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Having refrigerators and air conditioners in their home, few people know that the principle of operation of a heat pump is implemented in them.

About 80% of the power supplied by a heat pump comes from ambient heat in the form of scattered solar radiation. It is his pump that simply “pumps” from the street into the house. The operation of a heat pump is similar to the principle of operation of a refrigerator, only the direction of heat transfer is different.

Simply put…

To cool a bottle of mineral water, you put it in the refrigerator. The refrigerator must “take away” part of the thermal energy from the bottle and, according to the law of conservation of energy, move it somewhere, give it away. The refrigerator transfers heat to a radiator, usually located on its back wall. At the same time, the radiator heats up, giving off its heat to the room. In fact, it heats the room. This is especially noticeable in small mini-markets in the summer, with several refrigerators in the room.

We invite you to imagine. Suppose that we will constantly put warm objects in the refrigerator, and it will, by cooling them, heat the air in the room. Let's go to the "extremes" ... Let's place the refrigerator in the window opening with the open door of the "freezer" out. The refrigerator radiator will be in the room. During operation, the refrigerator will cool the air outside, transferring the "taken" heat into the room. This is how a heat pump works, taking dispersed heat from the environment and transferring it to the room.

Where does the pump get the heat?

The principle of operation of a heat pump is based on the "exploitation" of natural low-grade heat sources from the environment.

They may be:

• just outside air;
• heat of reservoirs (lakes, seas, rivers);
• heat of the soil, groundwater (thermal and artesian).

How is a heat pump and a heating system with it arranged?

The heat pump is integrated into the heating system, which consists of 2 circuits + the third circuit - the system of the pump itself. A non-freezing coolant circulates along the external circuit, which takes heat from the surrounding space.

When it enters the heat pump, or rather its evaporator, the coolant gives off an average of 4 to 7 °C to the heat pump refrigerant. And its boiling point is -10 °C. As a result, the refrigerant boils, followed by a transition to a gaseous state. The coolant of the external circuit, already cooled, goes to the next “coil” through the system to set the temperature.

As part of the functional circuit of the heat pump "listed":

• evaporator;
• compressor (electric);
• capillary;
• capacitor;
• coolant;
• thermostatic control device.

The process looks like this!

The refrigerant "boiled" in the evaporator through the pipeline enters the compressor, powered by electricity. This "hard worker" compresses the gaseous refrigerant to high pressure, which, accordingly, leads to an increase in its temperature.

The now hot gas then enters another heat exchanger, which is called a condenser. Here, the heat of the refrigerant is transferred to the room air or heat carrier, which circulates through the internal circuit of the heating system.

The refrigerant cools down, at the same time turning into a liquid state. It then passes through a capillary pressure reducing valve, where it “loses” pressure and re-enters the evaporator.

The cycle is closed and ready to repeat!

Approximate calculation of the heating output of the installation

Within an hour, up to 2.5-3 m 3 of coolant flows through the external collector through the pump, which the earth is able to heat by ∆t = 5-7 °C.

To calculate the thermal power of such a circuit, use the formula:

Q \u003d (T_1 - T_2) * V_warm

V_heat - volumetric flow rate of the heat carrier per hour (m ^ 3 / h);

T_1 - T_2 - inlet and outlet temperature difference (°C) .

Varieties of heat pumps

According to the type of dissipated heat used, heat pumps are distinguished:

• ground-water (use closed ground contours or deep geothermal probes and a water heating system for a room);
• water-water (open wells are used for the intake and discharge of groundwater - the external circuit is not looped, the internal heating system is water);
• water-air (use of external water circuits and air-type heating systems);
• (using the dissipated heat of external air masses, complete with the air heating system of the house).

Advantages and benefits of heat pumps

Economic efficiency. The principle of operation of a heat pump is based not on production, but on the transfer (transportation) of thermal energy, it can be argued that its efficiency is greater than one. What nonsense? - you will say. In the topic of heat pumps, the value appears - the coefficient of conversion (transformation) of heat (KPT). It is by this parameter that units of this type are compared with each other. Its physical meaning is to show the ratio of the amount of heat received to the amount of energy expended for this. For example, at KPT = 4.8, the electricity consumed by the pump in 1 kW will allow you to get 4.8 kW of heat with it free of charge, that is, a gift from nature.

Universal ubiquity of application. Even in the absence of available power lines, the heat pump compressor can be powered by a diesel drive. And there is "natural" heat in any corner of the planet - the heat pump will not remain "hungry".

Ecological purity of use. There are no combustion products in the heat pump, and its low energy consumption "exploits" power plants less, indirectly reducing harmful emissions from them. The refrigerant used in heat pumps is ozone-friendly and does not contain chlorocarbons.

Bidirectional mode of operation. A heat pump can heat a room in winter and cool it in summer. The “heat” taken from the premises can be used efficiently, for example, to heat water in a pool or in a hot water supply system.

Operational safety. In the principle of operation of a heat pump, you will not consider dangerous processes. The absence of open fire and harmful emissions dangerous for humans, the low temperature of the heat carriers make the heat pump a “harmless”, but useful household appliance.

Some nuances of operation

Efficient use of the principle of operation of a heat pump requires compliance with several conditions:

• the room that is heated must be well insulated (heat loss up to 100 W / m 2) - otherwise, taking heat from the street, you will heat the street for your own money;
• Heat pumps are beneficial for low-temperature heating systems. Under such criteria, underfloor heating systems (35-40 ° C) are excellent. The heat conversion coefficient significantly depends on the ratio of the temperatures of the inlet and outlet circuits.

Let's sum it up!

The essence of the principle of operation of a heat pump is not in production, but in the transfer of heat. This allows you to get a high coefficient (from 3 to 5) of thermal energy conversion. Simply put, each 1 kW of electricity used will “transfer” 3-5 kW of heat to the house. Is there anything else that needs to be said?

The situation is such that the most popular way to heat a home at the moment is the use of heating boilers - gas, solid fuel, diesel and much less often - electric. But such simple and at the same time high-tech systems as heat pumps have not become widespread, and in vain. For those who love and know how to calculate everything in advance, their advantages are obvious. Heat pumps for heating do not burn irreplaceable reserves of natural resources, which is extremely important not only from the point of view of environmental protection, but also allows you to save on energy, as they become more expensive every year. In addition, with the help of heat pumps, you can not only heat the room, but also heat hot water for household needs, and air-condition the room in the summer heat.

