The Difference Between Air Conditioning And Air To Water Heat Pumps

Working principle

The principle of the refrigeration system of air source heat pump and air conditioning is the same. They both use the principle of "reverse Carnot cycle cycle". With the compressor as the power and the refrigerant as the carrier, they successively go through four continuous cycles, namely, isothermal evaporation, adiabatic compression, isothermal condensation, and adiabatic expansion, to transfer heat between air and water.

The specific cycle process is: low temperature and low pressure liquid refrigerant enters the evaporator, absorbs heat from the air for isothermal endothermic evaporation, gaseous refrigerant enters the compressor, is adiabatic compressed into high temperature and high pressure gas and discharged into the condenser, heat is released to the cold water entering the condenser, cold water is heated and delivered to the user end for heating or bathing, and at the same time the refrigerant becomes a high temperature and high pressure liquid and enters the throttling device, Adiabatic expansion into a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid enters the evaporator and repeats itself.

Air source heat pumps and air conditioners are both members of the large family of steam compression refrigeration systems. Steam compression refrigeration systems are divided into three categories based on the source of cold or heat: air source, water source, and ground source. Among them, air source refers to the source of cold or heat from the air, which is to absorb or discharge heat from the air.

Its product forms mainly include: central air conditioning, household air conditioning, air-cooled (heat pump) chillers, VRV multi line, refrigerators, cold storage, air energy water heaters, air source heat pump chillers, etc. But now people generally refer to air source heat pumps, which specifically refer to units that can burn hot water, heating, combined cooling and heating, and drying. Air source heat pumps have become a narrow sense product, parallel to air conditioning.

Differentiation Differences

1. Different low-temperature conditions

Low temperature air source heat pump shall refer to GB/T25127.1-2010. The nominal heating condition is outdoor dry/Wet-bulb temperature -12 ℃/-14 ℃, and the ultra-low temperature heating condition is outdoor Dry-bulb temperature -20 ℃.

Ordinary household air conditioners are subject to the national standard GBT 7725-2004. The nominal heating condition is outdoor dry/Wet-bulb temperature temperature 7 ℃/6 ℃, the low-temperature heating condition is outdoor 2 ℃/1 ℃, and the ultra-low temperature heating condition is -7 ℃/-8 ℃.

2. Using different objects

When designing air conditioning, the emphasis was initially on cooling and heating as a supplement, which is also the reason why most of the current air conditioning heating operations use electric heating as a supplementary heating method.

When designing an air source heat pump, the first emphasis is on heating, with the goal of not using electric heating as auxiliary heating in all climate operation, and also considering the refrigeration function.

3. Different functions

The air conditioner has a single function, including refrigeration and heating.

The functions of air source heat pumps are complex. Refrigeration and heating, heating sources for swimming pools, baths, electrophoresis and other places, production heat for industrial and mining enterprises such as agricultural drying and sludge drying

4. Different implementation of national standards

The air conditioning standards mainly include household air conditioners, multi line units, air-cooled chillers, and other standards. Measured by refrigeration capacity and energy efficiency ratio

The air source standards mainly include household hot water, commercial hot water, household heating, commercial heating, and other standards. With heating capacity and Coefficient of performance as the measurement index, the refrigerating capacity and energy efficiency ratio of the chiller and heater must also be checked

5. Different main components

The air conditioning system uses ordinary compressors, which are mainly used in areas south of the Yellow River. When the ambient temperature is below -7 ℃, it is difficult to meet the heating needs of northern areas. (Finned condenser or plate condenser, outdoor finned heat exchanger with non hydrophilic film)

The air source heat pump uses a compressor with jet augmentation or two-stage compression, focusing on northern heating. The product can operate normally at -25 ℃. (Anti freezing high-efficiency condenser, outdoor finned heat exchanger with hydrophilic film)

The air conditioning system of the air conditioning compressor has a maximum operating pressure of no more than 2.9MPa, a compression ratio of less than 7, and a maximum exhaust temperature of no more than 90 degrees Celsius (R410A refrigerant)

The air source heat pump compressor has a maximum operating pressure of 3.7 MPa, a compression ratio of 12 or even higher, and a maximum exhaust temperature of 120 degrees Celsius (R410A refrigerant).

6. Different energy efficiency requirements

Air conditioning is generally only evaluated for refrigeration EER and IPLV.

The air source heat pump is evaluated for refrigeration EER and IPLV, as well as heating COP and IPLV. Low environment heat pumps are also evaluated separately for -12 ℃ operating conditions.

7. Different heat exchange methods at the end

As we have said before, both air conditioning and air energy heat pump are based on the principle of "reverse Carnot cycle", but the heat transfer medium in the final process is different.

