Heating and cooling with a heat pump. The comfort and cosiness achieved when heating with a heat pump is no different than a conventional heating system based on oil, gas, or wood as the energy source. Like no other heat source, they combine particularly high energy efficiency with environmentally friendly heat generation. They use free, regenerative energy from the air, the ground, or groundwater as a heat source. For you this means: When you decide in favour of a heat pump, you are deciding on a cost-effective, sustainable, and future-proof heating system.
A heat pump basically works in the same way as a refrigerator. Just in the other direction. While a refrigerator takes heat away from its contents and emits it externally, the heat pump takes energy from the ambient air, the ground or ground water for example and transfers it to the heating system. In detail, this happens in 3 important steps:
Depending on the type of heat pump, energy is generated from the ambient air, the ground or the ground water. This is done either using a ventilator (air heat pumps), which draws in ambient air, or in the case of a brine pump, suing probes or collectors which the so-called brine circulates in and withdraws heat from the environment.
The energy generated is then transferred in the heat pump via a heat exchanger to a second, independent circuit in which - the same as a refrigerator - an environmentally friendly coolant is circulating. The coolant vaporises through being heated. By being compressed in a compressor, the temperature of the coolant increases significantly. This heat is then withdrawn from the coolant again using another heat exchanger and is transferred to the heating system. The coolant condenses which means it is back in the circuit.
The energy that the coolant transmits to the (central) heating system via the second heat exchanger is transferred from there to radiators, underfloor heating & co. in the shape of heated water or is stored temporarily in a storage system such as a buffer storage or hot water storage unit.
The earth as a heat source. Might sound strange at first. But makes even greater sense when you look further into it. Energy can be extracted from the ground in two different ways. A distinction is made between probes and collectors which are used depending on the environment and the ground conditions.
Geothermal probes are inserted into a drill hole. For a normal single-family house, this drill hole is around 100 metres deep. The ground temperature remains constant throughout the year from a depth of 10 metres downwards. Providing ideal conditions for a heat pump. A frost-proof liquid circulates in the heat pump, the so-called brine. This brine takes energy out of the ground around the probe and feeds this energy in a closed circuit into the heat pump.
Geothermal collectors work in a similar way to geothermal probes , only that the collectors are not inserted downwards, but horizontally. At a depth of approx. 1.5 metres, geothermal collectors are laid out in serpentines. The brine circulates in these pipes – the same as with the geothermal probe – and collects energy from the ground which the ground has absorbed from either sun irradiation or from rain water for example.
Apart from the earth, the outside air or also the ground water - where ever available - are also suitable as an energy source for a heat pump.
The principle is simple: energy is extracted from the outside air with an air heat pump. This even works in the winter when the temperatures are below 0 degrees as long as the boiling point of the coolant used is lower than the outside temperature (which is generally the case).
The x-change air/water heat pumps from Kermi for example make use of this principle.
Apart from the earth, a heat pump can also extract heat from the ground water. The average temperature of the ground water is also easily enough to operate a heat pump even on cold days. Ground water heat pumps are always suitable where it is easy to access the ground water and of course, ground water is available in sufficient quantities.
An oil or gas tank, a pellet or wood chip bunker - they all needs plenty of space - which comes at a premium in old and new buildings. Apart from the space requirements however, the smells coming from oil & co. also play a role - we are all familiar with the typical smell of a boiler room. With a heat pump, none of this is necessary.
We have already mentioned it: in principle, a heat pump in heating mode works the same way as a refrigerator, only in reverse. In the summer of course, this can be reversed and on hot days, the heat pump can also be used to cool, for example in association with x–net panel heating and cooling.
Heat pumps are very easy to maintain and are extremely low maintenance. Due to their matured technology, heat pumps are real long distance runners and are leap years ahead of many other heating systems when it comes to durability and maintainability. Gradual loss of performance does not happen with heat pump, regardless of whether being used on the first day or after 25 years: the output of a heat pump always remains the same.