How a heat pump works

Let us dwell a little more on the principle of operation of a heat pump. Remember how a refrigerator works. The heat of the products placed in it is pumped out and thrown to the radiator located on the rear wall. It is easy to verify this by touching it. Approximately the same principle applies to household air conditioners: they pump heat out of the room and throw it onto a radiator located on the outer wall of the building.

The operation of the heat pump, refrigerator and air conditioner is based on the Carnot cycle.

1. The coolant, moving along a source of low-temperature heat, for example, the ground, heats up by several degrees.
2. It then enters a heat exchanger called an evaporator. In the evaporator, the heat transfer medium releases the accumulated heat to the refrigerant. refrigerant It is a special liquid that turns into steam at low temperature.
3. Having assumed the temperature from the coolant, the heated refrigerant turns into vapor and enters the compressor. The compressor compresses the refrigerant, i.e. an increase in its pressure, due to which its temperature also rises.
4. The hot compressed refrigerant enters another heat exchanger called a condenser. Here, the refrigerant gives off its heat to another coolant, which is provided in the home heating system (water, antifreeze, air). In this case, the refrigerant is cooled and again turns into a liquid.
5. Next, the refrigerant enters the evaporator, where it is heated by a new portion of the heated coolant, and the cycle repeats.

The heat pump needs electricity to operate. But it is still much more profitable than using only an electric heater. Since an electric boiler or electric heater spends exactly the same amount of electricity as it produces heat. For example, if a heater has a power of 2 kW, then it consumes 2 kW per hour and produces 2 kW of heat. A heat pump produces heat 3-7 times more than it consumes electricity. For example, 5.5 kWh is used to operate the compressor and pump, and 17 kWh of heat is obtained. It is this high efficiency that is the main advantage of a heat pump.

Advantages and disadvantages of the "heat pump" heating system

There are many legends and misconceptions around heat pumps, despite the fact that this is not such an innovative and high-tech invention. With the help of heat pumps, all the “warm” states in the USA, almost all of Europe and Japan are heated, where the technology has been worked out almost to the ideal and has long been. By the way, do not think that such equipment is a purely foreign technology and came to us quite recently. Indeed, even in the USSR, such units were used at experimental facilities. An example of this is the Druzhba sanatorium in the city of Yalta. In addition to the futuristic architecture, reminiscent of a "hut on chicken legs", this sanatorium is also famous for the fact that since the 80s of the 20th century it has been using industrial heat pumps for heating. The source of heat is the nearby sea, and the pumping station itself not only heats all the premises of the sanatorium, but also provides hot water, heats the water in the pool and cools it during a hot period. So let's try to dispel the myths and determine whether it makes sense to heat a home in this way.

Advantages of heating systems with a heat pump:

• Energy savings. In connection with the rising prices for gas and diesel fuel, a very relevant advantage. In the column "monthly expenses" will appear only electricity, which, as we have already written, needs much less than the actual heat produced. When buying a unit, you need to pay attention to such a parameter as the heat transformation coefficient "ϕ" (it can also be called the heat conversion coefficient, the power or temperature transformation coefficient). It shows the ratio of the amount of heat output to the energy expended. For example, if ϕ=4, then at a flow rate of 1 kW/h we will get 4 kW/h of thermal energy.
• Savings on maintenance. The heat pump does not require any special treatment. Maintenance costs are minimal.
• Can be installed in any area. The sources of low-temperature heat for the operation of a heat pump can be soil, water or air. Wherever you build a house, even in rocky terrain, there is always the opportunity to find "food" for the unit. In an area remote from the gas main, this is one of the most optimal heating systems. And even in regions without power lines, you can install a gasoline or diesel engine to power the compressor.
• No need to monitor pump operation, add fuel, as is the case with a solid fuel or diesel boiler. The entire heating system with a heat pump is automated.
• You can leave for a long time and not be afraid that the system will freeze. At the same time, you can save money by installing the pump to provide a temperature of +10 ° C in the living room.
• Safety for the environment. For comparison, when using traditional boilers that burn fuel, various oxides of CO, CO2, NOx, SO2, PbO2 are always formed, as a result, phosphoric, nitrous, sulfuric acids and benzoic compounds settle on the soil around the house. Nothing is thrown out during the operation of the heat pump. And the refrigerants used in the system are absolutely safe.
• It can also be noted here preservation of irreplaceable natural resources of the planet.
• Safety for people and property. Nothing in a heat pump gets hot enough to cause overheating or an explosion. In addition, there is simply nothing to explode in it. So it can be attributed to completely fireproof units.
• Heat pumps work successfully even at an ambient temperature of -15 °C. So if it seems to someone that such a system can only heat a house in regions with warm winters up to +5 ° C, then they are mistaken.
• Heat pump reversibility. An indisputable advantage is the versatility of the installation, with which you can both heat in winter and cool in summer. On hot days, the heat pump takes heat from the room and sends it to the ground for storage, from where it will take it again in winter. Please note that not all heat pumps have reverse capability, but only some models.
• Durability. With proper care, heating system heat pumps live from 25 to 50 years without major repairs, and only once every 15 to 20 years will it be necessary to replace the compressor.

Disadvantages of heating systems with a heat pump:

• Large initial investment. In addition to the fact that prices for heat pumps for heating are quite high (from 3,000 to 10,000 USD), you will also need to spend no less on equipping a geothermal system than on the pump itself. An exception is the air source heat pump, which does not require additional work. The heat pump will not pay off soon (in 5 - 10 years). So the answer to the question, whether or not to use a heat pump for heating, rather depends on the preferences of the owner, his financial capabilities and construction conditions. For example, in a region where the supply of a gas main and connection to it costs the same as a heat pump, it makes sense to give preference to the latter.

• In regions where the temperature drops below -15 °C in winter, need to use an additional heat source. It is called bivalent heating system, in which the heat pump provides heat while it is down to -20 ° C outside, and when it does not cope, for example, an electric heater or a gas boiler, or a heat generator is connected.

• It is most expedient to use a heat pump in systems with a low-temperature coolant, such as underfloor heating system(+35 °С) and fancoils(+35 - +45 °С). Fancoils are fan convectors in which heat/cold is transferred from water to air. To equip such a system in an old house, a complete redevelopment and restructuring will be required, which will entail additional costs. When building a new house, this is not a disadvantage.
• Environmental friendliness of heat pumps that take heat from water and soil, somewhat relative. The fact is that in the process of operation, the space around the pipes with the coolant cools, and this disrupts the established ecosystem. Indeed, even in the depths of the soil, anaerobic microorganisms live, which ensure the vital activity of more complex systems. On the other hand, compared to gas or oil production, the damage from a heat pump is minimal.

