Brown Boveri built and put in operation around 35 heat pumps between 1937 and 1945. The main heat sources were lake water, river water, groundwater and waste heat. Particularly noteworthy are the six historic heat pumps from the city of Zurich with heat outputs from 100 kW to 6 MW. An international milestone is the heat pump built by Escher Wyss in 1937/38 to replace the wood stoves in the City Hall of Zurich. To avoid noise and vibrations, a recently developed rotary piston compressor was used. This historic heat pump heated the town hall for 63 years until 2001. Only then it was replaced by a new, more efficient heat pump.
1945: John Sumner, City Electrical Engineer for Norwich, installs an experimental water-source heat pump fed central heating system, using a neighboring river to heat new Council administrative buildings. Seasonal efficiency ratio of 3.42. Average thermal delivery of 147 kW and peak output of 234 kW.
1948: Robert C. Webber is credited as developing and building the first ground heat pump.
1951: First large scale installation—the Royal Festival Hall in London is opened with a town gas-powered reversible water-source heat pump, fed by the Thames, for both winter heating and summer cooling needs.

3.Disadvantages of heat pumps

Heat pumps are one of the most efficient home heating solutions available. However, the initial cash outlay can come to be a disadvantage is making this choice. Listed below are some drawbacks to weigh in while choosing a heat pump.

1. High Upfront Cost
   Heat pumps have a large upfront cost, but on the other hand, their operating costs translate to long-term savings on energy bills and lead to a path of reduced carbon emissions.
2. Difficult to Install
   Heat pumps are fairly difficult to install considering that research must be made in order to understand the movement of heat, local geology, specifically for ground source heat pumps and the heating and cooling requirements for your household.
3. Questionable Sustainability
   Some of the used fluids for heat transfer are of questionable sustainability and thus raise environmental concerns, therefore it is recommended to use biodegradable fluids.
4. Requires Significant Work
   The installation process for a heat pump requires significant work and disruption to your house and garden. A pertinent example would be that penetrations have to be made through the building cladding.
5. Issues in Cold Weather
   Few heat pumps experience issues in cold areas, which can ultimately damage the system, thus full heat pumps efficiency in the cold weather cannot be reached. Although, there are possibilities of an upgraded heat pump system that surmounts this problem. Always check the Seasonal Performance Factor (SPF) of your heat pump.
6. Not Entirely Carbon Neutral
   Heat pumps rely on electricity to operate, implying that it is difficult for them to be entirely carbon neutral. However, heat pumps in general have a high Coefficient of Performance (COP), which means they’re more efficient as the outside air gets cooler.
7. Planning Permissions Required
   Special planning permissions are required in Wales and Northern Ireland, whilst in England and Scotland, it depends on your location and size of your property.

4.Advantages of heat pumps

Heat pumps can be a fantastic choice for your home in many ways. Listed below are some of the advantages you can get by installing a heat pump.

1. Lower Running Costs
   Heat pumps are cheaper to run than systems based on combustion. The more energy efficient the systems are, the greater long term savings on energy. Despite the fact that the prices of ground source heat pumps can go up to even £45,000, this friendly environmentally investment can help you save up to £1,400 per year.
2. Less Maintenance
   Heat pumps require less maintenance than combustion heating systems. Regularly, once a year, some certain details of the system have to be checked, which could be easily accomplished by yourself. A professional installer, on the other hand, has to check every three or five years.
3. Better Safety
   Heat pumps are safer than combustion-based heating systems. They are safe to operate and since they rely on electricity and do not need to burn fuel to generate heat, they come with fewer safety concerns compared to their counterparts.
4. Reduces Carbon Emissions
   Heat pump system reduces your carbon emissions and it has an efficient conversion rate of energy to heat. For example, water source heat pumps reach reasonably high efficiencies, close to 600 per cent.
5. Provides Cooling
   During the warm periods, heat pumps are able to reverse the process, and thus act like an ac unit. Air to air heat pumps can conveniently be switched to cooling mode during the summers.
6. Long Life-Span
   The life-span of heat pumps is relatively long, up to 50 years, however the average life-span is somewhere between 14 to 15 years. Despite these numbers, they are exceptionally reliable and steady source of heat.
7. Eligible for RHI Scheme
   The government provides two different types of programs to assist the installation of renewable heat systems. You may be eligible for payment under Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme, which addresses to homeowners, social and private landlords, and also to self-builders. On the other side, the Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive is open to public sector such as businesses, organizations and industries.

5.Top Heat Pump Manufacturers

1.Mitsubishi Electric

Mitsubishi Electric manufactures and markets electrical and electronic products and systems worldwide, including heat pumps. Their products are used in energy and electric systems, industrial automation, information and communication systems, electronic devices, and home appliances.

2.Daikin America, Inc.

Daikin America, Inc. is a worldwide manufacturer of air conditioning systems and chemical products, including heat pumps. It supplies air conditioning systems for offices, residences, restaurants, data centers, warehouses, hospitals, and marine applications. The company manufactures HVAC equipment, chemicals, oil hydraulics, and electronics and defense system products.

3.Carrier Corporation

Carrier Corporation manufactures HVAC systems. Types of refrigeration systems include air-cooled condensing units, air-cooled gas coolers, compressor racks, multi-rack compressors, heating systems, heat exchangers, and heat pumps. The company serves residential and light commercial, commercial building and multi-level facilities, and refrigeration systems for food retail and transportation.

4.Johnson Controls, Inc.

Johnson Controls, Inc. manufactures refrigeration controls, specifically heat pumps that are available with rotary screw compressor, water heating condenser, plate heat exchanger, and ASME vertical accumulator. Suitable for poultry, dairy, and brewery applications.

5.Danfoss Power Solutions Co.

Danfoss Power Solutions Co. is a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of hydraulic, electrohydraulic, and electric products, including hydrostatic transmissions, open circuit products, orbital motors, steering components and systems, and heat pumps. Applications of hydrostatic transmissions include low and medium-powered vehicles such as aerial lifts, skid steer loaders, walk-behind rollers, and industrial forklift trucks and high powered vehicles. Types of valves include proportional valves, directional control valves, and HICs and cartridge valves. Applications of hydraulic controls include mobile equipment in agriculture, construction, material handling, road building, and specialty vehicles in forestry and on-highway. Their services include prototyping and field testing.

6.Ingersoll-Rand Company

Ingersoll-Rand Company is a manufacturer of tools and equipment. Their products include air and electric power tools, material handling equipment, fluid handling products, vehicle service tools and dispensing systems. Their markets served include aerospace, textile, pharmaceutical, special machine, vehicle service, government, automotive production, warehousing, electronics, transportation, manufacturing, construction, and agriculture.

7.NIBE Industrier AB

NIBE Industrier AB manufactures heating technology products for household and commercial use, including heat pumps, boiler and water heaters, electrical heating elements, and freestanding fireplaces.

6.Conclusion

• A heat pump is part of a heating and cooling system.

• A heat pump is made out of an outdoor and indoorunit.

• Works on the fact that any air, even outside air during the winter, contains heat.

• They are powered by electricity and transfer heat using refrigerant to provide comfort all year round.

• There are two types of heat pumps: air-source heat pumps and ground-source heat pumps.

• Heat pump system reduces your carbon emissions and it has an efficient conversion rate of energy to heat.

source: carrier.com– ecowatch.com– vecteezy.com– allrenewableenergy.co.uk– wikipedia.org– youtu.be– greenmatch.co.uk– themomentum.com– thomasnet.com– mitsubishielectric.com– daikin-america.com– johnsoncontrols.com– carrier.com– danfoss.com– ingersollrand.com– nibe.com–

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