19 Nov Aerothermal: types of heat pumps and how they work

The heat /cold pump is the main tool for the operation of aerothermal energy, renewable energy obtained from the environment and which allows the needs of heating, cooling and domestic hot water to be met in an economical and environmentally friendly manner.

What is a heat pump?

A heat pump is a heating system that uses energy from air, water or soil to produce heat. Its technology, based on well-established thermodynamic principles, takes cold air from outside and transfers it to the interior of the home, generating heating and hot water in winter and cooling in summer, with very low electricity consumption.

How does the heat pump work?

The operation of the heat pump is based on the principles of heat transfer thermodynamics. The heat pump captures energy from an environment (air, water or earth, depending on the type of pump) and transfers it to the home’s heating system. To do this, it uses a refrigerant fluid that circulates in a closed circuit and changes state constantly, releasing energy in the process. This energy – or heat – is distributed through radiators or underfloor heating, and is even used to prepare domestic hot water (DHW).

Image source: Vaillant

Examining the operation of the heat pump, four phases can be distinguished:

• evaporation (the refrigerant gas evaporates at a very low temperature, extracting heat from the outside air),
• compression (the refrigerant gas is compressed again, increasing the temperature),
• condensation (the gas gives up all its energy in the form of heat to the water in the circuit, changing to liquid phase) and
• expansion (the refrigerant gas drops in pressure and temperature, returning to the initial state of the cycle and thus the cycle starts again).

The operation of the heat pump can be reversed by adding some components, which allows it to be used for cooling . However, it is necessary to distinguish between passive cooling (which has a particularly high energy efficiency, since it only uses the heating water and heat source circuits) and active cooling (which requires the installation of a 4-way valve and the addition of another expansion valve).

The most widely used technology for this application is air-to-air heat pumps (which we will see later) and, although they consume electrical energy to perform their function, this consumption is minimal, since a high percentage of the energy used comes from the environment.

Types of heat pump

Aerothermal energy is renewable energy that we obtain from the air, groundwater and the earth. We can therefore differentiate 3 main types of heat pumps, those that use air, water or earth as energy sources:

• Air-water heat pump: these are the most commonly used. The pump takes heat energy from the outside air and transfers it to a water recirculation flow in the space to be heated. It can also be used to achieve DHW or for underfloor heating.
• air-to-air heat pump : in this case the air serves as the heat distribution system.
• Water-to-water heat pumps : use groundwater heated by solar energy as an energy source. They require more work to install and are therefore more expensive, but are completely environmentally friendly. In addition, certain permits may be required.
• Geothermal heat pump : uses heat from the ground using collectors or probes. Installation is also more complicated because it requires drilling. They are usually the most suitable for areas without access to the electricity grid.

The choice of one or another heat pump will depend on several factors, especially the location of the house or building to be heated and its characteristics. That is why it is interesting that, if you are interested in making the leap to this new energy that is aerothermal energy , you consult with a professional who will carry out a study of your particular case and offer you the best option for you.

At Electricidad Soma Gen Power we are professionals in aerothermal energy and heat pump installation and we work with the best suppliers, always thinking about giving the best service and quality to our clients.

If you are interested in an aerothermal system for your home or industry, ask us for a quote without obligation.

We also invite you to visit our facilities section so you can see some of our work, and our online components store.