Heat sources for heat pump operation

Heat pumps take heat from those natural sources that accumulate solar radiation during the warm period. Heat pumps also differ depending on the heat source.

Priming

Soil is the most stable source of heat that accumulates over the season. At a depth of 5 - 7 m, the soil temperature is almost always constant and equal to approximately +5 - +8 °С, and at a depth of 10 m - always constant +10 °С. There are two ways to collect heat from the ground.

Horizontal ground collector It is a horizontally laid pipe through which the coolant circulates. The depth of the horizontal collector is calculated individually depending on the conditions, sometimes it is 1.5 - 1.7 m - the depth of soil freezing, sometimes lower - 2 - 3 m to ensure greater temperature stability and less difference, and sometimes only 1 - 1.2 m - here the soil begins to warm up faster in the spring. There are cases when a two-layer horizontal collector is equipped.

Horizontal collector pipes can have different diameters of 25 mm, 32 mm and 40 mm. The shape of their layout can also be different - snake, loop, zigzag, various spirals. The distance between the pipes in the snake must be at least 0.6 m, and is usually 0.8 - 1 m.

Specific heat removal from each running meter of the pipe depends on the structure of the soil:

• Dry sand - 10 W/m;
• Dry clay - 20 W/m;
• Clay is more humid - 25 W/m;
• Clay with very high water content - 35 W/m.

To heat a house with an area of ​​100 m2, provided that the soil is wet clay, you will need 400 m2 of area for the collector. This is quite a lot - 4 - 5 acres. And taking into account the fact that there should not be any buildings on this site and only a lawn and flower beds with annual flowers are allowed, not everyone can afford to equip a horizontal collector.

A special liquid flows through the pipes of the collector, it is also called "brine" or antifreeze eg 30% ethylene glycol or propylene glycol solution. "Brine" collects the heat of the ground and goes to the heat pump, where it transfers it to the refrigerant. The cooled "brine" flows again into the ground collector.

Vertical ground probe is a system of pipes buried 50 - 150 m. It can be just one U-shaped pipe, lowered to a great depth of 80 - 100 m and filled with concrete. Or maybe a system of U-shaped pipes lowered by 20 m to collect energy from a larger area. Drilling to a depth of 100 - 150 m is not only expensive, but also requires a special permit, which is why they often go to the trick and equip several probes of shallow depth. The distance between such probes is 5 - 7 m.

Specific heat removal from a vertical collector also depends on the breed:

• Sedimentary rocks dry - 20 W/m;
• Sedimentary rocks saturated with water and stony soil - 50 W/m;
• Stony soil with a high coefficient of thermal conductivity - 70 W/m;
• Underground (ground) water - 80 W/m.

The area for a vertical collector is very small, but the cost of their arrangement is higher than that of a horizontal collector. The advantage of the vertical collector is also a more stable temperature and greater heat removal.

Water

There are many ways to use water as a heat source.

Collector at the bottom of an open non-freezing reservoir- rivers, lakes, seas - is a pipe with a "brine", submerged with the help of a load. Due to the high temperature of the coolant, this method is the most profitable and economical. Only those from whom the reservoir is located no further than 50 m can equip the water collector, otherwise the efficiency of the installation is lost. As you understand, not everyone has such conditions. But not to use heat pumps for residents of the coast is simply short-sighted and stupid.

Collector in sewer drains or waste water after technical installations can be used for heating houses and even high-rise buildings and industrial enterprises within the city, as well as for preparing hot water. What is being successfully done in some cities of our country.

Well or ground water are used less frequently than other collectors. Such a system involves the construction of two wells, water is taken from one, which transfers its heat to the refrigerant in the heat pump, and cooled water is discharged into the second. Instead of a well, there may be a filtration well. In any case, the discharge well should be located at a distance of 15 - 20 m from the first, and even downstream (groundwater also has its own flow). This system is quite difficult to operate, since the quality of the incoming water must be monitored - it must be filtered, and the parts of the heat pump (evaporator) must be protected from corrosion and pollution.

Air

The simplest design is air source heat pump heating system. No additional collector is needed. Air from the environment directly enters the evaporator, where it transfers its heat to the refrigerant, which in turn transfers heat to the heat carrier inside the house. This can be air for fan coil units or water for underfloor heating and a radiator.

The cost of installing an air source heat pump is the most minimal, but the performance of the installation is very dependent on the air temperature. In regions with warm winters (up to +5 - 0 °C), this is one of the most economical sources of heat. But if the air temperature drops below -15 ° C, the performance drops so much that it makes no sense to use a pump, but it is more profitable to turn on a conventional electric heater or boiler.

Reviews of air source heat pumps for heating are very contradictory. It all depends on the region of their use. It is advantageous to use them in regions with warm winters, for example, in Sochi, where a backup heat source is not even needed in case of severe frosts. It is also possible to install air source heat pumps in regions where the air is relatively dry and the temperature in winter is down to -15 °C. But in a humid and cold climate, such installations suffer from icing and freezing. Icicles sticking to the fan prevent the entire system from working normally.

Heating with a heat pump: system cost and operating costs

The power of the heat pump is selected depending on the functions that will be assigned to it. If only heating, then calculations can be made in a special calculator that takes into account the heat loss of the building. By the way, the best performance of a heat pump with heat losses of the building is not more than 80 - 100 W/m2. For simplicity, we will assume that for heating a house of 100 m2 with ceilings 3 m high and heat losses of 60 W / m2, a 10 kW pump is needed. To heat water, you will have to take a unit with a power reserve - 12 or 16 kW.

heat pump cost depends not only on power, but also on the reliability and requests of the manufacturer. For example, a Russian-made unit with a capacity of 16 kW will cost 7,000 USD, and a foreign pump RFM 17 with a capacity of 17 kW costs about 13,200 USD. with all associated equipment, except for the manifold.

The next line of expenses will be collector arrangement. It also depends on the power of the installation. For example, for a house of 100 m2, in which underfloor heating (100 m2) or heating radiators of 80 m2 are installed everywhere, as well as for heating water to +40 ° C with a volume of 150 l / h, it will be necessary to drill wells for collectors. Such a vertical collector will cost $ 13,000.

The collector at the bottom of the reservoir will cost a little less. Under the same conditions, it will cost 11,000 USD. But it is better to check the cost of installing a geothermal system with specialized companies, it can vary greatly. For example, the arrangement of a horizontal collector for a pump with a power of 17 kW will cost only 2500 USD. And for an air source heat pump, a collector is not needed at all.

