| | The heat pump principleHeat pumps use the principle of the “refrigeration cycle” which has been around in one form or another for over 200 years. An environmentally friendly refrigerant is sequentially evaporated, compressed and liquefied in a closed circuit system.
Heat is absorbed from the environment in the “evaporation” phase of the cycle as the liquid refrigerant turns into a gas. The compressor squeezes the gas. As this happens the latent heat is given off via the “condenser” as the gas turns back into a liquid. It is this heat that we use to warm our building. The liquid refrigerant passes back to the evaporator and the cycle begins again.
The efficiency of this process is the key to heat pump performance. Some energy is used to drive the cycle but efficiency levels of 4-500% can be achieved.
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