Which heat pump to choose
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| Heat pump compare |
Heat pump guide. In this article, we'll take a look at selecting and comparing different heat pumps and deciding which heat pump is right for you. We look at air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, and water source heat pumps. Considering some pros and cons along with installation costs and comparing efficiency ratings.
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Now, in the last article on heat pumps, we take a look at the different types of heat pumps and how each type works. In this video we see how to select one and how to compare different heat pumps. You can consult the previous article on the heat pump by clicking here.
Why are heat pumps efficient?
If we look at conventional heating methods.
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| Furnace energy efficiency. |
A gas boiler or furnace has an efficiency of 0.85%, for example, to provide 10,000 kWh of heating during the heating season, we must provide 11,765 kWh of energy from gas, because we must burn fuel, then try to capture the heat. produced before it comes out of the chimney, inevitably we cannot capture everything so a large part will be lost.
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| Energy efficiency of electric heating |
An electric heater is 100% efficient, so to provide 10,000 kWh of heating, we need 10,000 kWh of electricity
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| Energy efficiency heat pump |
An air source heat pump is perhaps 400% efficient by comparison (ie it has a COP of 4, we'll see what that means later), so to deliver 10,000 kWh of heating, we need to supply 2,500 kWh of electricity. Sounds magical, right? Well, magic doesn't exist.
This means that we will use 1 kWh of electricity to capture 3 kWh of heat from the outside ambient air and produce 4 kW of heat. The compressor uses electricity to send refrigerant through the system, capturing heat from the outside and then bringing it inside. You can do this because coolant has an extremely low boiling point.
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| boiling point of r134a r410a |
For example, water boils at 100 °C (212 °F) and when it boils it releases heat as steam. Refrigerants have a much lower boiling point, for example R134a boils at -26.3°C (-15.34°F) and R410A boils at -48.5°C (-55.3°F). ), so even when the outside air is very cold, we can still capture enough energy to boil the refrigerant, and as it boils, it carries the heat energy into the building. Obviously, the warmer the outside air is, the more heat energy there is to capture, and at a certain point it becomes unprofitable because of the cost of electricity consumption to capture the energy.
Which heat pump to choose?
We must first decide if we want to supply hot water or hot air to the property. If it is air, do we want it to also cool down during the summer?
Do we have access to a lake or a river? Otherwise, we cannot use the water source.
Will the heat pump be installed in a new or existing property? If there is, we probably need to install larger radiators or underfloor heating to maximize heat as this is a lower temperature than a conventional boiler.
We must also consider our budget since the costs vary according to the type.
We can then decide if a water source, geothermal or air source heat pump is best for us. for us.
air source
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| Air Source Heat Pump Comparison and Installation Cost |
The air source is the fastest and easiest to install and looks like a normal air conditioning unit. You can use these units to generate hot water or hot air, some units can also incorporate a reversing valve to operate in cooling mode as well. We covered how reversing valves work in our previous tutorial, click here to
view that.
The air source heat pump unit is installed outdoors and please note that it will generate noise from the fans and compressors. They need access to ambient air so don't enclose them or it will cause recirculation and you will try to extract energy from the air you just extracted, energy which is not efficient and will waste electricity.
These units are the cheapest to install, but are generally the least efficient because air has a low density and heat capacity compared to soil or water.
Approximate costs to install an air source heat pump system, something in the $7,000-11,000 range: £6,000-8,000: €7,000-9,000, this will vary greatly depending on location, complexity, size, etc.
ground source
The floor fountain is the second most popular option, it is most commonly used for hot water production, but you can also get units and systems that can be reversed to provide cooling. It uses the thermal energy embedded in the ground that comes from the sun. This option is generally more efficient than the air source because soil has a higher density and heat capacity than air. However, this option requires significant excavation, so it is better suited for new construction as it can be incorporated into construction to reduce costs.
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| Comparison of geothermal heat pumps and installation cost |
The horizontal type uses pipes buried in the ground about 1 to 2 m (3.3 to 6.6 ft) and will generally be able to draw 10 to 30 watts per meter of pipe, depending on the type of soil. Installation costs are typically $13,000-24,000: £10,000-18,000: €12,000-20,000, but this varies greatly depending on location, complexity and size.
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| Comparison of geothermal heat pumps and installation cost 2 |
If you don't have access to a lot of land, we have the vertical type that uses a pipe loop placed in deep vertical holes. The holes are typically between 15 and 150 m (50 to 492 ft) deep and can typically draw 10 to 50 watts per meter, depending on soil type and water content. Installation costs typically range from $18,000-32,000: £14,000-24,000: again €16,000-27,000, and vary greatly depending on location, complexity and size.
