From year to year, before purchasing equipment for heating their home, consumers have a legitimate question about saving money on the heating process. This point worries many due to the constant rise in prices for all known types of fuel. Several decades ago, scientists proposed an alternative option - to extract energy from the surrounding space. This system is called heat pump heating and is effectively used in European countries and Japan.
Problems solved by installing a heat pump
The equipment allows you to heat your home and maintain a constant temperature during the cold season. In summer, such a system will help avoid indoor heat, since many pumps are equipped with a reverse cooling function. Each owner has the right to choose the only acceptable type of home heating and water heating. But the main aspects of the use of thermal units that determine demand are: environmental friendliness, operational safety, comfortable conditions, efficiency, long service life, acceptable design.
The annual rise in energy prices leads to the fact that consumers prefer installing expensive home heating equipment, which does not require further costs for the purchase of gas, solid or liquid fuel. Heat pumps do not require significant periodic maintenance and last longer.
Some houses over 150 m2 use geothermal heating methods together with a backup heating boiler. This combination allows you to recoup your investment after 5 years of use. The pump converts the heat of the earth with low potential into a constant coolant with a temperature of at least 75ºС. At the same time, the spent kilowatt of electrical energy contributes to the release of about 6 kilowatts of heat.
In summer, the passive cooling model allows the coolant to circulate through the coolant circuit, which is cooled in the ground, where the temperature is 5–7ºС. The electricity spent on operating the circulation pump is much cheaper than operating standard air conditioning for the entire area of the house during the hot season.
To increase the efficiency of the pump, you can connect additional circuits to it to heat the pool, and use the energy of the solar collector in the summer.
Pumps for heating pipelines
Description
The planet is a hot core covered with a thick layer of solid matter. Someday the core will cool down, since unlike stars, the earth does not have its own heat source. But it is not worth talking about the duration of the period during which the soil temperature will change, since even our civilization will not feel this. That is why soil at a relatively shallow depth of up to 50 m exists in a constantly heated state, with a temperature of about 12ºС. The depth may differ from that indicated depending on the climate of the area.
Geothermal heat pumps can be used even in permafrost zones, but you will have to look for heat at great depths.
Operating principle
A heat pump is used to extract low energy heat from the environment. It converts it into high-temperature energy for transmission to the coolant in the heating system circuit. The operation of the pump is based on the application of physical and chemical laws. The masses of air, water and earth around them constantly accumulate solar energy, which is used in the operation of the heating system.
Installing a heat pump is similar to operating a refrigerator, only in reverse order. The refrigeration unit has a freezer chamber (evaporator), which supplies him with cold. Excess heat enters the condenser grill at the back of the refrigerator and is released into the air.
A heat pump has an evaporator located in such a position that it is in contact with a source of natural low heat energy:
- layers of the earth's interior located below the freezing point of the surface using inclined or vertical wells;
- water depths of thermal non-freezing reservoirs lowering to the required depth;
- air masses outside the house.
In such a geothermal device, the condenser works as a heat exchange device that releases heat to heat the coolant in the heating circuit of the house, which is supplied for final distribution to heaters and radiators.
For the expanded concept, let us imagine circuit in which the chemical element refrigerant moves, present there in the form of liquid or gas. Its movement occurs due to the operation of the compressor. The refrigerant heats up when compressed, so an expansion valve is added to the design.
The system contains two heat exchangers. One of them works as an evaporator in a cold area and serves to lower the temperature of air or water, similar to an air conditioner or refrigerator. The second one works as a condenser in the hot area and heats the water for the heating system.
The residual effect is to identify a source for collecting heat, which releases energy to probes, long-distance pipe circuits at the bottom of reservoirs or below the freezing point, and air sources.
Three circuits in a heat pump system:
Manufacturers predict a service life of at least 20 years, but concepts such as friction and wear will cause the pump to fail much earlier. In reality, it is possible to set the operating life of heating equipment without repairs at 10–12 years.
Natural heat sources
Earth's bowels
They are a free heat generator. At a depth where the soil never freezes, a stable temperature above zero is maintained, which does not change depending on the season.
Two methods are used to collect low-temperature heat from the soil:
- drilling of vertical reservoirs, wells to a depth of 50 to 200 m for collecting water and running it through a heat exchanger and transferring it to the reservoir after use;
- laying a pipeline on a house site at a depth of more than one meter and a distance between the contours of at least one meter with backfilling and watering with moisture.
Water
It is possible to collect a sufficient amount of heat in water masses if there is an unfrozen lake with running water or the groundwater rises high. A long pipeline is laid at the bottom, fixed using weights that are placed at the rate of 5 kg per 1 linear meter. For the operation of a heat exchanger approximately 300 meters long to be effective, the distance between turns of pipes should not be less than 1.5 m.
To operate such a system, the principle of open heat collection is most often used. It implies that as groundwater moves, two wells are made, the first serves to collect water with a pump and supply it to the heat exchanger. The second is where used chilled water is discharged.
The risk of disruption is that the height of groundwater rise may vary depending on the rainy season and the movement of earth layers.
