Integrated Heat Pumps

[hanson]

Hello, have you heard of integrated heat pumps?

What is the essence of such an "integrated" heat pump? I mean how does it save energy? And what does the term "integrated" mean?

Please kindly help.

[Cyrus]

I do not know what you mean by 'integrated heat pump,' sorry. I am not too sure what would be integrated into a heat pump. A heat engine would be different though, but that's not what your asking.

[Sapporo]

If you mean a package heat pump, then I can tell you this. It is just a simple AC split system which has the evaporator as indoor unit w/ fan to blow air, and the condenser w/ compressor as outdoor unit to do the heat exchange of refrigerant. As the heat pump, it can do both cooling and heating in single unit by reverse the refrigerant cycle using an expansion valve.

Hope this help.

[russ_watters]

Good explanation, with one minor nitpick (probably just a typo): As the heat pump, it can do both cooling and heating in single unit by reverse the refrigerant cycle using an expansion valve. Reversing valve, not expansion valve. The expansion valve performs the exact same function whether in heating cooling mode (expanding and cooling the refrigerant), but the reversing valve is what makes sure he hot and cold coils get switched.

Welcome aboard.

[ROOTSXROCKS]

perhaps you are talking About a Geo thermal pump that also uses air to cool the refrigerant,

[russ_watters]

Regardless of the source of heat (air or water, typically), the cycle is the same.