Air heat pumps: description, principle of operation. Thermal air pump for the house by own hands (responses)

Among the main directions of the development of engineering equipment for private households can be distinguished productivity increase with ergonomics and expansion of functionality. At the same time, more and more often developers pay attention to the energy efficiency of the technical equipment of communication systems. Heating infrastructure is considered to be the most costly, therefore, companies show special interest in the means of providing it. Among the most tangible results of work in this direction is a thermal air pump, which replaces the traditional heating equipment, increasing the energy efficiency of the house.

Features of thermal air pumps

The main difference is in the way of heat generation. Most modern heating systems require the use of traditional energy sources as a source. However, in the case of air pumps and for heating, and for providing hot water supply, most of the energy is consumed directly from natural resources. About 20% of the total capacity is allocated to supply from the usual stations. Thus, air heat pumps for home heating save energy and do less damage to the ecological environment. It is noteworthy that the conceptual versions of the pumps were designed to provide office space and enterprises. But in the future, technology covered the segment of household equipment, allowing ordinary users to use profitable sources of thermal energy.

Principle of operation

The entire working process is based on the circulation of the refrigerant that takes heat energy from the source. Heating occurs after the condensation of air currents, which are compressed in the compressor. Further, the refrigerant in the liquid state passes directly into the heating system. Now it is possible to consider in more detail the principle of circulation of the coolant in the pump design. In a gaseous state, the refrigerant is sent to a heat exchanger enclosed in an indoor unit. There it gives heat to the room and is converted into a liquid. At this stage, the receiver enters the case, which is also supplied with an air heat pump. The principle of operation of the standard version of this device assumes that in this block the liquid will exchange heat with the refrigerant, which has a low pressure. As a result of this process, the temperature of the formed mixture will decrease again, and the liquid will go to the output of the receiver. When the gaseous refrigerant passes through the low pressure pipe in the receiver, its overheating intensifies, after which it fills the compressor.

Specifications

The main technical indicator is the power, which in the case of home models varies from 2.5 to 6 kW. Semi-industrial can also be used in the communication of private houses, if a power capacity of more than 10 kW is required. As for the size of the pumps, they correspond to traditional air conditioners. Moreover, they can be confused in appearance with a split-system. The standard unit can have parameters 90x50x35 cm. The mass also corresponds to typical climatic installations - on the average 40-60 kg. Of course, the main issue concerns the range of covered temperatures. Since the air heat pump is oriented to the heating function, the upper limit is considered to be the target and on average reaches 30-40 ° C. True, there are also versions with combined functions that also cool the room.

Varieties of structures

There are several concepts of heat generation with an air pump. As a result, the design is sharpened specially for the requests of a specific generation scheme. The most popular model is the interaction in one system of air currents and water carrier. The main classification divides the structures according to the type of organization of the functional blocks. So, there is a thermal air pump in a monoblock casing, and there are also models that allow the system to go out with the help of an auxiliary segment. By and large, both models repeat the operating principle of conventional air conditioners, only their functions and performance are raised to a new level.

Application of modern technologies

Innovative developments in many ways and caused the development of classical climatic installations. In particular, Mitsubishi uses in its models a scroll compressor with a two-phase injection of refrigerant, which allows the equipment to perform its function independently of the temperature conditions. Even at -15 ° C, a thermal air pump from Japanese developers demonstrates a performance of up to 80%. In addition, the latest models are equipped with new control systems, through which more convenient, safe and efficient operation of the plant is ensured. With all the processability of the equipment, it is also possible to integrate it into traditional heating systems with boilers and boilers.

Manufacture of air pumps by own hands

First of all, you need to purchase a compressor for a future installation. It is fixed in the wall and performs the function of the outdoor unit of a conventional split-system. Further, the complex is supplemented with a condenser, which can be made independently. For this operation, a copper "coil" of a thickness of the order of 1 mm is required, which must then be placed in a plastic or metal casing - for example, a tank or a cistern. The prepared tube is wound on the core, which can be a balloon with dimensions that allow it to be integrated into the tank. Using a perforated aluminum corner, it is possible to form turns with the same spacing, which will make the air heat pump more effective . With their hands, many domestic craftsmen also perform brazing of a copper pipe with the subsequent injection of Freon, which will act as a coolant. Further, the assembled structure is connected to the heating system of the house by means of an external circuit.

Reviews about self-made installations

Implement a system that will duplicate the function of factory pumps of this type is not difficult. However, the performance of such an aggregate in a large house will hardly be perceptible. Users of such installations complain about the inconvenience of managing the system. The regulation of operational parameters is done manually, which is very inconvenient. And this, not to mention the risks, in terms of safety - this is one of the biggest drawbacks that air heat pumps have. Reviews, in particular, note problems with the movement of refrigerant, which can only be solved with the help of specialists. There are other negative nuances of using self-made air pumps, but they overlap with the advantage of a cheap cost of assembling such an assembly. For comparison, the firm installation is estimated at 20-30 thousand rubles.

Alternative to air pumps

Parallel to the idea of using the natural energy of water and air, the concepts of obtaining heat from the earth have also been developing in recent years. This principle is based on similar installations that use soil as a source. A feature of such systems is the use of geothermal probes as heat exchangers. If a heat air pump uses a refrigerant with tubular capacitors, then it is assumed that the functional elements are plunged into the ground in order to accumulate its energy. Actually, this is the main difficulty of using such systems - ideally they should be immersed to a depth of about 10 m, which is not always possible.

Conclusion

A departure from traditional energy sources does not always produce the expected results. Typically, developers are trying to create systems that in the future will save the user from financial dependence on communication support. In this sense, an air heat pump for a home is one of the most successful solutions. It assumes minimal electricity costs for maintaining heating, but at the same time it does not lose to classical heating systems in terms of productivity. It is advantageous to install heat pumps not only for their economy, but also for ease of use. The design practically does not impose restrictions on the use of modern electronic stuffing, so manufacturers are trying to supply models with control systems of the latest generation.