Air
The most common and easily accessible source of heat is the atmosphere. The heat exchanger is designed like a large radiator with a sufficient number of fins and a blower. This heat pump is designed for heating and supplying hot water to home owners. Often the simplest devices of this type are used to heat water in winter pools. Electrical energy consumption is minimal.
External heat exchangers are mounted on the roof of the house or on its wall. If powerful equipment is expected, then to install it you need to create an additional base in the form of a foundation.
Thermal installations that extract heat from the atmosphere are mostly inverter-based. They convert alternating current, which allows the compressor to work at full efficiency. When the coolant is heated to the required temperature, the equipment does not stop, only the power decreases. Thus, the service life of the equipment is increased.
Overview of types of heat pumps
Air-water pumps
They collect heat from the atmosphere and heat the liquid in the heating system. They produce standard and compact models. It can be installed both during the renovation of a building and during new construction of a house. Provide heating of the coolant up to 60ºС at outside temperatures down to -20ºС. With the heaviest work, the power reaches 20 kW. Some systems are provided with additional heating using electricity for operation in extreme conditions or heating the system for defrosting.
Thermal system "brine-water"
Receives energy from the bowels of the earth through the installation of special geothermal probes. The system contains two expansion heat exchangers that operate for heat and cooling. Installation power 16 kW. A new design system is used, consisting of up to 6 units-modules connected in series, consuming a total power of up to 50 kW.
Thermal installation "water-water"
The pumps are distinguished by the high quality inherent in the production process. They have a heat exchanger in the form of plates. Almost all important elements are made of stainless steel and its alloys. The expansion tank can be easily connected to soil pumps if necessary. Operating power 6 kW. All models are equipped with fully automatic control.
Air-to-air heat pumps
They are capable of not only heating water, but also the air in the room . These include split systems. It is also possible to install a cascade version with a power of up to 50 kW.
Geothermal "ground-water"
They have proven themselves very well for heating in private homes and industrial facilities. Wells of varying depths are drilled to collect heat., all elements of complete control automation are present. They operate from deep or surface collectors.
Cost of equipment and installation of a heat pump
The price of a heat pump is determined by several factors. To do this, take into account the area of the heated house and the presence of additional pipes for various heating options. In addition, the type of pump installed plays a role in terms of the principle of collecting natural heat from the environment and in terms of power.
Much attention is paid to the insulation of the building envelope, since heat loss will affect the required pump power. If for comparison use a thermal unit with a power of 10 to 20 kW, then in a house with standard heat losses (non-insulated walls) it can effectively heat an area of up to 220 m2; in a carefully insulated house, the space will increase to 420 m2. And in a modern home that is completely insulated from heat losses, a pump of this power can successfully heat an area of up to 750 m2.
The price of geothermal equipment includes installation and excavation work up to the buffer tank of the heating system of the house and the cost of the heat pump.
In the case of a standard small house with an area of up to 130 m2 when using ground heat intake, the cost of the equipment will be about 430,000 rubles, and installation will cost 300,000 rubles. The use of a horizontal soil collector will reduce installation costs to 150,000 rubles, but the price of the equipment will remain the same.
The cheapest heating system for such a house can be considered a system of air intake of heat and transfer of it to a water coolant. The price of the equipment is significantly lower and is about 350,000 rubles, the cost of installation is 80,000 rubles.
If we talk about deep drilling wells in areas with a low freezing point and for heating a house with an area of up to 400 m2, then the cost of equipment can reach 800,000 rubles, installation work will cost 355,000 rubles.
The use of soil, water and air heat pumps will make life much easier for home owners who will not focus on fuel procurement, transportation and storage. In addition, comfort and the absence of the need for constant maintenance will make the system indispensable for every consumer.
A heat pump is a device that can provide your home with heating in the winter, cooling in the summer, and hot water production all year round.
A heat pump uses energy from renewable sources - heated air, earth, rock or water - to produce thermal energy. This transformation is carried out with the help of special substances -.
Operating principle of a heat pump
Structurally, any heat pump consists of two parts: an external one, which “takes” heat from renewable sources, and an internal one, which transfers this heat to the heating or air conditioning system of your home. Modern heat pumps are highly energy efficient, which in practical terms means the following - the consumer, i.e. A home owner using a heat pump spends, on average, only a quarter of the money he would spend on heating or cooling his home as if he did not have a heat pump.
In other words, in a system with a heat pump, 75% of useful heat (or cold) is provided from free sources - the heat of the earth, groundwater, or used air heated in the premises and discharged outside.
Let's look at how perhaps the most popular heat pump in everyday life works, powered by the heat of the earth. The heat pump operates in several cycles.
Cycle 1, evaporation
The outer part of the “earth” heat pump is a closed system of pipes buried in the ground to a certain depth, where the temperature is stable all year round and is 7-12°C. To “collect” a sufficient amount of earth’s energy, it is required that the total area occupied by the underground pipe system be 1.5-2 times larger than the entire heated area of the house. These pipes are filled with refrigerant, which is heated to the temperature of the ground.
The refrigerant has a very low boiling point, so it can go into a gaseous state already at ground temperature. This gas then enters.
