How does a heat pump work

A desuperheater-equipped heat pump can heat water 2 to 3 times more efficiently than an ordinary electric water heater. Another advance in heat pump technology is the scroll compressor , which consists of two spiral-shaped scrolls. One remains stationary, while the other orbits around it, compressing the refrigerant by forcing it into increasingly smaller areas.

Compared to the typical piston compressors, scroll compressors have a longer operating life and are quieter. Although most heat pumps use electric resistance heaters as a backup for cold weather, heat pumps can also be equipped in combination with a gas furnace, sometimes referred to as a dual-fuel or hybrid system, to supplement the heat pump.

This helps solve the problem of the heat pump operating less efficiently at low temperatures and reduces its use of electricity. There are few heat pump manufacturers that incorporate both types of heat in one box, so these configurations are often two smaller, side-by-side, standard systems sharing the same ductwork. In comparison with a combustion fuel-fired furnace or standard heat pump alone, this type of system can also be more economical. Actual energy savings depend on the relative costs of the combustion fuel relative to electricity.

Ducted Air-Source Heat Pumps. Ductless Air-Source Heat Pumps. Geothermal Heat Pumps. Absorption Heat Pumps. The heat pump pushes liquid refrigerant through the expansion valve on the indoor coil to cool a home.

The refrigerant absorbs heat energy from indoor air blown over the coils. The resultant cool air then gets blown through the ventilation ducts of the home.

This process causes the liquid refrigerant to turn into gas as it absorbs the heat. The gaseous refrigerant then flows into the compressor, where it gets pressurized. The pressurized gas acquires even more heat and moves through the system to the coil in the outdoor unit. The fan in the outdoor unit blows outdoor air across the coils, which act as a condenser.

The difference in temperature and pressure between the hot refrigerant and the outdoor air allows the unit to expel heat into the atmosphere. As the refrigerant cools down, it reverts into liquid form, which then gets pumped through the system to the expansion valve in the indoor unit. The expansion valve reduces the pressure of the liquid refrigerant and cools it further.

This refrigeration cycle repeats itself until the heat pump achieves the required temperature. How does a heat pump work in heating mode? To heat a home, the reversing valve reverses the flow of refrigerant in the heat pump system. This reversal causes the outdoor air to become the heat source.

The roles of the evaporator and the condenser also reverse. The liquid refrigerant takes in heat while inside the outdoor unit and turns into a cold gas. The indoor compressor applies pressure to the cold gas and heats it. Air then passes over the newly created hot gas found inside the indoor condenser coil to warm the home. As the air passes over the hot, gaseous refrigerant, the refrigerant condenses into warm liquid , flowing back to the outdoor unit.

As the liquid enters the outdoor unit, a metering device causes it to lose both pressure and temperature , cooling it down. This cycle repeats as needed. Heat pumps get classified into air source heat pumps, water source heat pumps, and geothermal heat pumps. Each heat pump system collects heat from the air, water, or ground found outside the home.

Air-to-air or air source heat pumps absorb heat from the outdoor air to warm the indoor areas of a home. The outdoor air condenses under pressure until it achieves a temperature sufficient to keep the entire house warm. A water source heat pump WSHP expels heat to a water pipe system in the summer and absorbs heat from the same system in winter.

Thus, WSHPs use water instead of air as a heat source to control the temperature of the refrigerant. Geothermal or ground source heat pumps use the earth as a heat source or heat sink. Some heat pumps come equipped with a reverse operation that serves both heating and cooling purposes. Other models can also heat water for use within a home. Ducted or ductless heat pumps do more than regulate the temperature inside a home.

They provide several other benefits over alternative heating systems. A heat pump remains safer and more energy-efficient than combustion-based heating systems, like oil burners or gas furnaces. As a result, heat pump owners enjoy significant savings on their energy bills. Since heat pumps utilize electrical energy, they leave a minimal carbon footprint, making heat pumps a more environmentally-friendly option. Small Network Equipment. Uninterruptible Power Supplies. Digital Media Player. Set-top Boxes.

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