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Sanyo CO2 Eco air source heat pump in operation
This video was taken in early January 2010 and shows a Sanyo CO2 Eco air source heat pump in operation.
The video starts with the outdoor unit running taking heat from the air. This is a 9 kW unit (4.5 kW units are also available) and provides full central heating and hot water to a house in central Scotland. The outdoor unit contains two large fans that draw air across a large heat exchanger (the evaporator) and transfers the heat energy, via a compressor within the unit, to a condenser where the heat is then transferred to circulating water from the internal tank unit.
The sound of magpies calling, a radio playing with background conversation and a ringtone from a Nokia phone can be compared to the noise produced by the fans and compressor while running in the depths of winter.
As the video progresses, the left hand side of the outdoor unit becomes more and more white with frost.
A thermometer with a probe at the end of a wire is used to measure (not very scientifically) the air temperature blown out of the unit. This temperature is minus 4 degrees centigrade.
The inside tank unit is then shown. This contains a 223 litre heat store (water tank), control electronics and pumps. The heat store is at 61 degrees centigrade and the outside temperature, measured by an external probe attached to the wall beside the outdoor unit, is 1 degree centigrade.
The outdoor unit then goes into a defrost cycle to clear the frost build up on the outside unit. The white frost is seen clearing in close up from the left hand side of the air inlet to the heat exchanger. Melt water is seen dripping out from the bottom of the unit.
The outdoor air temperature is then measured, initially while the defrost cycle is still running, and is measured at 0.1 degrees centigrade.
The unit provides full central heating via existing central heating radiators and copious amounts of hot water.
More information avaiable from Renewable Heat Strategies.
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Thanks Alister
Interesting to be able to see the actual size of the outside part of the system, which isn't as big as I'd imagined. It's very white though, hence not exactly unobtrusive if necessity obliged it to be installed in a highly visible position. I'd like to think that some consideration will be given by the manufacturer, as the number in use grows, to providing a wider range of external finishes more appropriate to suit other cases, such as stonework in a conservation area for instance (an area very close to my own experience). I hope so anyway. Just a minor point.
Shame there's no commentary to liven the presentation up and give a bit more information, because this clip does at times seem a bit like watching paint dry. Still, for most people this is much more than they will have seen before. Any improvement in general awareness of the technology is a good thing, and this will certainly help. It's helped me at least.
Mike