In total, the cost of the heat pump is 8000 c.u. on average, the arrangement of the collector is 6000 c.u. average.

The monthly cost of heating with a heat pump includes only electricity costs. You can calculate them like this - the power consumption must be indicated on the pump. For example, for the aforementioned 17 kW pump, the power consumption is 5.5 kW/h. In total, the heating system operates 225 days a year, i.e. 5400 hours. Given that the heat pump and the compressor in it operate cyclically, the energy consumption must be halved. During the heating season, 5400 h * 5.5 kW / h / 2 = 14850 kW will be spent.

We multiply the number of kWh spent by the cost of the energy carrier in your region. For example, 0.05 c.u. for 1 kWh. Total for the year will be spent 742.5 USD. For each month in which the heat pump worked for heating, 100 c.u. electricity costs. If you divide the costs by 12 months, then you get 60 USD per month.

Please note that the lower the power consumption of the heat pump, the lower the monthly costs. For example, there are pumps of 17 kW, which consume only 10,000 kW per year (expenses of 500 USD). It is also important that the performance of the heat pump is the greater, the smaller the temperature difference between the heat source and the coolant in the heating system. That is why they say that it is more profitable to install underfloor heating and fan coil units. Although standard heating radiators with a high-temperature coolant (+65 - +95 ° С) can also be installed, but with an additional heat accumulator, for example, an indirect heating boiler. A boiler is also used to reheat water in the DHW.

Heat pumps are beneficial when used in bivalent systems. In addition to the pump, you can install a solar collector, which can fully provide the pump with electricity in the summer, when it works for cooling. For winter insurance, you can add a heat generator that will heat up water for hot water supply and high-temperature radiators.

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Such a unit as a heat pump has a principle of operation similar to household appliances - a refrigerator and an air conditioner. Approximately 80% of its power it borrows from the environment. The pump pumps heat from the street into the room. Its operation is similar to the principle of operation of a refrigerator, only the direction of heat transfer is different.

For example, to cool a bottle of water, people put it in the refrigerator, then the household appliance partially “takes” heat from this object and now, according to the law of conservation of energy, it must give it back. But where? It's simple, for this the refrigerator has a radiator, usually located on its back wall. In turn, the radiator, heating up, gives off heat to the room in which it stands. Thus, the refrigerator heats the room. To what extent it warms up, you can feel in small shops in the hot summer, when several refrigeration units are turned on.

And now a little fantasy. Suppose that warm objects are constantly placed in the refrigerator, and it heats the room or it is placed in a window opening, the freezer door is opened to the outside, while the radiator is in the room. In the process of its work, the household appliance, cooling the air in the street, will simultaneously transfer the thermal energy that is outside into the building. The principle of operation of a heat pump is exactly the same.

Where does the pump get heat from?

The heat pump operates due to the operation of natural low-grade sources of thermal energy, including:

• ambient air;
• reservoirs (rivers, lakes, seas);
• soil and ground artesian and thermal waters.

Heating system with heat pump

When a heat pump is used for heating, its principle of operation is based on integration into the heating system. It consists of two circuits, to which a third is added, which is the design of the pump.

The coolant, which takes heat from the environment, circulates along the external circuit. It enters the pump evaporator and gives off approximately 4 -7 ° C to the refrigerant, despite the fact that its boiling point is -10 ° C. As a result, the refrigerant boils and then goes into a gaseous state. The already cooled coolant in the external circuit is sent to the next coil to set the temperature.

The functional circuit of the heat pump consists of:

• evaporator;
• refrigerant;
• electric compressor;
• condenser;
• capillary;
• thermostatic control device.

The process of how a heat pump works is something like this:

• the refrigerant after boiling, moving through the pipeline, enters the compressor, which works with the help of electricity. This device compresses the refrigerant in the gaseous state to a high pressure, which causes its temperature to rise;
• hot gas enters another heat exchanger (condenser), in which the heat of the refrigerant is given off to the heat carrier circulating in the internal circuit of the heating system, or to the air in the room;
• cooling, the refrigerant passes into a liquid state, after which it passes through the capillary pressure reducing valve, losing pressure, and then again finds itself in the evaporator;
• thus the cycle is complete and the process is ready to repeat.

Approximate calculation of heat output

For an hour, 2.5-3 cubic meters of coolant passes through the pump through the external collector, which the earth is able to heat by ∆t = 5-7 ° C (read also: ""). To calculate the thermal power of this circuit, you should use the formula:

Q \u003d (T 1 - T 2) x V, where:
V - coolant flow rate per hour (m 3 / hour);
T 1 - T 2 - inlet and outlet temperature difference (°C) .

Types of heat pumps

Depending on the type of dissipated heat consumed, heat pumps are:

• ground-water - for their work in a water heating system, closed ground contours or geothermal probes located at a depth are used (more details: "");
• water-water - the principle of operation in this case is based on the use of open wells for groundwater intake and discharge (read: ""). At the same time, the external circuit is not looped, and the heating system in the house is water;
• water-air - install external water circuits and use air-type heating structures;
• air-to-air - for their operation, they use the dissipated heat of the external air masses plus the air heating system of the house.

Advantages of heat pumps

1. Economy and efficiency. The principle of operation of the heat pumps shown in the photo is based not on the production of thermal energy, but on its transfer. Thus, the efficiency of the heat pump must be greater than unity. But how is this possible? In relation to the operation of heat pumps, a quantity is used, which is called the heat conversion coefficient, or abbreviated CTC. The characteristics of units of this type are compared precisely by this parameter.The physical meaning of the quantity is to determine the ratio between the amount of heat received and the energy spent to obtain it. For example, if the KPT coefficient is 4.8, this means that 1 kW of electricity consumed by the pump allows you to get 4.8 kW of heat, and free of charge by nature.
2. Universal universal application. In the absence of power lines available to consumers, the operation of the pump compressor is provided using a diesel drive. Since natural heat is everywhere, the principle of operation of this device allows you to use it everywhere.
3. Environmental friendliness. The principle of operation of a heat pump is based on low power consumption and the absence of combustion products. The refrigerant used by the unit does not contain chlorocarbons and is completely ozone safe.
4. Bidirectional mode of operation. During the heating period, the heat pump is able to heat the building, and in the summer to cool it. The heat taken from the premises can be used to provide the house with hot water, and if there is a pool, heat the water in it.
5. Safe operation. There are no dangerous processes in the operation of heat pumps - there is no open fire, and substances harmful to human health are not released. The coolant does not have a high temperature, which makes the device safe and at the same time useful in everyday life.
6. Automatic control of the space heating process.