Cycle 2, compression
It is this compressor that consumes all the energy necessary for the operation of the heat pump, but compared, for example, with heating from, these costs are noticeably lower. We'll come back to cost comparisons later.
So, gaseous refrigerant heated to a temperature of 7-12°C from underground pipes in the compressor chamber is strongly compressed, which leads to its sharp heating. To understand this, just think about how hot a regular bicycle pump gets when you inflate your tires. The principle is the same.
Note to the owner
“The heat pump is modern heating. But the actual efficiency values of heat pumps depend on temperature conditions, i.e. on cold days their effectiveness decreases. It is about 150% at a temperature of −20 °C, and about 300% at a source temperature of +7 °C.”
Cycle 3, condensation
After the compression cycle, we received hot steam under high pressure, which is supplied to the internal, “home” part of the heat pump. Now this gas can be used for an air heating system or for heating water in a water heating and hot water supply system. This hot steam can also be used with the "" system.
By releasing heat into the heating system, the hot gas cools, condenses and turns into liquid.
Cycle 4, expansion
This fluid enters the expansion valve, where its pressure is reduced. The low-pressure liquid refrigerant is now sent underground again to be heated to ground temperature. And all the cycles repeat.
Efficiency of heat pumps
For every 1 kW of electricity consumed by a heat pump to operate its compressor, on average, about 4 kW of useful thermal energy is generated. This corresponds to 300% efficiency.
Comparison of heating using a heat pump with other methods.
Data provided by the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA)
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Heating type |
Energy efficiency, % |
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Please understand that heat pump efficiency varies depending on the specific conditions in which your unit operates. So, if you are using a ground source heat pump and you have clay soil on your property, the efficiency of the heat pump will be approximately twice as high as if the heat pump pipes were in sandy soil.
It should also be remembered that the underground part should be laid below the freezing mark of the soil. Otherwise, the heat pump will not work at all.
The actual efficiency values of heat pumps depend on temperature conditions, i.e. on cold days their effectiveness decreases. It is about 150% at a temperature of −20 °C, and about 300% at a source temperature of +7 °C. But technology does not stand still - modern models are more energy efficient, and this trend continues.
Heat pumps for home cooling
In terms of its operating principle, a heat pump is similar to or. Therefore, in the summer it can be used not for heating the house, but for cooling or air conditioning. Let us remember that if we are talking about an “earthen” heat pump, then the soil temperature is stable within 7-12°C all year round. And with the help of a heat pump it can be transferred to the premises of the house.
The principle of operation of a cooling system using a heat pump is similar to a heating system, only instead of radiators it is used. With passive cooling, the coolant simply circulates between the fan coils and the well, i.e. the cold from the well directly enters the air conditioning system, but the compressor itself does not work. If passive cooling is not enough, the heat pump compressor is turned on, which additionally cools the coolant.
Types of Heat Pumps
Household heat pumps come in 3 main types, differing in the external heat source:
- “earth” or “ground-water”, “ground-air”;
- “water” or “water-water”, “water-air”;
- "air" or "air-to-water", "air-to-air".
Ground source heat pumps
The most popular are heat pumps that use the heat of the earth. They have already been discussed above. These are the most effective, but also the most expensive of all types. Pipes going underground can be located vertically or horizontally. Depending on this, “ground” heat pumps are divided into vertical And horizontal.
Vertical heat pumps require immersion of pipes through which the refrigerant circulates to a considerable depth: 50-200 m. True, there is an alternative - to make not one such well, but several, but smaller ones. The distance between such wells must be at least 10 m. To calculate the drilling depth, you can roughly estimate that a 10 kW heat pump will require wells (one or more) with a total depth of about 170 m. It should also be remembered that it is useless to drill very shallow ones - less than 50 m - wells.
At horizontal laying expensive drilling to great depths is not required. The depth of laying pipelines with this method is about 1 m; depending on the region of installation, this value can either decrease or increase. With this method, the pipe with the refrigerant is laid so that the distance between adjacent sections is at least one and a half meters, otherwise heat collection is not effective.
Note to the owner
“If you live in a temperate climate zone - for example, in the North-West - then the most effective option for you is a heat pump that uses the heat of the earth. Moreover, it is better to install a vertical version of the heat pump - especially if your house is located on rocky rocks.”
To install a 10 kW heat pump, you need a total length of buried pipe of about 350-450 m. If you take into account the restrictions associated with the proximity of different areas to each other, then you will need a plot of land with dimensions of 20 by 20 meters. Whether such a free plot is available is a big question.
How to choose the right heat pump
If you live in a temperate climate zone - for example, in the Northwest - then the most effective option for you is a heat pump that uses the heat of the earth. Moreover, it is better to install a vertical version of the heat pump - especially if your house is located on rocky rocks, where finding a free vast plot of land is problematic. But this type of heat pump is the most expensive in terms of capital costs.
In an area with a mild climate - for example, in Sochi - you can install an air-to-water heat pump, which does not require excessive capital costs and is especially effective in areas where seasonal temperature fluctuations are relatively small.
Depending on the principle of operation, there are also. Models powered by electricity are more popular.