You do not need a chimney if there are no emissions. And without an chimney, you don't need your annual visit from the chimney sweep. That is not just a good thing for the environment - your wallet will be pleased too.
The technology in a heat pump can be controlled precisely. Perfect conditions for intelligent control with Smart Home applications and apps. That not only provides greater comfort, but provides additional savings potential.
If you operate your heat pump with electricity you have generated yourself (e.g. with a solar panel system) and you use intelligent control, then you are completely independent of oil, gas, electricity, and wood prices and will generate electricity virtually at zero cost.
The answer to this question is actually quite simple: Always. Fossil fuels such as oil, gas, or coal do not have a future in private households, particularly with regard to the high CO2 emissions. With a heat pump, you are investing in sustainable and a future-proof type of heat source which your wallet will thank you for – apart from low maintenance costs, you will also benefit from attractive financial incentives.
Ultimately the selection of suitable heat pump technology depends on a wide range of factors, such as the size of the property, the local conditions, the location, and also the available budget.
Once the question on the right technology has been decided, then you need to select the most suitable heat pump model for your project. Here, factors such as floor space, the type of heat transfer in the house (e.g. radiators / panel heating), or also the insulation in the property all play a role.
These questions can only be answered in detail on location by an expert. If you are still looking for an experienced expert, then you can use our specialist partner search to find a competent Kermi specialist partner near you. They would be glad to be at your disposal to answer any questions and provide assistance in all matters concerning the procurement and installation of a heat pump.
With their exceptionally effective sound and vibration absorption Kermi heat pumps generate scarcely more noise emission than a ticking alarm clock.
More information about sound levels and sound insulation for heat pumps
Save electricity costs long term with Kermi and electricity storage systems by Fenecon.
It makes perfect sense to combine a heat pump and a solar panel system: Heat pumps need conventional electricity to operate – a solar panel system generates electricity from solar energy. And Kermi x-change dynamic heat pumps have an integrated solar panel interface as standard.
Large or small property, single-family house or multi-family house – which heat pump is the right one for your own construction or modernisation project depends above all on the conditions in and around the house. Some rough basic data and classifications help in the selection process.
Whether air-to-water, brine-to-water or water-to-water heat pump – heat pumps can also be used to cool living spaces if the necessary technical requirements are met.
A second heat source exists which work in parallel (bivalent parallel) or alternatively (bivalent alternative) to the heat pump.
In bivalent parallel operation, both heat sources work in parallel at a pre-defined outside temperature. If the heat sources run bivalent-alternatively, then they operate alternately.
The heat pump works up to a predefined outside temperature, if the outside temperature is lower than this, an electric screw-in heater switches on as well which - like the heat pump - is operated using electricity.
The heat pump is the only heat source in the building.
The coefficient of performance (abbreviated to: COP ) of a heat pump is a parameter determined under standardised test conditions for the output of a heat pump. The COP is suitable for an initial comparison of different models and provides insight into their output and the heat source used.
The sequence of numbers and letters that initially looks quite cryptic is quite easy to decipher.
The letters A, B, and W stand for the terms air, brine, and water respectively. Assuming that the COP of our heat pump was B2W35, then that would mean that a brine heat pump at 2 degrees brine temperature would generate hot water at a temperature of 35 degrees under normal conditions.
The annual performance factor (APF ) compares the energy generated with the energy required to do so providing an efficiency factor. That means, the higher the annual performance factor, the more efficient the heat pump is.
Depending on the heat source, the annual performance factor is usually between 3.5 and approx. 4.5, i.e. that one kilowatt hour of electricity is converted into between 3.5 and 4.5 kilowatt hours of heat output.
The topic of thermal comfort is really quite complicated and some of the terms used often need explaining. That is precisely when I can help you! As a real specialist, I am very familiar with all the system components and the way they work together, so I am able to explain these situations very clearly and in a way that is easy to understand.
Just click the info button to see the appropriate explanation from me. Otherwise I will accompany you in the background along your journey through the world of Kermi and am ready to help if there is anything you need explaining.