The principle of operation of a heat pump, a fairly detailed video:

Some features of pump operation

To ensure the efficient operation of the heat pump, a number of conditions must be met:

• the room must be well-insulated (heat loss cannot exceed 100 W / m²);
• a heat pump is beneficial to use for low-temperature heating systems. This criterion is met by a floor heating system, since its temperature is 35-40°C. CPT largely depends on the ratio between the temperature of the inlet and outlet circuits.

The principle of operation of heat pumps is to transfer heat, which makes it possible to obtain an energy conversion coefficient of 3 to 5. In other words, each 1 kW of electricity used brings 3-5 kW of heat to the house.

Let's try to explain in the language of a simple layman what is " HEAT PUMP«:

Heat pump - This is a special device that combines a boiler, a source of hot water supply and an air conditioner for cooling. The main difference between a heat pump and other heat sources is the ability to use renewable low-grade energy taken from the environment (land, water, air, wastewater) to cover heat needs during the heating season, heat water for hot water supply and cool the house. Therefore, the heat pump provides a highly efficient energy supply without gas and other hydrocarbons.

Heat pump is a device that works like a reverse chiller, transferring heat from a low temperature source to a higher temperature environment, such as your home's heating system.

Each heat pump system has the following main components:

- primary circuit - a closed circulation system that serves to transfer heat from the ground, water or air to the heat pump.
- secondary circuit - a closed system that serves to transfer heat from the heat pump to the heating, hot water or ventilation system (inflow heating) in the house.

How a heat pump works similar to the operation of an ordinary refrigerator, only in reverse. The refrigerator takes heat from food and transfers it outside (to a radiator located on its back wall). A heat pump, on the other hand, transfers the heat accumulated in the soil, earth, reservoir, groundwater or air into your home. Like a refrigerator, this energy-efficient heat generator has the following main elements:

- condenser (heat exchanger in which heat is transferred from the refrigerant to the elements of the room heating system: low-temperature radiators, fan coil units, underfloor heating, radiant heating / cooling panels);
- throttle (a device that serves to reduce pressure, temperature and, as a result, close the heating cycle in the heat pump);
- evaporator (heat exchanger in which heat is taken from a low-temperature source to a heat pump);
- compressor (a device in which the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant vapor increases).

Heat pump arranged in such a way as to make the heat move in different directions. For example, during the heating of a house, heat is taken from some cold external source (land, river, lake, outdoor air) and transferred to the house. To cool (condition) the house, heat is taken from the warmer air in the house and transferred to the outside (discharged). In this respect, a heat pump is similar to a conventional hydraulic pump, which pumps liquid from the lower level to the upper level, while in normal conditions the liquid always moves from the upper level to the lower one.

Today, the most common are vapor compression heat pumps. The principle of their action is based on two phenomena: firstly, the absorption and release of heat by the liquid when the state of aggregation changes - evaporation and condensation, respectively; secondly, the change in the temperature of evaporation (and condensation) with a change in pressure.

In the evaporator of a heat pump, there is a working fluid - a refrigerant that does not contain chlorine - it is under low pressure and boils at a low temperature, absorbing heat from a low-grade source (for example, soil). Then the working fluid is compressed in a compressor, which is driven by an electric or other motor, and enters the condenser, where it condenses at a high pressure at a higher temperature, giving off the heat of condensation to a heat receiver (for example, a heating system coolant). From the condenser, the working fluid through the throttle again enters the evaporator, where its pressure decreases, and the refrigerant boiling process begins anew.

Heat pump is able to take heat from various sources, for example, air, water, soil. Also, it can release heat into air, water or ground. A warmer environment that receives heat is called a heat sink.

Heat pump X/Y uses medium X as heat source and Y heat carrier. A distinction is made between pumps "air-to-water", "soil-to-water", "water-to-water", "air-to-air", "soil-to-air", "water-to-air".

Heat pump "ground-water":

Air-to-water heat pump:

The regulation of the heating system using heat pumps in most cases is carried out by turning it on and off at the signal of a temperature sensor that is installed in the receiver (when heating) or the source (when cooling) of heat. The heat pump is usually tuned by changing the cross section of the throttle (thermal expansion valve).

Like a refrigeration machine, a heat pump uses mechanical (electrical or other) energy to implement a thermodynamic cycle. This energy is used to drive the compressor (modern heat pumps up to 100 kW are equipped with highly efficient scroll compressors).

(transformation ratio or efficiency) of a heat pump is the ratio of the amount of thermal energy that the heat pump produces to the amount of electrical energy that it consumes.

COP conversion factor depends on the temperature level in the evaporator and condenser of the heat pump. This value varies for various heat pump systems in the range from 2.5 to 7, that is, for 1 kW of electrical energy consumed, the heat pump generates from 2.5 to 7 kW of thermal energy, which is beyond the power of either a condensing gas boiler or any other generator heat.

Therefore, it can be argued that Heat pumps produce heat using a minimal amount of expensive electrical energy.

The energy saving and efficient use of a heat pump primarily depends on from where you decide to draw low-temperature heat, secondly - from the method of heating your house (water or air) .

The fact is that the heat pump works as a “transshipment base” between two thermal circuits: one heating at the inlet (on the evaporator side) and the second heated at the outlet (condenser).

All types of heat pumps are characterized by a number of features that you need to remember when choosing a model:

Firstly, a heat pump justifies itself only in a well-insulated house. The warmer the house, the greater the benefit of using this device. As you understand, it is not entirely reasonable to heat the street with a heat pump, collecting crumbs of heat from it.

Secondly, the greater the temperature difference between the heat carriers in the inlet and outlet circuits, the lower the heat conversion coefficient (COP), that is, the lower the savings in electrical energy. That's why more profitable connection of the heat pump to low-temperature heating systems. First of all, we are talking about heating with a water-heated floor or infrared water ceiling or wall panels. But the hotter the heat pump prepares water for the outlet circuit (radiators or shower), the less power it develops and the more electricity it consumes.

Thirdly, in order to achieve greater benefits, the operation of a heat pump with an additional heat generator is practiced (in such cases, one speaks of using bivalent heating scheme ).

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Heat pumps for home heating: pros and cons

1. Features of heat pumps
2. Types of heat pumps
3. Geothermal type heat pumps
4. Advantages and disadvantages of heat pumps

One of the highly efficient ways of heating a country house is the use of heat pumps.

The principle of operation of heat pumps is based on the extraction of thermal energy from the soil, reservoirs, groundwater, and air. Heat pumps for home heating do not have a harmful effect on the environment. How similar heating systems look like can be seen in the photo.

