Air Source Heat Pumps

The air all around us in buildings and outside can be used to provide hot water and space heating.  This is exactly what a heat pump does, employing the same technology as a fridge but working in reverse – collecting heat rather than expelling it. Perfect for the climate in Spain!

Where can you install an Air Source Heat Pump?
Heat pumps can be located in different areas of the home or inside commercial buildings where waste heat can be recycled back into hot water for space heating and hot water supply.  Air Source Heat Pumps can also be installed in commercial kitchens and other high heat areas to collect heat that would otherwise have been lost.  This can be used for heating hot water whilst giving the added benefit of cooling the local area and in some instances helping freezers and fridges situated nearby to run more economically.

Where no indoor space is available an external range of heat pumps can be installed which have the ability to work in ambient air temperatures below –5°C.

How Do Air Source Heat Pumps Work?
Air Source Heat Pumps rely on the cycle of evaporation, compression and condensation of a CFC-free refrigerant which travels in a closed cycle.  Refrigerant in the form of a saturated low pressure liquid passes through the evaporator where low grade heat in the incoming air (brought by the fan) heats it causing it to boil and become a gas.  This gas is then pressurised in the compressor to concentrate the heat energy.  The high pressure hot gas is then condensed to a liquid in the condenser and in this process releases its heat to a heat exchanger (where water is heated).  The high pressure refrigerant then passes to an expansion vessel where it loses pressure and cools.  It then begins the cycle again boiling in the evaporator on contact with the ambient air.  The circulating water that runs through the heat exchanger gains heat from this cycle so that the temperature is raised a little more each time it passes through.

Do they Work when it is Cold?
The beauty of Air Source Heat Pumps is that they will carry on working even in very low temperatures.  It would not be unusual for your heat pump to continue working in temperatures as low as –5°C.  This is because they are able to extract low grade heat from the air and optimise and improve it through successive cycles so that enough heat is produced (up to 55°C) to provide hot water and space heating.

Efficiency

New compressor technology recently introduced has brought about a significant increase in the efficiency levels of Air Source Heat Pumps.  This makes them a very economical alternative to conventional forms of heating water.

The efficiency of an Air Source Heat Pump is measured by the “Co-efficient of Performance” or COP.  This is a ratio of energy units put in (in order to operate the heat pump) to energy units that come out in the form of the heat product.  For every unit of energy (electricity) that is put in up to 4 units of heat energy are produced.  This impressive result gains real significance when compared to the COP of conventional boilers is approximately 1.

Low Maintenance

Air Source Heat Pumps are very reliable, maintenance-free appliances.  Once fitted you can sit back and enjoy the warmth!

What about Ground Source Heat Pumps?

Air Source Heat Pumps have a real advantage over ground source heat pumps as you do not need to dig up large areas of your garden and lay down hundreds of metres of pipe at great expense.  Why take heat out of the ground when it is easier and cheaper to take it out of the air?

Key Features of Air Source Heat Pumps              

• Nominal 3kW, 4kW and 6kW outputs
• Some models operate down to -15°C
• Uses microprocessor control
• Uses the latest compressor technology
• Up to 4.0 coefficient of performance (COP).  COP of 4.0 means that 1kW of energy into a heat pump     will produce 4kW of heat.

Key Benefits of Air Source Heat Pumps

• Can provide year-round space heating and can contribute to hot water when integrated with a Solar Conect, Powertech, Thermal Store
• Simple to install
• Low running costs
• More efficient than gas boilers
• More cost effective than immersion heaters
• Flexible siting – small application can be placed in loft, garage or enclosure; large applications can be positioned outside.

Deciding on an Air Source Heat Pump

You should decide on sizing of air source heat pumps for homes, businesses or factories at the design stage to ensure that you get the correct output.  They are best installed with a thermal store as this removes the “peaks and troughs” as air source heat pumps do not give instant heat.  Air source heat pumps, if correctly sized, can be used in the following applications:  houses, nursing homes, restaurants, hotels, beauty parlours, factories, swimming pools and many more applications.  Air source heat pumps can be used with warm water underfloor heating and can also be integrated with solar thermal collectors.  Solar Conect, agents for Powertech, offers the following range of Air Source Heat Pumps: