How do Heat Pumps work?

The heat pump absorbs and transfers the latent heat from either the outside air or ground using the principles of a refrigeration cycle (common examples are fridge / freezers and air conditioning systems). The reversible cycle provides warmth and thermal comfort.

A typical heat pump cycle will use an evaporator to extract the latent heat energy from the source.

A refrigerant liquid is used to absorb the extracted heat causing it to boil and turn into a gas.

A compressor then increases the gas pressure causing the temperature to rise.

The hot gas flows to a condenser, where heat is released and the gas returns back into a liquid state.

This liquid, still at high pressure, passes through an expansion valve to lower the pressure.

By losing pressure the liquid loses heat and is cold before once again entering the evaporator.

The process repeats itself over and over again until the heating system reaches the temperature set by the thermostat.