- Heat pumps convert the energy extracted from the air into usable heat. The system consists of a lower heat source, the heat pump, and the upper source, the distribution system in the building.
- Supplying the heat pump with energy from a photovoltaic system leads to a reduction in energy costs to practically 0 PLN.
- The working medium transfers the heat from the lower source to the the heating system in the building. For cooling, the cycle is reversed.
Simple solutions are the best
What are heat pumps and how do they work?
Heat pumps are devices that transfer energy from one environment to another, in this case from outside to inside using the principles of gas thermodynamics. A heat pump is a device that does not produce energy, so we avoid any combustion process, which is of course a huge plus because we do not produce any dust, ash, fumes or other side effects. The device makes full use of the energy stored in the environment from water, ground or air.
By using appropriate processes, the pump can convert the collected, primary energy, which it will deliver to our heating system.
By using appropriate processes, the pump can convert the collected, primary energy, which it will deliver to our heating system.
We can say that they work similarly to a refrigerator or an air conditioner, whose technology has been known and reliable for many years. They are economical, ecological, maintenance-free and, most importantly, safe.
Operating principle
IT'S SIMPLE
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
DO WE HAVE TO FULFILL ANY CONDITIONS TO BE ABLE TO INSTALL A HEAT PUMP?
There are no contraindications. With a sensible building a heat pump will always be an effective source of heating. Of course, we can take certain measures to make our pump work as effectively as possible. It is for example about proper insulation of the house, replacement of high-parameter radiators with low-parameter ones. However, this is not always necessary.
IS THE PUMP ABLE TO COVER THE HEAT DEMAND ON ITS OWN?
Yes, with the correct choice of device – preceded by a technical audit of the property – the heat pump is able to cover the heat demand on its own.
WINTER IS THE LONGEST SEASON OF THE YEAR. WILL THE DEVICE PERFORM WELL IN OUR CLIMATE ZONE?
A heat pump works perfectly in our climate zone. It works more efficiently in a temperature range of -7 degrees Celsius to 7 degrees Celsius, which is the most days of the year! Even in winter the average temperature in Katowice for example is about -2 degrees Celsius.
DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO OVERSIZE THE PUMP SETTINGS?
Changing the settings or oversizing the device does not make any sense. The investment will be more expensive, for optimal operation of the heat pump a larger buffer will become necessary, in transitional periods when the outside temperature is + 6 – 10C the pump will have too much power excess in relation to the building’s needs. In economic terms, this is neither cost-effective nor sensible.
WHAT IS THE COST OF THE DEVICE?
Investing in heat pump systems can cost from a dozen to several dozen thousand zlotys. However, the cost of installation is difficult to predict, it will vary depending on many factors such as the size of the house, the insulation of the house and the temperature we intend to achieve. The main determinant of the price of a heat pump is its power and equipment, so the price range is wide. It costs 17-27 thousand zł, it can be and more.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR AN INVESTMENT TO PAY FOR ITSELF AND WHAT DOES IT DEPEND ON?
It is difficult to determine after what time the investment will pay for itself, it is also a very individual issue. It will be easier to calculate on a new building, where the costs of installing heat pumps are the same as the costs of e.g., gas installation, then we have profit from the very beginning. Electricity prices also influence the time of return on investment.
However, we should remember about non-monetary profits such as comfort of use, care for the environment or such mundane ones as moving bags of coal or removing ashes. We avoid dirt, combustion, smog, chad hazards, etc.
IS THE HEAT PUMP A LARGE AND NOISY APPLIANCE?
Heat pumps need some outdoor space, the unit can be mounted on a wall or placed directly on the ground. Importantly, you need to leave some space around the installation for good airflow. As for the space inside the house, the SPLIT type of pump does not take up more space than a gas stove, while the MONOBLOK type pump only takes up space outside. As for the volume of the devices, it does not exceed 68db at the highest load. To illustrate, this is the volume of a group of talking and laughing people. The pumps have inverter compressors that adjust their power to demand, so most of the time they work very quietly. In fact, we hear the hum of flowing air.
WHAT IS THE LIFETIME OF THE PUMP AND DOES IT HAVE ANY WARRANTY?
Heat pumps actually have very few moving parts susceptible to damage. We use the highest quality components. In NETSU we give 7 years warranty for the device with regular service inspections. The life span of a heat pump can be safely estimated at 15-20 years.
WHAT IS THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF THE HEAT PUMP AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ELECTRICITY RUNS OUT?
Depending on the capacity of the unit. As a rule of thumb, the SCOP (Seasonal Coefficient of Performance) is between 3 and 4. This means that if a house needs 16000 kWh of energy, then 16000/4(SCOP4) = 4000 energy consumed. COP and SCOP show (temporarily and seasonally) how many kilowatts of thermal energy we can produce from 1 kWh of electricity. For example, a newly built (according to new building guidelines) house for 2 people with an area of 120m2 should consume no more than 1500 kWh for the pump alone.
When there is no electricity, no heat source really works. Feeders for eco-pea and other burned fuels do not work, neither do the circulation pumps pumping water to radiators, nor do the heat pumps work.
WHAT DISTINGUISHES NETSU HEAT PUMPS AND WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT THEM?
NETSU heat pumps operate on components from top-class companies – Mitsubishi, Wilo, Grundfos, Alfa Laval. Our pumps are equipped with R32 refrigerant, which is more ecological, two heating circuits as a standard + domestic hot water – we attach a drip tray with tray heater, we have complete equipment from tanks to mounting brackets. Interestingly, NETSU heat pumps can be managed from anywhere in the world via a Wi-Fi app.
An important note about heat pumps is that you can combine it with other energy sources. Choosing pumps with photovoltaics our electricity bills can be 0zl. Besides, if we decide on both sources of energy subsidy from the program “Clean Air” will be higher.
Another piece of information that cannot be omitted is the fact that heat pumps are maintenance-free. We only set the desired temperature of water or rooms and do nothing else. We can have control through the control panel or the previously mentioned app. We also cannot forget about the annual inspection of the pump during the warranty period. Pumps not only heat rooms, but thanks to fan coil units also work as air conditioning. The temperature can also be lowered by means of the floor. So in the summer, hot days we can cool the room.