One more important note. A good idea is combined heat pump models that combine the classic version of a heat pump with a gas or electric heater. Such heaters can be used in adverse weather conditions when the efficiency of the heat pump is reduced. As already mentioned, a decrease in efficiency is especially common with air-to-water and air-to-air heat pumps.
The combination of these two heat sources allows to reduce the cost of capital expenditures and increase the payback period of the heat pump installation.
Advantages and disadvantages of heat pumps
The main advantage of heat pumps is their low operating costs. Those. The cost of the heat or cooling produced to the end user is the lowest compared to other heating/air conditioning methods. In addition, a heat pump system is practically safe for the home. Consequently, the requirements for the ventilation systems of its premises are simplified and the level of fire safety is increased. Which also has a positive effect on the cost of installing these systems.
Heat pumps are easy to use and very reliable, and are also practically silent.
Another plus is that you can easily switch the heat pump from heating to cooling if necessary. You just need to have not only heating systems at home, but also fan coil units.
What is a heat pump for a home ✮Large selection of heat pumps on the website portal
But they also have disadvantages, the main one of which is the flip side of the main advantage - the capital costs of their installation are very significant. Until recently, another disadvantage of heat pumps was the relatively low temperature of the coolant - no more than 60 C. But recent developments have made it possible to eliminate this disadvantage. True, the price for such models is higher than for standard ones.
Heat pump- a mechanical device that allows for heat transfer from a resource with low potential thermal energy (low temperature) to a heating system (coolant) with an elevated temperature. Let's try to explain this in more understandable language.
Gone are the days when people heated their homes by burning wood in fireplaces or stoves. They are being replaced by multifunctional long-burning boilers. In regions where main gas is available, efficient gas equipment is used for heating. In places inaccessible to gas mains, it is increasingly used.
Humanity understands that burning non-renewable energy sources is not a promising business; resources are gradually depleted. Scientists don't stop searching new ways of producing thermal energyand develop modern mechanisms to implement the assigned tasks.
In one such project, a heat pump was designed. Indeed, just like to the majority heat-generating units, the operation of a heat pump is not possible without electrical energy. A serious difference is that electricity is not involved in heating, for example, a heating element, as in an oil radiator, and does not close the spiral in a heat gun. A heat pump does not have heating elements, it does not create thermal energy, the heat pump only serves as a carrier of it from the environment to the consumer (coolant).
The electricity consumed by the heat pump is spent only on compressing the refrigerant and pumping it around to circulate it. The refrigerant acts as a necessary working environment, it is he who moves heat from the environment to the heating system and hot water supply system. This review will help us how to choose a heat pump, the principle of its operation, and also learn about the pros and cons of such equipment.
Heat pump for heating
Traditional heating of a private home is still preferable if inexpensive resources are abundant. The question is, what to do when the availability of cheap sources is limited? An alternative solution is a heat pump - more than 40 years of operating experience in the European Union tells us that this can be very effective.
In the Russian Federation, the heat pump has not received proper distribution. The reason for this is two factors. Firstly, there is an abundance of oil, gas, and wood. Secondly, it is stopped by the high price and lack of popularization. Information about heat pumps is very scarce, the principle of their operation is not clear, and there is not enough information about the benefits.
In the European Union, fuel prices are so high that geothermal heating systems show benefits in operation. For example, up to 95% of households in Sweden and Norway they useheat pumps as the main source of heating. The International Energy Agency predicts that heat pumps will begin to provide 10% of energy demand for heating in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries by 2020, and by 2050 this figure will reach 30%.
Heat pump for heating - operating principle
From a school physics course, recalling the second law of thermodynamics, it is known for certain that heat from a hot body is transferred to a cold one without any mechanisms. The trick is how to transfer heat in the opposite direction? To do this, we will need a series of actions that ensure results.
These are the actions that a heat pump will help us perform. The energy costs for operating a heat pump depend proportionally on the temperature difference between the media involved in this process.
Have you ever touched the black grille of a refrigerator at the back? Anyone can verify that the back wall is very hot. Pointing a laser pyrometer at the black grating, you can see that its surface temperature is about 40°C. In this way, refrigeration equipment engineers recover unnecessary heat from inside the freezer.
It is known that in the late forties of the last century, inventor Robert Weber drew attention to the useless heating of air with a refrigerator radiator. The inventor thought about it and connected an indirect heating boiler to it. As a result, Robert supplied the household with hot water in the required volume. It was then that the enthusiast began to think about how to “turn” the refrigerator inside out and transform the cooling device into a heating device. I must admit, he succeeded.
How does a heat pump work?
The principle of operation of a heat pump is based on the fact that underground at any time of the year, falling below the freezing level, we will encounter temperatures above zero. It turns out that the frost-free soil layer is right under our feet. What if you use it as the back wall of the freezer?
Applying the operating principle of refrigeration equipment, To transfer heat from the underground to the home space, a system of pipes is used through which refrigerant circulates. Freon refrigerants are heated by underground heat and begin to evaporate. Cold air from outside cools it, causing the freon to condense.