Water Source Heat Pumps
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| Installation cost of the heat pump at the water source |
The third option we have is the water source. This is the least common type simply because the property needs access to a lake or river. For this type, there are two options, open or closed loop. The closed circuit uses a mixture of water + antifreeze to circulate and capture heat. Alternatively, we have an open type that draws water from the source, draws the energy, and then releases that water into the source some distance away.
This type usually has more stringent permits required by local authorities, also consider that if the system leaks and coolant or antifreeze gets into the water source it will be toxic to wildlife and you could even get fined from the protection agency environmental. It's pretty rare for it to leak, but it has happened.
However, this option is very effective, more so than the air or ground source. Pipes are constantly surrounded by water and the current and flow of water means that the source of energy is constantly renewed. It is also quite easy to install and much cheaper than the ground source.
Typically, a water feature unit can provide between 20 and 60 watts per square meter of water surface.
Installation cost typically $10,000-15,000: £8,000-12,000: again €9,000-14,000, varying widely by location, complexity and size.
Comparison of different units and efficiency
Hay muchos estándares utilizados en todo el mundo para calificar la eficiencia de las bombas de calor. Solo voy a cubrir algunos de los más comunes centrándome en las unidades fabricadas en los EE. UU. y la UE.
COP – Heating or Cooling
COP or coefficient of performance values are used throughout the world for heating and cooling, it is simply the heating or cooling output divided by the electricity input. However, this is not a good indicator of efficiency, as it only gives an idea of how a unit should perform under very specific conditions. For example, a unit has a heating COP of 2.9 and this is achieved when the outside air is -3°C DB/-4°C WB (26.6°F DB/24.8°F WB) while supplied at 35°C (95°F). F ) water for 8.3 kW of heating and consumption 2.86 kW if it is electricity. Since the outside air temperature varies hourly and daily, this is not a good indication of efficiency. We examined the manufacturer's literature for many air source units and found that they ranged from 2.75 to 6.13.
SCOP – Seasonal Coefficient of Performance
You'll see this in European units to measure average heating efficiency, it's a much better indicator than COP. The manufacturer must test the performance of their units at different outside air temperatures. The unit is expected to operate for a specified number of hours at each temperature per year, depending on where in Europe it is located. There are three areas. Hot, medium and cold. The heat supplied and the electricity consumed during the specified operating hours at each temperature are accumulated and divided to give an average COP for the year. The SCOP also considers power consumption for things like standby and crankcase heating, etc.
You'll see decals on EU-made heat pumps, allowing the buyer to quickly and easily see how the unit should perform based on the climate it's in.
We have reviewed various home air source units and found typical SCOP values to be between 3.9 and 5.2, the higher the number the more efficient it is.
EER – Energy Efficiency Rate
This is a measure of the cooling efficiency of a unit that is used primarily in the US, but also in the EU. It is a ratio of the cooling capacity of a unit in BTUs divided by the watts consumed to produce it. This is only tested under one condition, typically 95°F (35°C) outdoor air temperature and 80°F (26°C) indoor return air temperature at 50% relative humidity, so it is not recommended to use it to estimate your annual energy consumption or evaluate the performance of the unit in your area, unless you live in a hot climate. However, it is a good way to compare units from different manufacturers for peak summer load. The higher the number, the more effective it is.
EU: of the units we analyzed, we found units rated between 2.61 and 6.5.
United States: among the units we analyzed, we found units classified between 11 and 16
SEER - Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating
SEER or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio is used in the US and EU for units operating in cooling mode. Manufacturers will calculate the SEER value of their units by testing it at several different outside temperatures to represent one cooling season. The units of measurement are different: European models are rated in cooling watts per watt of electricity used and US models are rated in BTUs of cooling per watt of electricity used.
Either way, this is adequate for units installed in very average climates. If the unit is installed in a warmer or colder part of the US or EU, it will not accurately represent the performance of the unit. So it's a good way to compare different units, but it's not a good way to calculate power consumption unless you live in an area with fairly average weather conditions.
You can usually find SEER values for US units between 14 and 24 and European units between 5.25 and 7.2, the higher the number the more efficient the unit.
HSPF - Heating Seasonal Performance Factor
This is used in the United States for the heating mode of air source heat pumps. It is the ratio of the heat production in BTUs during a heating season divided by the number of watt-hours of electricity used to produce it and takes into account supplemental electric heat. Manufacturers calculate their HSPF units by testing them at different set temperatures to represent one heating season. This is an estimate of device performance and may not work like this in reality, especially if it is too large. It's a good way to compare different units.
Typically, a unit is between 7.7 and 14. The higher the number, the more effective the unit.
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