Many heat pump manufacturers offer solutions that allow rooms to be air-conditioned in both winter and summer. These systems usually consist of an indoor and an outdoor unit, which transport the heat either from the inside to the outside or vice versa. When cooling the rooms, however, the expelled heat could also be used to heat drinking water, for example, which would definitely be more effective.
In most systems for controlled residential ventilation, a cross-flow heat exchanger is integrated. This cools the exhaust air volume flow in winter and uses the heat recovered to heat the cold outside air volume flow. During the summer months, heat recovery does not usually take place; instead, the air flows are directed through a bypass around the heat exchanger.
An advantageous solution would be to cool the warm outdoor air with a heat pump to a comfortable room temperature and use the heat gained for heating drinking water. In addition, the exhaust air could also be cooled by the heat pump during the transitional period before it leaves the house.
Are there manufacturers who offer such systems for residential buildings? If not, what reasons might there be against it?
Otmar Patzel
Heat pump systems that allow for air-conditioning of rooms both in winter and summer, while utilizing waste heat to heat drinking water, represent a highly efficient solution in the context of energy efficiency and sustainability. The concept of using waste heat from cooling systems to heat drinking water has high potential for reducing energy consumption, as it allows for the dual use of energy within a single system.
Integrating these functions can contribute significantly to reducing energy costs and increasing the energy efficiency of the building. Using heat pumps to cool outdoor air and then using the recovered heat to heat drinking water is a sustainable approach that reduces the need for additional energy sources and lowers CO2 emissions.
However, there are several challenges and reasons why such systems may not be widely applied in residential buildings:
Given these challenges, it is necessary to further develop the technology and work on reducing initial costs and the technical complexity of the system to make it accessible and efficient for widespread use in residential buildings.
Thank you very much, Mr. Dragan Ugrinov, for your quick and detailed reply.
As far as the benefits of heat pumps are concerned, we agree that this technology offers a sustainable approach. In summer, for example, they can cool the outside air before it becomes supply air and use the energy gained to heat drinking water. This reduces the need for fossil fuels and cuts CO2 emissions.
However, I don't think the systems are too complex. When cooling the air, you have to keep an eye on the relative humidity to prevent mold growth, but this is not a major technical problem. In addition, many older buildings have high rooms, which makes it possible to install ventilation ducts in corridors behind suspended ceilings.
With regard to the initial installation of ventilation systems, I agree that these are generally more expensive than heating installations. However, maintenance is usually limited to regular replacement of the air filters. Although there is a seasonal dependency, a minimum air exchange is required in all residential buildings. In addition, heat can usually be extracted from the indoor air before it leaves the building as exhaust air. However, it is undeniable that the efficiency of the system cannot always be optimal.
Future development will require suitable systems for energy recovery and energy storage, ideally integrated into the same building. The use of smart building technologies to monitor and control energy demand is becoming increasingly important. The focus should not only be on storing electrical energy, but also on water, which acts as an excellent energy storage medium due to its high specific heat capacity. I am convinced that the demand for systems that utilize such synergy effects will increase in the near future.
Therefore, I believe it is necessary to further develop the technology and work on reducing the initial costs and technical complexity in order to make it accessible and efficient for widespread use in residential buildings.
Thank you for your contribution to my question.
- Badges
- Science topic