By heating the heat by alternating cycles of evaporation and heating, the heat pump forces the refrigerant to circulate. The compressor creates pressure, forcing freon to move through the tubes of two heat exchangers.
In the first heat exchanger, freon evaporates at low pressure, during which heat is absorbed from the immediate surrounding atmosphere. The same refrigerant is then compressed by a compressor under high pressure and moved to a second coil where it is condensed. It then releases the heat it absorbed earlier in the cycle.
The booster compressor plays the main role in the process. By increasing the pressure, the freon condenses and produces more heat than it received from the warm earth. Thus, ground positive values of + 7 ° C andtransforms into comfortable home conditions + 24°C.
By using a heat pump for heating, we achieve high efficiency.
I would like to note that the entire structure does not require a specially dedicated electrical wiring line. Power consumption is comparable to the energy consumption of a household electric kettle. The trick is that the heat pump “produces” thermal energy four times more than it consumes electricity. To heat a cottage of 300 m2, in severe frosts of 30°C, no more than 3 kW will be spent.
However, the owner of a geothermal pump will have to fork out a lot at the beginning. The cost of equipment and materials for connection is at least $4,500. Let's add installation work and drilling, and the same amount, it turns out that the simplest system will cost 10 thousand dollars.
It is clear that it will cost an order of magnitude cheaper. But pay monthly based on 1 kW per 10 m2will have to anyway. So it turns out that for 300 sq. meters at home it will take 30 kW - 10 times more than will be spent on a heat pump.
Calculations for heating with gas using a gas boiler give approximately the same figures - 2000 rubles per month, which is comparable to the operation of a heat pump. Unfortunately, not everyone lives in a gasified area.
The heat pump has an undeniable advantage. In the summer, such a “reverse freezer” can be “turned inside out” and with a slight movement of the hand, the heat pump turns into an air conditioner. On hot days it’s +30°C outside, but in the dungeon it’s cool. Using tubes filled with coolant, the pump will transfer the cold of the underground into the home. Next, the fan is turned on, so we get an economical cooling system.
Operating practice indicates payback periods from 3 to 7 years. The Scandinavian countries have long calculated their profits and heat themselves using this method. A striking example is the giant heat pump in Stockholm, geothermal equipment. The source of thermal energy in winter and coolness in summer is the waters of the Baltic Sea. The slogan fully applies to the heat pump: pay now - save later! Savings are becoming greater due to the fact that energy resources are becoming more expensive.
Heat pump. The truth about its effectiveness.
Unfortunately, not everything is so rosy with efficiency today. One of the main questions tormenting the consumer remains: to buy or not to buy a heat pump. Our advice is to carefully weigh the pros and cons; most likely, the option of buying a conventional one will cost less after use, and installation will be easier.
If we consider a heat pump as a concept of the future, as a new idea for generating heat, the engineering idea definitely deserves respect. Geothermal equipment works, you can touch it with your hands, and every year it becomes more and more efficient. However, if we calculate how much money we will spend on its operation, add the initial costs of purchase and installation, we will most likely get an amount showing that we will spend much more money on it than on any other type of heat generating device.
Considering a heat pump as an economic system, when you spend 100 rubles on its operation and receive 300 rubles worth of thermal energy, do not forget that you paid a lot of money for the right to receive an excess profit of 200 rubles. By the way, in the European Union, sales of heat pumps are supported by government programs.
So in Finland, more than 60 thousand heat pumps are sold annually and the number of sales is growing at a 5% rate. But firstly, the economic effect of using such equipment there is higher due to expensive electricity. The cost of electricity in Finland is 35 euro cents, compared to Russia - 7 euro cents. Secondly, the subsidy program provides reimbursement for the purchase of a heat pump in the amount of 3,000 EURO.
As long as gas and electricity prices remain low, introducing a heat pump as a major competitor remains challenging. Mass consumption will become possible only in the event of a crisis with hydrocarbon production or a crisis with electricity generation.
How to choose the right heat pump
First stage.
Calculation of the required heat for heating a house. To select a heat pump (HP) that is included in the heating system of a house, it is important to calculate the heat demand. An accurate calculation will help you avoid unnecessary cost overruns, as this leads to unnecessary expenses.
Second phase.
Which heat source to choose for your heat pump. This decision depends on many components, the main ones:
- Financial component. This includes the direct cost of the equipment itself, as well as the work of installing a geothermal probe or laying an underground thermal circuit. This depends on the location of the site itself, as well as on the immediate surroundings (reservoirs, buildings, communications) and geology.
- Operational component. The main cost is the operation of the heat pump. This figure depends on the heating mode of your building and the selected heat source.
Third stage.
Analysis of initial data for selecting a heat pump:
- Budget for the proposed system.
- Heating system: radiators, air heating, heated floor.
- The area of the site that can be allocated for laying a thermal collector.
- Is it possible to drill on the site?
- Geology of the site to determine the depth of the geothermal probe if such a decision is made.
- Is air conditioning required in summer?
- Is air heating available or planned in the future?
- Capital cost of purchase and installation of the HP with all work (approximate initial estimate).
