Heat Pumps

Heat Pumps are methods by which energy can be transferred from one medium to another by removing excess heat from one source and storing it elsewhere. In the same way that a refrigerator can remove heat from stored items and produce hot air, an air or ground source heat pump can take heat from its surroundings and heat water.

A heat pump works by pumping a fluid around a refrigeration circuit via an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser and an expansion valve. The fluid changes from a liquid to a gas (evaporates) as heat is extracted from the heat source. As the cycle continues the fluid condenses back to a liquid as the heat is then transferred to where it is needed.

This heated water can either be supplemented by other forms of renewable heat sources such as solar panels or a biomass boiler, or conventional heating systems such as condensing boiler or economy seven electrical heating.

Heat pumps can be very efficient delivering up to 5 times the energy they use during operation. The level of efficiency will depend on the ambient conditions in which they operate, although under all conditions they consume far less energy than they generate.

Historically ground source heat pumps have out-performed their air source equivalents. Today using the very latest technological advances, air source heat pumps can achieve performance ratios of 4:1 and benefits from being simpler to install either outside the house or in a garage or even a loft space.

A heat pump can also be used in reverse mode to provide cooling and with global warming the perfect combination is likely to be the combination of pre-heated water and cooling during the summer months.

Contact Alvesta and see how we can provide the advice, support and the design expertise to enable you to choose the perfect combination of heat sources for your home or building.