Different Types Of Heat Pump Systems

There are many different types of heat pumps in today’s HVAC market. Heat pumps are a type of equipment that can provide both heat and cooling to a designated area. They are also an energy efficient alternative to furnaces for all climates throughout the year. It’s fair to say that heat pumps are revolutionary in today’s age but have you ever asked yourself “What are the different types of heat pumps?” Thankfully, here at D-Mec, we will happily answer this question for you.

Different Types Of Heat Pump Systems 

To start this article, we are going to discuss the different types of heat pumps systems available today: 

Air-Sourced Ducted Heat Pumps

There are three main types of heat pumps that are connected by ducts. They are:

1. Air-to-Air – which transfers heat from the outside air to air inside your home in turn, increasing the temperature of your room. 
2. Water Source – which works by extracting heat from a body of water and converting it into useful energy to heat your home. This is due to heat transferring better in water and is a more efficient alternative than ground or air source heat pumps. They use a series of submerged pipes containing a working fluid to absorb the heat from a river, lake or similar setting. 
3. Geothermal – which is a heating duct system predominantly for buildings and transfers heat from the ground by taking advantage of the changing temperatures of the Earth throughout the seasons. 

Out of the three, the most common heat pump is definitely the air-source heat pump which you would typically see across the UK. 

– Ductless Heat Pumps

When discussing the different types of heat pumps, people may be unaware of the fact that homes may not be practical enough to include ductwork in order for their heat pump to be efficient. Thankfully, due to recent technology innovation, heat pumps are available in ductless versions (often referred to as a ‘mini-split heat pump’) and are generally wall mounted. 

Mini-split heat pumps are by far the most common type of ductless heat pump system. The appliances come in two separate units, an outdoor unit housing a condenser and compressor and an indoor unit with the evaporator. The indoor unit is mounted high up on the inside wall, spreading conditioned air across the room while the outdoor unit is placed outside, usually opposite the indoor unit. 

A small hidden hole through the wall carries the pipes and electrical cables which are needed to connect both the units. These pipes consist of a refrigerant pipe and a pipe to carry the condensed water from the indoor unit and expel it outside. They are highly energy efficient and are easy to install.

– Absorption Heat Pumps

Next on our list of different types of heat pump systems we have the absorption variant which are relatively new in the HVAC industry. In essence, absorption heat pumps use thermal energy as their energy source to heat a designated area. The typical heat sources used to generate hea consist of: combustion of natural gas, steam solar-heated water and air or geothermal-heated water. Because of this, they are different from compression heat pumps that are driven by mechanical energy. Finally, they are a more complex system and require larger units compared to your standard air source heat pumps. 

– Hybrid Heat Pumps

The final point we would like to discuss in relation to the different types of heat pumps available in today’s HVAC market is the hybrid unit. A hybrid heat pump is essentially a heat pump combined with another energy source like a gas, LPG or oil boiler. Together, the pump and heat source can provide a more constant source of warmth at a higher level of efficiency. Hybrid heat pumps are advantageous for people with an existing heat generation source as they do not need to change their radiators if they install it. 

– Final Point 

To conclude this article, we have discussed the different types of heat pump systems available. In addition, there are a wide array of benefits for all the types of heat pumps and because of this, it may be the preferred method of choice for heating commercial buildings in the future. For a small amount of energy, it can convert heat from a low temperature to a high temperature and for ones that can be used to power radiators, they are certainly beneficial around homes.

If you need some guidance or solutions to any heat pump services, then you have certainly come to the right place here at D-Mec. Our engineers here are fully qualified and trained so you can rest assured that we have the exact solution you need. For more information regarding our services, contact us on: 

Phone: 01525 852 819

Email: info@d-mec.co.uk