Let's sort it all out in order
Budget for the proposed system
When creating a heating system using a heat pump, it is possible to install an air-water circuit. Capital investments will be minimal, since no expensive excavation work is required. But there will be high costs during the operation phase of this heating system due to low operating efficiency.
If you want to significantly reduce operating costs, then installing a geothermal pump is suitable for you. True, it will be necessary to carry out excavation work to lay the thermal circuit. This system will also provide “passive” cold.
Heating system: radiators, air heating, heated floors
To increase the efficiency of the HP system, it is desirable to reduce the difference between the temperature of the heated medium and the temperature of the heat source.
If you have not yet chosen a heating system, it is recommended to choose heated floors, which allow you to use the heating system more efficiently.
Area of land that can be allocated for laying a thermal collector
The area of the site for installing the collector is critical if it is impossible to drill and install a geothermal probe. Then you will have to lay the collector horizontally, and this will require a space approximately 2 times larger than the area of the heated house. It should be taken into account that this area cannot be used for development, but only in the form of a lawn or lawn, so as not to block the flow of sunlight.
Is it possible to drill on the site?
If it is possible to drill on the site (good geology, access, lack of underground communications), the best solution would be to install a geothermal probe. It provides a stable and long-term heat source.
Geology of the site to determine the depth of the geothermal probe, if such a decision is made
After calculating the total drilling depth, it is necessary to study the site plan and determine how to ensure the drilling depth. In practice, the depth of one well usually does not exceed 150 m.
Therefore, if, for example, the estimated drilling depth is 360 m, then, based on the characteristics of the site, it can be divided into 4 wells of 90 m each, or 3 of 120 m each, or 6 of 60 m each. But we must take into account that the distance between the nearest wells should not be less than 6 m.
The cost of drilling operations is directly proportional to the drilling depth.
Is air conditioning required in summer?
If air conditioning is required in the summer, then the obvious choice is a heat pump of the “water-to-water” or “ground-to-water” type; other heat pumps are not ready to effectively and economically perform air conditioning functions.
Is air heating available or planned in the future?
It is possible to integrate the heat pump into a single air heating system. This solution will allow to unify engineering networks.
Capital cost of purchasing and installing a heat pump with all work
The initial estimated capital costs* for purchase and installation depend on the type of heat pump:
HP with underground collector:
Works - $2500
Operating costs - $350/year
VT with probe:
Equipment and materials - $4500
Works - $4500
Operating costs - $320/year
Air VT:
Equipment and materials - $6500
Work - $400
Operating costs - $480/year
TN “water-water”:
Equipment and materials - $4500
Works - $3500
Operating costs - $280/year
* – approximate, average market prices. The final cost depends on the selected equipment manufacturer, the region of work performed, the cost of drilling operations and site conditions, and so on. Estimating department note
Fourth stage. Types of work
Single. The heat pump is the only heat source, providing 100% of the heat demand. Works for operating temperatures not higher than 55 °C.
Paired. The HP and the boiler work together, which allows the boiler to achieve higher operating temperatures.
Monoenergetic. The HP and the electric boiler form a power system with only one external energy source. This allows you to smoothly regulate power consumption, but increases the load on the input machine.
Selecting a heat pump
After collecting all the initial data and working out the main technical solutions, it is possible to select the appropriate type of HP. The configuration and choice of equipment supplier will depend on your financial capabilities. The main thing is to approach the choice of system with a full understanding of what you want. We will help you choose and implement a comfortable heating system. It can take into account all the nuances: from the climate control function to the distribution of heat across zones of the house.
Conclusion
By choosing an ecological heating system with a heat pump, you can be confident in the future. You get complete independence from heat supply organizations, world oil prices and the political situation in the country. The only thing you need is electricity. But over time, the generation of electricity can be transferred to absolute autonomy with the help of a windmill.
- Operating principle of heat pumps
- Heating circuit
- Advantages and disadvantages of heat pumps
- Homemade secrets
How it works
A heat or geothermal pump collects thermal energy from the environment, converts it using refrigerant, and supplies it to the home heating system.
The main components of the unit: compressor, heat exchanger, circulation pump, automation, supply circuit. The pump is capable of drawing heat from three sources.
- Air.
- Water.
- Priming.
Judging by the discussion threads, we have two options in demand - water and soil. This is due to temperature restrictions - the source must be positive. The location of the feeding circuit can be horizontal or vertical. In the first case, the main line is laid below the freezing level - from 1.5 meters deep. Or to the bottom of the reservoir, there even in severe frosts - up to + 4⁰С. The length of the circuit depends on the dimensions of the heated room and the power of the pump. In the second, wells are drilled for probes, the average depth is 50–70 meters. Piastrov A V, one of the forum members and the owner of a heat pump, described the vertical system this way.
Piastrov A V Member of FORUMHOUSE
The heat is collected by geothermal probes - a looped pipeline through which ethylene glycol circulates. They descend into wells 50–70 meters deep. This is an external circuit, and the number of wells depends on the power of the heat pump. For a house with a square area of 100 meters, you will need two probes - two wells.