Such an organization of home heating and hot water supply has been possible for many years, but it has only recently begun to spread.

Features of heat pumps

The principle of operation of such devices is similar to refrigeration equipment.

Heat pumps take heat, accumulate it and enrich it, and then transfer it to the heat carrier. A condenser is used as a heat generating device, and an evaporator is used to recover low potential heat.

The constant increase in the cost of electricity and the introduction of stringent environmental requirements are causing the search for alternative methods of obtaining heat for heating houses and heating water.

One of them is the use of heat pumps, since the amount of heat energy received is several times greater than the electricity consumed (for more details: “Economical heating with electricity: pros and cons”).

If we compare heating with gas, solid or liquid fuels, with heat pumps, then the latter will be more economical. However, the very arrangement of the heating system with such units is much more expensive.

Heat pumps consume the electricity needed to run the compressor. Therefore, this type of building heating is not suitable if there are frequent problems with power supply in the area.

Heating a private house with a heat pump can have different efficiency, its main indicator is the conversion of heat - the difference between the consumed electricity and the heat received.

The difference between the temperature of the evaporator and the condenser is always present.

The larger it is, the lower the efficiency of the device. For this reason, when using a heat pump, you need to have a considerable source of low potential heat. Based on this, it follows that the larger the size of the heat exchanger, the lower the energy consumption. But at the same time, devices with large dimensions have a much higher cost.

Heating with a heat pump is found in many developed countries.

Moreover, they are also used to heat multi-apartment and public buildings - this is much more economical than the usual heating system in our country.

Types of heat pumps

These devices can be used over a wide temperature range. Usually they work normally at temperatures from -30 to + 35 degrees.

The most popular are absorption and compression heat pumps.

The latter of them use mechanical and electrical energy to transfer heat. Absorption pumps are more complex, but they are able to transfer heat using the source itself, thereby significantly reducing energy costs.

As for heat sources, these units are divided into the following types:

• air;
• geothermal;
• secondary heat.

Air source heat pumps for heating take heat from the surrounding air.

Geothermal heating systems use the thermal energy of the earth, underground and surface waters (for more details: "Geothermal heating: the principle of operation with examples"). Secondary heat pumps take energy from sewage, central heating - these devices are mainly used for heating industrial buildings.

This is especially beneficial if there are sources of heat that must be disposed of (read also: "Using the heat of the earth to heat the house").

Heat pumps are also classified according to the types of coolant, they can be air, soil, water, as well as their combinations.

Geothermal heat pumps

Heating systems that use heat pumps are divided into two types - open and closed. Open structures are designed to heat the water passing through the heat pump. After the coolant passes through the system, it is discharged back into the ground.

Such a system works ideally only if there is a significant amount of clean water, given the fact that its consumption will not harm the environment and will not conflict with current legislation. Therefore, before using a heating system that receives energy from groundwater, you should consult with the relevant organizations.

Closed systems are divided into several types:

1. Horizontal geothermal systems mean laying the collector in a trench below the freezing depth of the soil.

   This is approximately 1.5 meters. The collector is laid in rings in order to reduce the earthwork area to a minimum and provide a sufficient circuit in a small area (read: "Geothermal heat pumps for heating: the principle of the system design").

   This method is only suitable if there is a sufficient free area of ​​​​the site.

2. Geothermal structures with a vertical arrangement provide for the placement of a collector in a well up to 200 meters deep. This method is used when it is not possible to locate the heat exchanger over a large area, which is necessary for a horizontal well.

   Also, geothermal systems with vertical wells are made in the case of an uneven landscape of the site.

3. Geothermal water systems involve placing a collector in a reservoir at a depth below the freezing level. Laying is done in rings. Such systems cannot be used if the reservoir is small or not deep enough.

   It must be borne in mind that if the reservoir freezes at the level where the collector is located, the pump will not be able to work.

Heat pump air water - features, details on the video:

Advantages and disadvantages of heat pumps

Heating a country house with a heat pump has both positive and negative sides. One of the main advantages of heating systems is environmental friendliness.

Also, heat pumps are economical, unlike other heaters that consume electricity. Thus, the amount of generated thermal energy is several times greater than the consumed electricity.

Heat pumps are characterized by increased fire safety, they can be used without creating additional ventilation.

Since the system has a closed circuit, financial expenses during operation are minimized - you have to pay only for the consumed electricity.

The use of heat pumps also allows you to cool the room in the summer - this is possible due to the connection of fan coils to the collector and the "cold ceiling" system.

These devices are reliable, and the control of the work processes is fully automatic. Therefore, the operation of heat pumps does not require special skills.

The compact dimensions of the devices are also important.

The main disadvantage of heat pumps:

• high cost and significant installation costs. It is unlikely that you will be able to design heating with a heat pump with your own hands without special knowledge. It will take more than one year for the investment to pay off;
• the service life of the devices is approximately 20 years, after which it is highly likely that a major overhaul will be required.

  This, too, will cost dearly;

• the price of heat pumps is several times higher than the cost of gas, solid or liquid fuel boilers. A lot of money will have to be paid for drilling wells.

But on the other hand, heat pumps do not require regular maintenance, as is the case with many other heating appliances.

Despite all the advantages of heat pumps, they are still not widely used. This is due, first of all, to the high cost of the equipment itself and its installation. It will be possible to save money only if you create a system with a horizontal heat exchanger, if you dig trenches yourself, but this will take more than one day. As for the operation, the equipment is very profitable.

Heat pumps are an economical way to heat buildings without harming the environment.

They cannot be widely used due to the high cost, but this may change in the future. In developed countries, many owners of private houses use heat pumps - there the government encourages concern for the environment, and the cost of this type of heating is low.

A thermal ground or geothermal pump is one of the most energy efficient alternative energy systems. Its operation does not depend on the time of year and ambient temperature, as for an air-to-air pump, it is not limited by the presence of a reservoir or a well with groundwater near the house, like a water-to-water system.

The ground-to-water heat pump, which uses the heat taken from the soil to heat the coolant in the heating system, has the highest and constant efficiency, as well as the energy conversion coefficient (COP).

Its value is 1:3.5-5, that is, each kilowatt of electricity spent on the operation of the pump is returned by 3.5-5 kilowatts of thermal energy. Thus, the heating power of a soil pump makes it possible to use it as the only source of heat even in a house with a large area, of course, when installing a unit of the appropriate power.

A submersible soil pump requires equipment of a soil circuit with a circulating coolant to extract the heat from the earth.

