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Types of heat pump systems
A System with an Extended Horizontal Collector
The heat pump evaporator is a collector made of a polyethylene tube that is placed
horizontally underground at a depth of approximately 1,5m. There the refrigerant
takes away the heat, stored from the solar energy that has gone in the Earth's crust.
The Earth's heat collected by the heat pump is passed on the indoor heating circuit
that can be done as underfloor, wall or fan coil heating or joined up the Domestic
Hot Water system. The work and the parametters of the system are adjusted by an
electronic control system.
 
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A system for a direct underground water passage by the heat pump’s evaporator |
A system with a depth drilling |
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The heat pump installed in the supplying test-pit gives to the evaporator underground
water with a constant through the year temperature of + 12 Ñ. The heat exchange between the water and the Freon happens there and the Freon evaporates. The
cooled till about + 7 C water on the evaporator’s output is returned in the ground
by the test-pit. This system gives up the highest factor of energy conversion and is recommended
whenever there is a sufficiency of underground water. |
This system is used in the case of there isn't an available water source to provide a sufficiency of underground water with the required characteristics as well as there isn’t a sufficient area for an extended horizontal collector. In that case erect collectors are placed in a depth drilling (or a system of drillings).The collectors are brimed with a refrigerator - a gas (CO2, Freon, etc.) or a solution of salt. In the second case a heat exchanger is installed in addition. |
 Heat pump systems
effectiveness
The geothermal heating systems combine maximum comfort and minimal cost. Geothermal
heating ranks among the top-flight heating systems, offering the best performance
in terms of comfort.
A pre-installation study at the design stage identifies the rooms that lose the
most heat. More coils are then embedded in the floors of the coldest rooms (for
example, those facing north) to compensate for the heat loss.
Underfloor heating
Low temperature underfloor heating is the best solution for ensuring an even
temperature from floor to the ceiling. The air is never "dried out" and is therefore
healthier, the floors are never cold during the winter and the living spaces are
unencumbered by heating fixtures.
Domestic hot water
Domestic hot water is available at no extra cost: thanks to the high temperature
of the refrigerant as it exits the compressor, it can heat the contents of a 300 litre
hot water tank using a specifically designed heat exchanger.
Cooling the house
Whatever a technological solution is selected, all geothermal systems can also
be used as cooling systems by simply reversing the flow of the refrigerant and
thus channelling the heat out into the ground. The heat pump in the direct condensation
and evaporation systems draws the hot air into air-conditioning units where it
is cooled, whereas in the dual water heat exchenger and the hybrid systems, the
heat is flushed out via the hydraulic circuit.
In the latter cases, it is possible to cool the house using the floor coils as
long as some precautions are taken. Since this cooling system does not dehumidify
the air the way the air systems do, the floor temperature cannot be set lower
than 20°C when the outside temperatures stands at 35°C, as the floor would be
covered with condensation.
It is therefore preferable to cool interiors in the warmer climatic areas using
a network of air conditioning units. although this is slightly more expensive
than a cooling floor system, it is almost as effective as traditional air systems.
Heating the pool
The heat pump that heats the house can also be used to heat a swimming pool.
In this case, the home heating circuit is simply closed while a heat exchanger
is used to channel the heat to the pool. The system can be set to automatically
maintain the indoor temperature while directing any excess heat to the pool. This
feature comes in hand during the spring and autumn. Including the pool in the
system's configuration makes the geothermal heating even more efficient.
Comfort means freedom: geothermal heating systems spare you the task of filling
the oil tank as well as cleaning the ducts and pipes. It's easy to operate and
requires no specific maintenance. This convenience costs significantly less than
traditional heating systems: for every kilowatt of electricity used by the compressor,
tree or four kilowatts of heat are generated, depending on the configuration.
Consumers can thus save up to 75% on heating bills as compared with traditional
electric heating systems in addition to the savings on maintenance and cleaning
costs. The initial investment is approximately equal to the outlay for a traditional
heating system, while the operating costs are substatially lower. The investment
quickly pays for itself.
Operation of heat pump systems
The heat pump works as the classical freezing machine do. The Freon enters into
the compressor where its temperature and pressure increase. Next the Freon enters
into the condenser where it renders the temperature to the heating circuit’s refrigerant
and it transforms from gaseous state to liquid. Through the expansion valve the
Freon enters again the evaporator where it evaporates under the influence of the
detracted temperature from the outdoor circulation circuit. Then the Freon enters
once again the compressor. The earth warmth which is taken by the evaporation
and delivered at the machine by the outdoor circulation circuit is transformed
into heat by the compressor. In the end the heating circuit delivers this heat
to the building.
Application
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Airport |
Autohouse |
Hospital |
Hotel |
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Museum |
Restaurant |
Schools and kindergartens |
Public buildings and offices |
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