Heat pumps are a modern solution that is constantly gaining popularity. Depending on the type, they use free energy accumulated in the air, water or ground. This makes them an extremely economical and ecological source of heat. Due to their numerous advantages, it is worth replacing traditional combustion heating systems. Learn the most important information about heat pumps!
From this article you will learn:
- what are the advantages of heat pumps,
- what types of heat pumps are there,
- which heat pump to choose for home heating.
Heat pumps for home heating
A heat pump is one of the alternative sources of heat energy that has a number of advantages. Why is it worth using them in your home heating system?
- Energy taken from the ground, water or air is completely free.
- The device does not emit exhaust gases or other harmful substances into the environment.
- Heat pumps maintain their efficiency even at very low outdoor temperatures.
- This system can be combined with underfloor heating or radiators with a low supply temperature.
- Heat pumps have a very long service life.
- The user does not have to purchase and store any fuel.
- This type of solution relieves the obligation to build a chimney.
- Operating the device is very simple and comes down to setting the appropriate operating parameters.
- The pump does not generate ash and does not require regular cleaning or maintenance.
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Therefore, installing a heat pump seems to be an ideal solution for your home heating system. However, it is worth considering where all the mentioned advantages of this device come from. What is the principle of its operation?
Vaillant heat pumps in the wholesale offer
The heat pump consists of, among others:
- an exchanger obtaining heat from water, ground or air,
- compressors,
- heat exchanger,
- expanded valve.
The unit processes and transfers energy from the lower heat source to the upper heat source, i.e. the heat distribution system in the building. The operating mechanism of each pump is based on a similar principle - when a gas is compressed, its temperature increases, and when it expands, a large amount of heat is absorbed from the surroundings. Thanks to the operation of the key element of the device, i.e. the compressor, the heating medium circulates inside the pump. When the gas evaporates, it absorbs heat and condenses, transferring it to the installation. To sum up, it can be said that the pump forces the flow of thermal energy from a lower temperature environment to a higher temperature environment.
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It is worth remembering that heat pumps need an external power supply that will allow them to process the energy obtained from the source. For this purpose, they are connected to the electrical network. Although the share of electricity in heating the building and preparing hot water is only about 20%, during the heating season some pumps can use a lot of it. For this reason, experts recommend combining them with photovoltaic installations, which guarantee free electricity.
Types of heat pumps
Heat pumps are classified primarily according to the source from which they obtain energy. The key division of devices of this type includes air, water and ground pumps.
Air heat pump
The undoubted advantage of air heat pumps is the relatively low cost of their installation. In this case, the energy source is air taken from outside. The smaller the difference between its temperature and the heating system supply temperature, the greater the efficiency of the device and the lower power consumption. Depending on the method of transporting thermal energy, we can distinguish:
- air-water heat pumps – energy is transferred to the heating circuit and the hot water tank,
- air-to-air heat pumps – heat is transferred directly to the interior of the building.
Importantly, the air heat pump can be used in all conditions. However, due to limited efficiency (especially in the case of very low external temperatures), the building should be equipped with an additional heating source. Connections with low-temperature systems, such as underfloor heating, work best.
Ground heat pump
The ground pump is characterized by very high operating efficiency, thanks to which this type of device can be the only source of heat in the building. Although this solution is very popular, investors often abandon it due to very high installation costs. If a vertical exchanger is used, it is necessary to drill deep holes, reaching up to 100 meters. Horizontal exchangers, however, require a large area for their installation.
In the case of ground pumps, the lower heat source is - as you can easily guess - the ground temperature. Energy can be transported both to the heating circuit and to the hot water tank.
Water heat pump
The water pump is characterized by even higher energy efficiency than the ground pump. In this case, thermal energy is taken from flowing groundwater. Although the device may be the only source of heating in the building, investment costs will again be a problem for many users. The pump's external power source uses electricity, oil or gas.
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Heat pumps in the Onninen offer
Are you looking for efficient heat pumps for your customers? Be sure to check out the Vaillant range available in our online wholesaler. On the international market, this manufacturer is the undisputed leader in the field of energy-saving heating and ventilation systems that use primarily renewable energy sources. It specializes in heating, cooling, photovoltaics and heat recovery systems.
Vaillant offers a wide selection of heat pumps, which you can find on the Onninen website:
- Split air-water pump - a set consisting of a VWL 77/5IS wall module, a VIH RW 300/3BR tank and a sensoCOMFORT 720 regulator. As it is a split type device, it is subject to the F-Gas Act. This means that its installation must be performed by a person with appropriate authorizations.
- VWL 75/5AS+VWL 78/5IS+VRC720 package – it is also a split set with similar specifications to the model described above. However, it is distinguished by the lack of a hot water tank.
- Monoblock air-water pump - the product consists of the uniTOWER VIH QW 190/6E heating center, the VPS R 100/1M buffer and the sensoCOMFORT 720 controller. The aroTHERM plus VWL 125/6A model is a hermetic device, therefore it does not require installation. you must have an F-gas license.
- Compact air-water pump – this is another monoblock from the Vaillant offer, but it has much smaller dimensions than the one described above. It has the form of a lightweight wall module MEH 97/6 and is also equipped with the sensoCOMFORT 720 controller.
A wide selection of Vaillant heat pumps will undoubtedly allow you to choose a device perfectly suited to the needs of your customers. It is worth encouraging them to invest in this type of solutions, because they benefit not only their wallets, but also the natural environment.
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