Heating circuit
A heat pump, unlike gas, coal or electricity boilers, heats the medium to an average of 40⁰C. This is the optimal temperature at which both equipment wear and electricity consumption are minimal. For conventional radiators, such indicators are not enough. Therefore, with a heat pump, they usually use not pipes and radiators, but heated floors. It is more efficient when heating the coolant this way. Only the pitch between the pipes should be smaller. It is worth considering that heated floors create restrictions on the choice of furniture and dry out the air. Additional moisture will be required. In summer, floors can work for cooling.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantage of a heat pump is its high efficiency; for every kilowatt of electricity consumed, it produces about 5 kW of heat. Plus no physical effort during the work, no waste and carbon monoxide.
In addition, there is no dependence on gas workers and no going to authorities for approval. And the requirements for the boiler room are not so strict. After start-up, operating costs are minimal. Only electricity is paid; an average power pump consumes about 4 kW per hour. Modern models are pulsed, they do not operate continuously, but are switched on when necessary. This reduces the number of working hours per season and energy costs.
The main disadvantage of geothermal heating is the price; even a Chinese or domestic unit, not to mention European brands, costs several thousand euros. Together with the arrangement of the external circuit and installation, the pleasure will result in hundreds of thousands of rubles. According to calculations by experts and owners, the pump pays for itself in several years. It runs on a free source, compared to the cost of a ton of coal or a cubic meter of firewood, the savings are significant. But not everyone has an extra half a million for equipment and commissioning.
If there is a body of water close to the site, it turns out to be much cheaper, and there is no need to spend on expensive drilling.
Operating wells also optimize the process by becoming a source of heat. This is confirmed by a forum member det maros from Ust-Kamenogorsk. He works at a company that produces heat pumps and provides installation services. Therefore, he thoroughly understands the situation and answered the question of a thread participant whether he needs probes if there are wells on the site, and he answered exhaustively.
det maros FORUMHOUSE Member
Why bother with probes if there is enough water. You will drive from one well to another through the HP. We tinker with probes when there is no water in the area or the pole is small and does not cover the needs. A 10 kW pump requires a volume of 3 cubic meters.
Homemade secrets
But the biggest savings are obtained when you assemble the heat pump yourself. The leading unit, the compressor, is taken from powerful air conditioners and split systems; their technical parameters are similar. Heat exchangers are sold ready-made, but some craftsmen manage to solder them from copper pipes. Freon is used as a refrigerant; it is also sold in cylinders. Controllers, relays, stabilizers, all elements individually will cost half as much as in a ready-made kit.
Most often, homemade projects are organized over ponds or when there is already an existing well. Due to the fact that the lion's share of expenses falls on excavation work, and the maximum savings are on them.
Craftsman aparat2, from Riga, collected geothermal equipment himself and posted a photo report about it, with a detailed description of all operations.
aparat2 FORUMHOUSE Member
I assembled a HP from two single-phase compressors of 24,000 BTU each (7 kW h. in cold weather). The result was a cascade with a thermal power of 16-18 kilowatts, with an electricity consumption of about 4.5 kW per hour. I chose two compressors so that the currents would be lower; I will not start them at the same time. In the meantime, only the second floor is inhabited and one compressor is enough. And, having experimented on one, then I will improve the second design.
Also, the forum member decided not to spend money on ready-made plate-type heat exchangers. They are demanding in terms of water treatment, and they cost a lot. He combined a homemade exchanger with a battery to increase the output. The result was a working installation that was several times cheaper than a purchased one.
However, heat pumps are an alternative option when there is no gas and large heating areas. Even if you assemble the system yourself, the costs for components are substantial. You can study the topic more closely on the thread, there is a lot of useful advice there, forum users share their experiences and discuss various models. will help you understand the assembly. And the options for heating a large house without gas in the video are a clear example. For owners of wooden houses - video
Energy, have expensive equipment, but the main advantage is a quick payback. One type of such alternative is a heat pump for heating. Prices and descriptions of the types of such systems are clarified in this article.
Alternative to a gas boiler
Read in the article
History of the origin of heat pumps
The first signs of the heat pump concept appeared in 1852. William Thomson pioneered this development, and it was picked up and improved by Robert Weber in 1940, who often experimented with and accidentally discovered that heat was generated from the freezer unit. First, the scientist taught the system, and eventually the entire home. A great triumph was Weber's placement of copper pipes in the ground that collected natural heat and converted it into thermal energy.
The principle of operation of a heat pump for heating a house
The heat pump is designed in such a way that its internal units can process heat from the natural environment (water, earth and air) into heat for.
How the pump works from the inside
Regardless of the method of generating heat, all pumps contain the following elements:
- Expansion valve;
- High pressure evaporator;
- Compressor;
- Capacitor;
Conversion process
A geothermal heat pump at a good price works on the conventional principle, which, during the process of boiling the refrigerant, removes all the heat accumulated inside the unit to its rear wall. Only in the case, the extracted energy is released indoors.
Stages of creating thermal energy:
- Depending on the type of natural element used, the pump removes heat in the range from 1 to 7 degrees.
- The evaporator, which is located inside the device, contains refrigerant. This liquid can boil at zero temperature.
- With the help of the resulting natural heat, the refrigerant boils and becomes gaseous.
- The gas enters the compressor, which increases its pressure and as a result the temperature increases.
- The maximally heated refrigerant in the form of gas passes into the condenser, where it gives off its heat. After cooling, the substance returns to a liquid state.
- The expansion valve then allows fluid to pass through, reducing its pressure to its original level.
- And again the refrigerant ends up in the evaporator, receives a portion of heat and the process repeats.
Therefore, the refrigerant is the main working element of the heat pump. The heat that it receives from nature is converted into 35-65 degrees of useful thermal resource.
Note! Although the heating temperature of the coolant is not so high, due to the increase in battery sections, complete and uniform heating of the premises is achieved. You can connect a heated floor to the system, it will heat up smoothly and not aggressively.
Main types of heat pumps
Heaters differ in the way they produce heat. They are divided into such types as: “water-water”, “air-air”, “ground-water”, “air-water”.
Water-water
The essence of the system is to extract heat from a reservoir or. Equipment of this type differs from others in its greater heat transfer efficiency. This is explained by the fact that water is less sensitive to temperature changes, especially in the ground.
Air-to-air
How to navigate when choosing a heat pump
To choose a specific type of heat with a good price, you need to decide on the following parameters:
- The amount you are willing to part with to purchase equipment;
- The type of area where the home you intend to provide with an alternative heating method is located. The type of installation depends on the location of the stakes or groundwater;
- You need to decide whether you have the opportunity to drill for a heat pump;
- The main nuance is the exact calculation of the required power for full heating of the house;
How to calculate the power of the required equipment
To more accurately determine the required power, you need to calculate the temperature difference between the street and the microclimate in the middle of the building: T = Tinside - Toutside = required degree Celsius.
The final formula includes taking into account all the above parameters: Q = V x T, kW.
Important! To avoid a lack of power for heating, it is necessary to add 10 percent of the nominal value to the resulting calculations in order to balance out all the shortcomings.
Review of manufacturers
In order to buy a heat pump, the price must be correlated with the reputation of the manufacturer and the range of functions.
Note! There is a wide choice of foreign manufacturers, the quality of their equipment is very high, but domestic firms do not give up and are able to outshine many European competitors. The price from Russian manufacturers is much more pleasant.
Heat pump for heating a house. Prices for different types
Each system, which differs from each other in type, has its own volumes of necessary structural elements. This fact affects the pricing policy of the finished product.
Prices of air-to-air heat pumps and other types
The power range of water systems reaches up to 18 kW. Additional modules can expand the functionality of the system to full automation. The price of such devices varies from 100 to 500 thousand rubles.
As for earthen devices, the power reaches up to 500 kW, and the cost reaches 3.5 million rubles.
Turnkey heat pump price range table.
| Image | Manufacturer | power, kWt | Type | price, rub. |
 | Gree Versati GRS-CQ | 5,5 | Water water | 300 000 |
 | Altal 12 | 12 | earth water | 350 000 |
 | Cooper/Hunter GRS-Cm | 18 | Air water | 240 000 |
 | PEA | 6 | Air water | 400 000 |
 | Mammoth j142 | 48 | Water water | 650 000 |
 | DHL-L Varius | 5,33 | Air air | 750 000 |
DIY heat pump
To create a heat pump with your own hands from a refrigerator you need to have a certain skill. But it is quite possible to bring the unit to working condition.
- First of all, you need to buy a compressor from a refrigerator or.
- Now you need to assemble a capacitor, the design of which begins with a coil. It is usually made from a copper tube with a thickness of 1 mm, and placed in a metal case. To place the coil inside the tank, it is first sawed in half, and after placing all the parts and threaded connections back. To make the coil turns even and with the same distance between the rings, you can wind the tube on a blank, and the distance is fixed with an aluminum angle with ribs.
- Complete assembly, soldering of tubes and pumping of refrigerant is carried out only by a professional refrigeration technician. Otherwise, an emergency may occur.
- That's it, the structure is ready to connect to.
Additional features of heat pumps
Thanks to the unique designs, Russian-made heat pumps make it possible to create additional processes, such as cooling and boiler heating of water. The cooling effect is achieved through the reverse process of constriction of the refrigerant. That is, the same manipulations occur in the compressor as during heating, only in the reverse order.
The water is heated indirectly. Inside the boiler there is a coil through which hot water passes, and the heat from the coil heats the water in the boiler.
Warranty and service
Due to the fact that the system is very complex, it is unacceptable to carry out diagnostic and repair work on the units yourself. For these purposes, when purchasing a pump, the manufacturer is obliged to enter into an agreement with you, which specifies the period of time during which the inspection will be carried out by a specialist.
- The warranty implies a certain period of free service, which includes repair work on all components and assemblies.
- Maintenance is an integral addition to the system itself. The schedule according to which the inspection is done can be monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual.
conclusions
If you are positive about buying a heat pump to heat your home, the prices should not scare you. After all, the main priority of such heating is that the efficiency is multiplied by 4 times compared to other types of heating. This means that the whole system will pay for itself very quickly. Warm winter evenings to you.