There are two options for its placement: a horizontal soil collector (a system of pipes at a shallow depth, but a residually large area) and a vertical probe placed in a well from 50 to 200 m deep.

The efficiency of heat exchange with the soil significantly depends on what kind of soil lies - moisture-filled soil gives off much more heat than, for example, sandy soil.

The most common are pumps operating on the principle of ground-water, in which the coolant stores the energy of the soil and, as a result of passing through the compressor and heat exchanger, transfers it to water as a heat carrier in the heating system. Prices for soil pumps of this type correspond to their high efficiency and performance.

Submersible Soil Pump

Any complex high-tech units, such as GRAT ground pumps, as well as ground source heat pumps, require the attention of professionals.

Heat pump

We offer a full range of services for the implementation, installation and maintenance of heating and hot water systems based on heat pumps.

To date, European countries and China are especially popular among the producing countries of such units on the market.

The most famous models of heat pumps: Nibe, Stiebel Eltron, Mitsubishi Zubadan, Waterkotte. The domestic ground heat pump is no less in demand.

Our company prefers to work only with equipment from reliable European manufacturers: Viessmann and Nibe.

The heat pump extracts the accumulated energy from various sources - ground, artesian and thermal waters - waters of rivers, lakes, seas; purified industrial and domestic wastewater; ventilation emissions and flue gases; soil and the earth's interior - transfers and converts into energy at higher temperatures.

Heat pump – highly economical, environmentally friendly technology for heating and comfort

Thermal energy exists all around us, the problem is how to extract it without spending significant energy resources.

Heat pumps extract the accumulated energy from various sources - ground, artesian and thermal waters - waters of rivers, lakes, seas; purified industrial and domestic wastewater; ventilation emissions and flue gases; soil and the earth's interior - transfers and converts into energy at higher temperatures.

The choice of the optimal heat source depends on many factors: the size of the energy needs of your home, the installed heating system, the natural conditions of the region where you live.

The device and principle of operation of the heat pump

The heat pump functions like a refrigerator - just the other way around.

The refrigerator transfers heat from the inside to the outside.

The heat pump transfers the heat stored in the air, soil, subsoil or water into your home.

The heat pump consists of 4 main units:

Evaporator,

Capacitor,

Expansion valve (discharge valve-
throttle, lowers pressure),

Compressor (increases pressure).

These units are connected by a closed pipeline.

The piping system circulates a refrigerant that is a liquid in one part of the cycle and a gas in the other.

Earth's interior as a deep heat source

The earth's interior is a free heat source that maintains the same temperature all year round. The use of the heat of the earth's interior is an environmentally friendly, reliable and safe technology for providing heat and hot water to all types of buildings, large and small, public and private. The level of investment is quite high, but in return you will receive a safe to operate, with minimal maintenance requirements, an alternative heating system with the longest possible service life. Heat conversion coefficient (see. page 6) is high, reaches 3. The installation does not require much space and can be implemented on a small plot of land. The volume of restoration work after drilling is insignificant, the impact of the drilled well on the environment is minimal. There is no impact on the groundwater level as groundwater is not consumed. Thermal energy is transferred to the convection water heating system and used for hot water supply.

Ground heat - nearby energy

Heat accumulates in the surface layer of the earth during the summer.

The use of this energy for heating is advisable for buildings with high energy costs. The greatest amount of energy is extracted from soil with a high moisture content.

Ground source heat pump

Water heat sources

The sun heats water in the seas, lakes and other water sources.

Solar energy accumulates in water and bottom layers. Rarely the temperature drops below +4 °C. The closer to the surface, the more the temperature varies throughout the year, while at depth it is relatively stable.

Heat pump with water heat source

The heat transfer hose is laid on the bottom or in the bottom soil, where the temperature is still slightly higher,
than water temperature.

It is important that the hose be fitted with a weight to prevent
hose rises to the surface. The lower it lies, the lower the risk of damage.

The water source as a heat source is very efficient for buildings with relatively high heat demand.

Groundwater heat

Even groundwater can be used to heat buildings.

This requires a drilled well, from where water is pumped into the heat pump.

When using ground water, high demands are placed on its quality.

Ground water heat pump as heat source

After passing through the heat pump, water can be transported to a drainage channel or a well. Such a solution may lead to an undesirable decrease in the groundwater level, as well as reduce the operational reliability of the installation and have a negative impact on nearby wells.

Now this method is used less and less.

Groundwater can also be returned to the ground also through partial or complete infiltration.

Such a good heat pump

Heat conversion coefficient The higher the efficiency of the heat pump, the more profitable it is. Efficiency is determined by the so-called heat conversion coefficient or thermal transformation coefficient, which is the ratio of the amount of energy generated by the heat pump to the amount of energy spent on the heat transfer process. For example: The temperature transformation coefficient is 3. This means that the heat pump delivers 3 times more energy than it consumes. In other words, 2/3 is received "for free" from the heat source. How to make a heat pump for home heating with your own hands: the principle of operation and schemes The higher the energy demand of your home, the more money you save. Note The value of the temperature transformation coefficient is affected by the presence/ignorance in the calculations of the parameters of additional equipment (circulation pumps), as well as various temperature conditions. The lower the temperature distribution, the higher the temperature transformation coefficient becomes, heat pumps are most efficient in heating systems with low temperature characteristics.

When selecting a heat pump for your heating system, it is unprofitable to orient power indicators of the heat pump for the maximum power requirements (to cover the energy consumption in the heating circuit on the coldest day of the year). Experience shows that the heat pump should generate about 50-70% of this maximum, the heat pump should cover 70-90% (depending on the heat source) of the total annual energy demand for heating and hot water supply. At low external temperatures, the heat pump is used with the available boiler equipment or the peak closer, which the heat pump is equipped with.

Comparison of the costs of installing a heating system for an individual house based on a heat pump and a liquid fuel boiler.

For analysis, let's take a house with an area of ​​​​150-200 sq.m.

The most common variant of a modern country house for permanent use today.
The use of modern building materials and technologies ensures the amount of heat loss of the building at the level of 55 W/sq.m of floor.
To cover the total needs for thermal energy spent on heating and hot water supply of such a house, it is necessary to install a heat pump or boiler with a thermal output of approximately 12 kW / h.
The cost of the heat pump itself or the oil-fired boiler is only a fraction of the costs that must be incurred to commission the heating system as a whole.

The following is a far from complete list of the main associated costs for the installation of a turnkey heating system based on an oil-fired boiler, which are absent in the case of a heat pump:

air vent filter, fixed package, safety group, burner, boiler piping system, weather-compensated automatic control panel, emergency electric boiler, fuel tank, chimney, boiler.

