subject: Understanding How Heat Pumps Work [print this page] Understanding How Heat Pumps Work Understanding How Heat Pumps Work
The modern heat pump is a very useful device, in fact in many countries where they experience the four seasons, this might even come as a necessity. The heat pump is very unique yet is it has a very simple schematic. Aside from allowing it to have such a versatile system, it really does make each and every home as cozy and comfortable as possible.
The heat pump works almost like an air conditioner or A/C but not entirely, as a matter of fact it works a lot more like a refrigerator. Not only does it help lower down the temperature at home during the hot months, it can also operate in reverse and it can actually act as an indoor heater and provide warmer air inside the house during the chilly winter months.
The job of the pump is very basic and simple; its goal is just actually to transfer the heat from a certain source of location towards a new area or heat sink. This is done by the pump through mechanical means and by exploiting the properties of the fluid refrigerant. With the aid of the principles behind the refrigerant, the pump can actually manipulate the temperature of the fluid and produce heat or cool air through pressure.
Pressure is a very important part of the whole pump system. Not only is it vital in the use of the heat pump it is also the principle that is used behind refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners, the main difference is that the pump can reverse the whole process through a reversing valve that causes a reverse cycle.
The first part of the heat pump that you will have to know about is the compressor. This part of the device compresses the liquid and starts to slowly pressurize it. As the liquid gets pressured up, the molecules start to vibrate and it will start to accumulate more and more heat, and as soon as it does heat up, the liquid is the flowed out to the condenser where the heat is given off and the liquid will start to drop in temperature. This portion of the device's mechanism is used to provide as much heat to a certain location as possible, as the heat is given off, the rooms temperature will also start to increase.
The next part is the cooling phase. This part of the pump's mechanism will start to create a cooling effect on the room's temperature, as it emits the cold temperature, the room's overall temperature will also start to drop down. This process is done after the heating process; in effect the pump does a cycle. After it emits the heat, it will then flow towards an expander or an expansion valve. There the liquid will start to lower the pressure and lower its temperature also. After this is achieved, it is then flowed into an evaporator where it will start cooling a designated location also.
