Comfort Flow Heating serves all of Oregon with the best quality heating and cooling. Twitter Link. Request Information. Commercial HVAC. Our Blog Home » Blog. How Ductless Heating and Cooling Works We have previously recommended that homeowners look into having a ductless mini split installed for both heating and cooling. Point Heating and Cooling—Centralized! Want to Know More? Offering services to Willamette Valley for more than 60 years. So, your heat pump draws heat from the outdoors, which evaporates the coolant.
The coolant then travels to the air handler, which transfers the heat from the refrigerant and pumps it into the room. But wait! You say. And, then you ask the logical question: What heat outside? Once again, warmth or thermal energy naturally moves toward cold areas. That coolant is very cold, so what little heat there is begins warming it up.
This time, however, the heat pump uses a compression process to amplify that heat. As opposed to the evaporator coils that absorb heat from the air, the condenser coil releases the heat absorbed by the refrigerant to the outside air. After the absorption of heat from the room, the refrigerant is compressed and converted to hot gas. The refrigerant is then circulated through the condenser coils, where a fan blows ambient air over them.
This process cools down the refrigerant, condensing it to liquid form. This process is done when the refrigerant leaves the evaporator coil. But why do we need to increase the pressure of the refrigerant?
The simple answer is a pressure difference. Just like how water flows from a higher point to a lower one, gas flows from high pressure to low. As a consequence of the increase in pressure, the temperature of the gaseous refrigerant also rises. The compressor raising the pressure will also increase the temperature. It is important to increase the temperature because, as is the case with pressure, temperature flows from high to low.
The temperature of the refrigerant is higher than the ambient air facing the outdoor unit. As a result, the refrigerant can transfer the heat to the outside air and cool down. After passing through the condenser and before going on to the evaporator, the refrigerant must be cooled down to a low-pressure liquid state.
This is where the expansion valve plays its role. An expansion valve rapidly expands the liquid and reduces both the temperature and pressure. Conversely, during the winters, a refrigerant pumps the heat into the room.
Common refrigerants currently in use within the refrigeration industry are R and RA, with the latter gaining prominence lately. The first refrigerants for the heat pump industry were made in by a group of engineers working at General Motors. These refrigerants belonged to the chlorofluorocarbon CFC class of refrigerants. Over time, these refrigerants were known to harm the environment in the form of ozone depletion.
The current refrigerant in use, RA, works at a higher temperature than R This is why heat pumps for R cannot use RA. Lower power consumption then has the added benefit of lowering the total demand for power plants, thus reducing greenhouse emissions. A heat pump moves the refrigerant through various components of a heat pump, as discussed in detail above. During the summer months, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the room and expels it out into the environment.
The refrigerant is passed through an expansion valve, which converts the previously liquid-formed refrigerant into a gas. The expansion cools down the refrigerant. It is then passed through the evaporator coils. A fan blows air over these coils, which is introduced into the room. In this process, the refrigerant absorbs the heat and warms up. The refrigerant is now compressed and pressurized.
The condenser is then used to extract heat out of the refrigerant. This heat is ejected into the outside air. Now, the liquid refrigerant passes through the expansion valve. It is then again converted to a gas, ready to go through the full refrigeration cycle again. Ductless heat pumps come in many forms. You can just about find a ductless heat pump for your own needs and appropriate to your room size. By far, the most common type of ductless heat pumps, wall-mounted mini-split heat pumps , present the future of air conditioning.
The indoor unit can be mounted high up on the inside wall, sufficiently spreading air across the room. The outdoor unit is usually placed right outside, opposite the indoor unit. A small hidden hole through the wall carries the pipes and electrical cables 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. Ductless mini-split heat pumps provide many advantages over other types of heat pumps.
These include the benefit of high energy efficiency, and easy installation. Much like mini-split heat pumps, multi-split heat pumps have an indoor unit and an outdoor.
But instead of one outdoor connected to one indoor unit, a single outdoor unit can power up multiple indoor units. A larger outdoor unit is then needed to be sufficient for the indoor units. Window heat pumps are small packaged air conditioners, with all the components assembled in one single unit.
They may be smaller in size than mini-splits but can still pack a punch. Typically, window air conditioners come up to 12, BTU, but some manufacturers also provide higher capacity ratings. These units are often used to cool down a single room or at most two. They are easy to install, requiring only a minute process. You can either mount these units upon window frames or make a hole in your wall and fit it in there.
But be careful, making a permanent fixture in the wall means that when you take your window air conditioner out, there will be a gaping hole that needs to be filled. As the name suggests, portable heat pumps are another type of small and compact heat pump unit.
The primary feature is that they are portable, able to be carried anywhere in the home, as long as you have a power supply nearby. Energy consumption is one of the primary factors to choose from when buying a heat pump. But how do we measure the efficiency of a heat pump? It is obtained by dividing the cooling output with the electrical input of the heat pump.
Over the years, heat pump efficiency has been increasing exponentially. This type of energy loss is nearly eliminated in a ductless heat pump system. Each indoor air handling unit contains its own thermostat because it is self-contained within the system. This makes temperature control throughout the home fully customizable, helping to save on energy costs while still keeping you comfortable.
You can even spot heat certain zones or rooms as needed, independent of the central system. Because the system is fully reversible, a ductless heat pump can also help to cool your home during summer months. Indoor air handling units can be mounted on the wall, suspended from the ceiling, and there are even floor models available. As a result, ductless heat pumps offer a wide range of installation and design choices.
Ductless heat pumps are also a top choice for their longevity, with many units now lasting years. The quality of the compressor, the amount of use the system receives, and the regularity of maintenance all factor into how long a heat pump lasts.
Purchasing a new system is beneficial as most manufacturers offer year warranties on the major components, so you can ensure your family is comfortable for years to come.
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