Like any other heat source, the heat pump is designed to cover the heat loss of the building. Heat losses are calculated according to specified criteria for a certain outdoor temperature.
When designing a heat pump, the following criteria must be respected:
- The energy saving ratio depends on the size of the heat pump (its total input).
- To increase the life of the heat pump, it is necessary to minimize the number of compressor starts.
- Efforts to reduce the cost of investment (assessment of acquisition and operating costs).
To design the optimum heat pump performance, it is necessary to know:
- total heat demand for heating (heat loss of the house)
- heat demand for hot water
- selected heating system (floor heating / radiators)
- selection of supplementary heat source
- location and altitude (temperature area)
- requirements of the investor and operation of the building
Bivalent system
A heat pump is not the only heat source. It works in combination with a supplementary heat source - eg an electric boiler, gas boiler, oil boiler, etc. The heat pump is the basic and main heat source, which works throughout the heating period and the supplementary heat source completes the missing heating output for the necessary time.
Bivalence point
The outdoor air temperature at which the heat output of the heat pump is equal to the heat loss of the building. If the outside air temperature drops below this value, an additional heat source is connected to the heat pump.