How heat pumps work
In this article we explain how heat pumps work, what types exist and what their advantages and disadvantages are. Heat pumps are devices that take advantage of thermal energy from the environment to transfer it from one place to another, depending on the heating or cooling needs. How heat pumps work What is a heat pump? A heat pump is a system that uses a refrigerant fluid to absorb heat from a cold source and transfer it to a hot source, through a reversible thermodynamic cycle. The refrigerant fluid changes from liquid to gaseous state and vice versa, depending on the pressure and temperature to which it is subjected. The basic operation of a heat pump can be summarized in four stages: - Evaporation: the refrigerant fluid circulates through an evaporator, where it absorbs heat from the environment (air, water or earth) and evaporates. - Compression: the refrigerant vapor passes through a compressor, where its pressure and temperature are increased. - Con...