Reversible Heat Pump and Air conditioning
Reversible heat pump: ecological heating and air conditioning
Reversible heat pumps are used in air conditioning systems to produce both heat and cooling. In practice, reversible air conditioners are actually reversible heat pumps. Other types of heat pumps can also be reversed, such as: water pumps and air source heat pumps. The primary function of a heat pump is heating, it is not as effective at cooling down, but a reduction of 3 or 4 degrees in the ambient temperature is feasible.
How a heat pump is reversed ?
A heat pump draws the heat from the air outside or the soil or ground water and processes it before pumping it into the home. A reversible heat pump is able to reverse this cycle: extracting heat from inside the home and discharging it outside. The efficiency of the process is measured as a coefficient of cooling efficiency. This ratio compares the heat a pump absorbs in comparison to the electrical energy it consumes during the operation.
Benefits of air/water or reversible water/water pump
The main advantage is that heating and cooling are both part of one single installation. It can save on space, and money, as both functions are carried out by the same system. This type of system is extremely environmentally friendly as it uses the energy available in nature. It can reduce your energy bills.
Disadvantages of reversible heat pump
The cooling function has its limitations. If the climate is extremely hot, it will be unable to cool the air sufficiently. The initial installation is more expensive than traditional air conditioning units or geothermal heating systems.
Reversible Air Conditioning
This is possibly one of the first questions you need to ask yourself when choosing an air conditioning system. Do you want a reversible air conditioner which also provides heat in winter? This can save you space and money, as you effectively have two systems rolled into one. Although the basic concept is simple enough – the unit can work in reverse – and take cold air and provide heat, the reversibility function is nearly always secondary and a unit may not always perform as efficiently when heating as opposed to cooling.
There are two main types available:
- Reversible air conditioning: uses a reversible heat pump, but is best used for supplementary hear rather than the principal heating source in many cases.
- Reversible heat pump: while very effective at heating, this type of system is less effective when cooling, and may not be adequate for extremely hot climates.