Heat pumps can provide space and water heating at a lower cost than oil, electricity, LPG and mains gas. There are two main types of heat pump system; air source and ground source.
Air Source Heat Pumps
Air source heat pumps take energy from the air and increase it to a higher temperature. The air is drawn across a water / antifreeze mix which transfers the energy into the refrigerant. When the refrigerant reaches boiling point gases are produced from the reaction and the system then compresses them, to produce the temperature required for a heat exchanger to transfer the heat for use. The heat is transferred to either water – for radiators or under floor heating, or to air which fans disperse around the space.
Ground Source Heat Pumps – 3 Components.
Ground source heat pumps use a loop buried underground, to transfer heat from the ground into a building to provide heating to heat water. The ground source heat pump system comprises of three components:-
1. Ground Loop. Lengths of pipe are buried in the ground, filled with a water / antifreeze mix. This fluid is pumped round the pipe absorbing heat from the ground.
2. Heat pump. The heat pump has three parts:-
a. Evaporator - Extracts the heat from the water in the pipe.
b. Compressor - Pushes the refrigerant through the heat pump, compressing the resulting gas to produce the required temperature.
c. Condenser – Transfers the heat to a hot water tank for the heat distributor.
3. Heat distribution system - Under floor heating or radiators to transfer the heat to spaces and the hot water system.
When used as heating systems for the home, heat pumps are often used in combination with underfloor heating, loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and good quality double glazing.
Grants for Microgeneration Technologies
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has a low carbon buildings programme. This programme provides grants for householders to encourage the adoption of microgeneration technologies. These microgeneration technologies include wind turbines, solar water heating, heat pumps and bioenergy.
CERT – Carbon Emissions Reduction Target
As part of the Government’s CERT scheme (Carbon Emissions Reduction Target) residential grants are available to assist with the cost of installing ground source heat pumps. In Scotland, the Scottish Community Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) provides grants covering up to 30% of the overall installation costs of either ground sourced or air source heat pump installations.
ETF – Environmental Transformation Fund
Further grants are available for heat pump installations in schools, hospitals, housing associations and not-for-profit organisations. The source of this grant is the Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF). This grant is part of the drive to encourage the use of energy efficient technologies. The grant values can be very substantial; organisations can apply for unto £1 million of grant funding per site.
Heat Pump Manufacturers
Manufacturers of heat pumps include Goodman and Kensa Engineering.
Heat Pumps – Air Source, Heat Pumps - Ground Source. Grants for Microgeneration Technologies. Grants From CERT (Carbon Emissions Reduction Target), Grants From ETF (Environmental Transformation Fund).
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