Geothermal heat pump: higher efficiency

2023-04-26 17:47:00

Concern about saving at home is growing every day. The increase in energy prices and especially electricity makes us all look for ways to save. Added to this is the news that every day the use of fossil fuels will be further restricted, as in the case of Germany, where They have prohibited the installation of gas boilers in new homes.

so it is the path we must take is that of the heat pump. However, there are different models, so which one to choose for maximum efficiency? Is the geothermal heat pump the best solution?

Types of heat pump

We have at our disposal different types of heat pumpstherefore it is convenient to know them and know Which is the one that best suits us in our home?. Also, heat pumps can be named in different ways. However, the most common way to name them is by the origin and destination of the energy that heat pumps transfer.

Thus, we speak of air-water heat pumps or ground-water heat pumps, to refer to to the place where it absorbs thermal energy in winter in the first position and to the element to which we transfer it.

Also called air to air heat pumpsince it takes advantage of the energy of the outside air, to condition the air in our home.

• Aerothermal heat bomb

It is very similar to an air conditioning unit, since the outdoor unit is very similar, although the equipment inside the house is different. This model has two versions, since It can be used for air conditioning through fan coils, or to heat water, which will circulate for heating or for sanitary purposes..

• Hydronic heat pump

Also called water-water or water-air heat pump. They are equipment that take advantage of the thermal energy of subsoil water to provide it to our home. The use is made in a similar way to an aerothermal heat pump.

• geothermal heat pump

Also Known As ground-water or ground-air heat pumptakes advantage of the thermal energy of the subsoil, to contribute it to our house or building.

How does the geothermal heat pump work?

He operation is similar in all heat pumps, with the main difference being how it dissipates or absorbs thermal energy, depending on the element it uses (air, water or earth). So, a geothermal equipment takes advantage of the constant temperature of the subsoil to carry out the exchange of thermal energy.

The great advantage that land offers is that, at a depth of a couple of meters, the temperature is very constant throughout the year. While the air can vary significantly in temperature in a few hours, the subsoil is much more stable, barely varying a few degrees throughout the year.

This feature makes itThe geothermal heat pump is much more efficient than aerothermal. While an air-water heat pump has a performance close to 4, The geothermal energy is capable of reaching a COP of 6. In other words, an aerothermal heat pump is capable of providing 4 kW of heat, consuming just one kW of electricity. For his part, a geothermal pump is capable of generating up to 6 kW of heat, requiring only one kW of electricity.

Dissipation pipes in the ground

Regarding the way to dissipate or capture the heat from the subsoil, the heat pump requires pipes that are installed buried in the subsoil. These pipes can be installed in two different ways, either horizontally or vertically.

For this type of mountingSeveral wells must be made, the depth of which will depend on the power to be dissipated. The heat pump technician performs the necessary calculations to determine how many wells and how deep they should be made.

Another difference between the two types of installation is that in in vertical mode so-called geothermal probes are usedwhich are different from pipes that are installed horizontally.

• horizontal installation

Horizontal installation is somewhat easier and cheaper, since it is based on extending the pipe in trenches made on the ground. It is easier, because any installer or builder has the necessary machinery to make the trenches, on the other hand, to carry out the perforations for the wells, special drilling machines are needed. He use of this special machinery makes the price of the installation rise.

Geothermal heat pump benefits

The ground-water heat pump provides great advantages over other types of systems.

combinable: geothermal combines with a photovoltaic installationsince it provides the electricity that the heat pump needs, making the whole completely autonomous and renewable.

Energy efficiency: geothermal equipment is between 4 and 6 times more efficient than traditional systems that run on fossil fuels.

ecological: CO emissions₂ of a heat pump are much smaller than gas-fired boilers.

Invisible: Heat pumps do not need to be outdoors, since they exchange with the subsoil, so they can be installed in basements or technical rooms.

Reversible: They are equipment that can reverse their operating cycle, so we can enjoy air conditioning all year round, both in winter and summer.

Saving: equipment with inverting technology ensures minimal power consumption. Even so, those models that do not have an invert system are still more efficient than a gas or diesel boiler.

Low noise level: its operation is very quiet.

Lifespan: The heat pump can serve us for a minimum of 15 years, although, with proper maintenance, it can reach 20 or 25 years.

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