www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I April 2024 21
Feature
HEAT PUMPS CAN SAVE AN ENERGY-STARVED WORLD
Compiled by Eamonn Ryan
Heat pumps will provide one-fifth of the world ’ s heating needs by the end of the decade if nations follow through on their plans , according to the International Energy Agency ( IEA ).
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The significance of cooling and heating in living and working environments is going to increase significantly due to global megatrends such as globalisation , urbanisation and digitalisation .
One of the drivers of the heat pumps market is that many refrigeration systems , air conditioning systems and heat pumps still run on refrigerants whose emissions contribute to the greenhouse effect . The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol defines the international routes to transition to refrigerants with less of an impact on the greenhouse effect . Products for all key refrigerant technologies are available . This enables manufacturers of heat pumps to always use just the right components to comply with the local regulations .
Another driver is urbanisation . Around 9.7 billion people will be living on Earth by 2050 , of which 70 % will be located in cities , whose residential and commercial buildings and key infrastructure systems will need to be heated and / or cooled . Both functions will be combined in air-conditioning and heat pump systems – the market will be enormous .
Grant Laidlaw , owner of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Academy ( ACRA ) and past president of SAIRAC , says : “ Like an air-conditioner , a heat pump uses refrigerant to move heat from one location to another . In fact , the two systems operate identically in the summer , extracting heat from inside your
Grant Laidlaw . home and exhausting it outside .”
He lists the advantages and disadvantages .
ADVANTAGES :
• Versatile : Smaller units offer heating and cooling and can heat water and air
• Environmentally friendly : With no open flames or fumes , these risks don ’ t exist with an electric heat pump , making it one of the safest types of HVAC equipment .
Image by Frimufilms on Freepik
Around 9.7 billion people will be living on Earth by 2050 , of which 70 % will be located in cities .
The lack of direct fossil fuel emissions also makes heat pumps more eco-friendly
• Energy efficient : Even the most advanced furnace type systems or element-based systems can never be more than 100 % efficient , whereas heat pumps boast an excess of 300 % efficiency
• Solar power : Heat pumps pair well with solar panels – if you have solar panels or are thinking of installing them , know that they are compatible with electric heat pumps
• Better humidity control and air quality
DISADVANTAGES
• Reduced efficiency in cold weather : Effectively extracting thermal energy from outdoor air becomes increasingly difficult as the temperature drops
• The need to defrost : Sub-freezing temperatures cause ice to form on the outdoor heat pump unit . This forces the system to enter defrost mode , melting the ice so it can continue operating
• More noise : Longer run cycles also mean the fan and compressor are on more often in cold weather , which creates operating noise
• Shorter lifespan
• Higher capital and maintenance costs
www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I April 2024 21