Air conditioning always uses refrigerant as a medium. Air conditioning is a fluorine system cycle, and the fluorine system absorbs a large amount of water from the air, causing it to dry out whether it is cooling or heating. Why does staying in an air-conditioned room for a long time lead to dry mouth and dry tongue? That's why.

The air energy heat pump uses water for heat exchange in the final heat exchange stage. This means that the air energy heat pump is a water system cycle, and the comfort of the water system is relatively better than that of the fluorine system.

How to choose an air energy heat pump

1. Production license: Air source heat pump is a professional product with strict technical requirements. The product you want to choose first depends on whether it has obtained the national industrial product production license issued by the General Administration of Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China. Enterprises without the license can be considered as illegal production. The product has not been tested by national authoritative departments, and quality and performance are difficult to guarantee.

2. Registered trademark certificate: according to the relevant commodity circulation laws and regulations, the heat pump, as a kind of commodity, must be registered and licensed by the Trademark Office before it can be sold. [This article is from the official account of Refrigeration Encyclopedia] to prevent some "three no" manufacturers from making trouble; More than 20% of unqualified heat pump products can be eliminated to improve the reliability of selection.

3. Performance Test Report: After being tested by national authoritative departments, products that meet relevant standards in terms of performance are qualified. The higher the detected COP value, the more energy-saving they will be. A good air source heat pump is more than 10% higher than a regular one, so sometimes you cannot be too cheap when purchasing because small losses are big, and a good product will save you more.

4. 3C certification: The heat pump hot water unit belongs to the national mandatory certification product, and must undergo testing by the China Quality Certification Center and obtain the China National Compulsory Product Certification (CCC certification) issued by it before it can be sold and used.

5. Unit structure and weight: There are three main factors that cause differences in product weight: evaporator, condensing heat exchanger, and shell; Units with the same structure and lighter weight are suspected of cutting corners and materials. If the materials are light or insufficient, the performance cannot be guaranteed.

6. The type of compressor: The compressor is compared to the heart of a heat pump unit, and its performance is quite important; Emerson compressor for commercial large heat pump unit is a good choice. [Source: Refrigeration Encyclopedia official account] Of course, it must be the original factory to prevent some manufacturers from using defective compressors for repair.

7. Electric control technology: if the compressor is the heart of the heat pump, the electric control is the brain of the heat pump. An excellent electric control motherboard can effectively solve the complicated problems of the heat pump unit, make installation simpler, control more flexible, and effectively reduce the Glitch in the operation of the heat pump unit, so that the stability can be guaranteed.

8. Throttling technology: Throttling technology is a key factor in optimizing the performance of heat pump units. Currently, there are three throttling technologies: capillary throttling, thermal expansion valve throttling, and electronic expansion valve digital throttling. The electronic expansion valve throttling technology is the most advanced, effectively solving the problem of winter frost formation in heat pump units, achieving higher energy efficiency ratio, and more stable and reliable performance.

9. The process of the shell: neat and beautiful appearance, excellent sheet metal production, and stable and reliable structure are the standards for a good product. The level of shell technology of a product will reflect its product positioning and manufacturing philosophy. Usually, companies with poor materials, unattractive appearance, and unwilling to spend money on other components will not invest much, with the majority being rough and shoddy.

10. Production equipment: Only good production equipment can make good heat pump products. At least there must be a professional performance inspection room and testing workshop. Do you dare to have a product that leaves the factory without passing the inspection

11. System matching level: Whether a heat pump product can operate stably at different temperatures and water temperatures is crucial, just like the chassis control technology of a car. [Source of this article: Refrigeration Encyclopedia official account] High level heat pump products can not only cope with high pressure caused by high temperature, but also solve the problem of frosting at low temperature. The unit failure rate is low, and maintenance is easier! This is closely related to the technological strength of a company.

12. Engineering installation level: A good product also requires good installation. Finding a professional and experienced installation team is the key to the success of a heat pump hot water project, because there are many projects that install a good heat pump product in a mess, and energy-saving projects have become energy consuming projects, indicating the importance of installation.

13. After sales service: Any product has the possibility of malfunction, and timely and capable after-sales service is crucial; Firstly, it is necessary to be timely. Secondly, it is necessary to have the ability to repair damaged products (some manufacturers cannot even repair their own products when they are damaged, which can cause great trouble). Thirdly, it is necessary to provide warranty in accordance with national regulations (mechanical and electrical products are guaranteed for 18 months).

Our company was founded in 2010 and has been a leading manufacturer in the heat pump industry for over a decade. With a strong background in English management, we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products and services. We have a professional technical research and development team that continues to innovate and improve our products. Our annual sales exceed $50 million, providing our clients with superior solutions for their heating and cooling needs. We take pride in our commitment to excellence in every aspect of our business, from production to customer service.