23.1.2021

A heat pump is a device that is used for heating, heating domestic water, heating or reheating swimming pools, etc. The operation of the heat pump is maintenance-free and stands out for its low operating costs. A heat pump can be used to heat large building complexes as well as standard family houses.

The principle of the heat pump

The heat pump takes energy from the surrounding environment (solar energy left in the air, ground and water). In the evaporator of the heat pump, heat is removed using a refrigerant that evaporates at very low temperatures, and its vapors are subsequently compressed by a compressor, which heats them up. The heated refrigerant transfers heat to the heating water in the condenser, cools down and changes its state to liquid. The whole cycle repeats itself again.

For the proper operation of the heat pump and the drive of the compressor, it is necessary to supply a small amount of electricity. The ratio between the energy obtained by the heat pump and the energy delivered is called the heating factor.

Types of heat pumps

Air/water

Air/water heat pumps are the most popular heat pumps due to their economic availability. They obtain energy directly from the air that is sucked into the heat exchanger and cooled there.

Earth/water

Ground/water heat pumps excel with a high heating factor. The heat is pumped from ground wells or from a surface collector, the temperature of which is constant, so the heating factor is not dependent on the outside temperature.