A heat pump works by transferring heat from one place to another using a refrigeration cycle, similar to how a refrigerator or air conditioner operates. It extracts heat from a source such as outside air, the ground, or water, even when temperatures are cold, and moves that heat indoors to warm a building. Conversely, it can reverse the process to cool a building by extracting heat from inside and releasing it outside
How a Heat Pump Works in Heating Mode:
- The heat pump absorbs heat from the outside air or ground, causing a refrigerant liquid inside the pump to evaporate into a gas as it absorbs this heat.
- This gas is compressed, which raises its temperature significantly.
- The hot gas then passes through an indoor coil where it releases heat to warm the indoor air or water in a heating system, causing the gas to condense back into a liquid.
- The refrigerant then cycles back to the outside unit to repeat the process
How a Heat Pump Works in Cooling Mode:
- The process is reversed: the refrigerant absorbs heat from inside the building, evaporating into a gas.
- This gas is compressed and then releases heat outside as it condenses back into a liquid.
- Cooler air is then circulated inside the building
A key component is the reversing valve, which allows the heat pump to switch between heating and cooling modes. The system uses electricity to power the compressor and pumps but moves more heat energy than the electrical energy it consumes, making it an efficient heating and cooling solution
. In summary, a heat pump does not generate heat but redistributes existing heat from the environment to provide heating or cooling efficiently year-round