All this in total is at least 8000-9000 euros. Taking into account the need to arrange the boiler room itself, the cost of which, taking into account all the requirements of the supervisory authorities, is several thousand euros, we come to a conclusion that is paradoxical at first glance, namely, the practical comparability of the initial capital costs when installing a turnkey heating system based on a heat pump and a liquid fuel boiler.

In both cases, the cost is close to 15 thousand euros.

Given the following undeniable advantages of a heat pump, such as:
Profitability. With the cost of 1 kW of electricity 1 ruble 40 kopecks, 1 kW of thermal power will cost us no more than 30-45 kopecks, while 1 kW of thermal energy from the boiler will cost 1 ruble 70 kopecks (with the price of diesel fuel 17 rubles / l);
Ecology. Environmentally friendly heating method for both the environment and people in the room;
Security. There is no open flame, no exhaust, no soot, no smell of diesel fuel, no gas leakage, no fuel oil spill.

There are no fire hazardous storages for coal, firewood, fuel oil or diesel fuel;

Reliability. A minimum of moving parts with a high resource of work. Independence from the supply of furnace material and its quality. Virtually maintenance free. The service life of the heat pump is 15 - 25 years;
Comfort. The heat pump operates silently (no louder than a refrigerator);
Flexibility. The heat pump is compatible with any circulating heating system, and the modern design allows it to be installed in any room;

An increasing number of owners of individual houses choose a heat pump for heating both in new construction and when upgrading an existing heating system.

Heat pump device

The near-surface technology of using low-potential thermal energy with the help of a heat pump can be considered as some kind of technical and economic phenomenon or a real revolution in the heat supply system.

Heat pump device. The main elements of a heat pump are the evaporator, compressor, condenser and flow regulator connected by a pipeline - a choke, expander or swirl tube (Fig. 16).

Schematically, a heat pump can be represented as a system of three closed circuits: in the first, external, the heat sink circulates (a heat carrier that collects the heat of the environment), in the second - a refrigerant (a substance that evaporates, taking away the heat of the heat sink, and condenses, giving off heat to the heat sink) , in the third - a heat sink (water in the heating and hot water supply systems of the building).

16. Heat pump device

The external circuit (collector) is a pipeline laid in the ground or in water, in which an antifreeze liquid circulates. It should be noted that both natural heat (outside air; heat of ground, artesian and thermal waters; waters of rivers, lakes, seas and other non-freezing natural reservoirs) and technogenic origin (industrial discharges, treatment facilities, heat from power transformers and any other waste heat).

The temperature required for the operation of the pump is usually 5-15 .

In the second circuit, where the refrigerant circulates, heat exchangers are built-in - an evaporator and a condenser, as well as devices that change the pressure of the refrigerant - a throttle spraying it in the liquid phase (a narrow calibrated hole) and a compressor compressing it already in the gaseous state.

Working cycle. The liquid refrigerant is forced through the throttle, its pressure drops, and it enters the evaporator, where it boils, taking away the heat supplied by the collector from the environment.

Further, the gas into which the refrigerant has turned is sucked into the compressor, compressed and, heated, is pushed into the condenser. The condenser is the heat dissipating unit of the heat pump: here the heat is received by the water in the heating circuit system. The gas is then cooled and condensed in order to be again depressurized in the expansion valve and returned to the evaporator. After that, the work cycle is repeated.

In order for the compressor to work (maintain high pressure and circulation), it must be connected to electricity.

But for every kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed, the heat pump produces 2.5-5 kilowatt-hours of thermal energy.

Heat pump for heating: principle of operation and advantages of use

This ratio is called the transformation ratio (or heat conversion ratio) and serves as an indicator of the efficiency of the heat pump.

The value of this value depends on the difference between the temperature levels in the evaporator and the condenser: the greater the difference, the smaller it is. For this reason, the heat pump should use as much of the low-grade heat source as possible without trying to cool it down too much.

Types of heat pumps.

Heat pumps come in two main types - closed and open circuit.

Open circuit pumps they use water from underground sources as a heat source - it is pumped through a drilled well into a heat pump, where heat exchange takes place, and the cooled water is discharged back into the underwater horizon through another well.

This type of pump is beneficial in that groundwater maintains a stable and fairly high temperature all year round.

Closed circuit pumps there are several types: vertical and g horizontal(Fig.17).

Pumps with a horizontal heat exchanger have a closed external circuit, the main part of which is dug horizontally into the ground, or laid along the bottom of a nearby lake or pond.

The depth of the pipes underground in such installations is up to a meter. This method of obtaining geothermal energy is the cheapest, but its use requires a number of technical conditions that are not always available in the developed area.

The main one is that the pipes should be laid so as not to interfere with the growth of trees, agricultural work, so that there is a low probability of damage to underwater pipes during agricultural or other activities.

Rice. 17. Surface geothermal system with heat exchange

Pumps with vertical heat exchanger include an external contour dug deep into the ground - 50-200 m.

This is the most efficient type of pump and produces the cheapest heat, but it is much more expensive to install than the previous types. The benefit in this case is due to the fact that at a depth of more than 20 meters, the temperature of the earth is stable all year round and is 15-20 degrees, and it only grows with increasing depth.

Air conditioning with heat pumps. One of the important qualities of heat pumps is the ability to switch from heating mode in winter to air conditioning mode in summer: only fan coil units are used instead of radiators.

A fancoil is an indoor unit into which a heat or coolant is supplied and air driven by a fan, which, depending on the water temperature, is either heated or cooled.

Includes: heat exchanger, fan, air filter and control panel.

Since fan coil units can operate both for heating and for cooling, several piping options are possible:
- S2 - pipe - when water plays the role of heat and coolant and their mixing is allowed (and, as an option, a device with an electric heater and a heat exchanger that works only for cooling);
- S4 - pipe - when the coolant (for example, ethylene glycol) cannot be mixed with the coolant (water).

The power of fan coil units for cold ranges from 0.5 to 8.5 kW, and for heat - from 1.0 to 20.5 kW.

They are equipped with low-noise (from 12 to 45 dB) fans with up to 7 rotation speeds.

Perspectives. The widespread use of heat pumps is hampered by insufficient public awareness. Potential buyers are frightened by rather high initial costs: the cost of the pump and installation of the system is $ 300-1200 per 1 kW of required heating power. But a competent calculation convincingly proves the economic feasibility of using these installations: investments pay off, according to rough estimates, in 4-9 years, and heat pumps serve for 15-20 years before a major overhaul.