![]() ![]() The NewAir AC-14100H air conditioner heater uses less than 1000 watts to produce 10,000 BTUS of cooling, and it is only slightly less efficient during heating. So why would you choose an air conditioner with a heating option over a regular space heater? Aside from the previously-mentioned space-saving benefits (having fewer appliances in the house) there is a very real economic and environmental advantage to using a heat pump: A heat pump uses less electricity.Īs evidence, let’s compare a couple NewAir products. As the gas absorbs the heat, the cold air that is produced by the process is blown into the room by a fan. As it evaporates, it pulls heat from the air to use as energy to power the transformation from liquid to gas. Inside this coil, subjected to less pressure, the refrigerant begins to turn into a gas. Evaporator – The evaporator is another long coil. ![]() Expansion Valve – The expansion valve further lowers the pressure on the refrigerant, returning it to a liquid state before pumping it into the evaporator.In a portable unit, the heat from the condenser coils is vented outdoors through the exhaust hose. In a central AC, the condenser is located outside the house, so the heat stays outside. As it cools, it turns back into a liquid before being passed into the expansion valve. As the refrigerant moves through it, heat is dissipated into the environment (usually helped by a fan). Condenser – The condenser is a long coiled tube (like on the back of your refrigerator).Compressor – The compressor squeezes the refrigerant (such as refrigerant, though refrigerant is used less frequently today then other more eco-friendly coolants), and turns it into a hot, high-pressured gas that gets pumped into the condenser.But in a very practical sense, a heat pump works exactly like any air conditioner does – only the cycle can be reversed so that the cold air goes outside, and the hot air stays inside! In professional HVAC lingo, a heat pump is specifically a single device that can be used to provide both heating and cooling to the same space. In this sense, air conditioners, refrigerators and freezers are all heat pumps typically used to make things cold by moving heat elsewhere. There are many types of heat pumps (see our article on thermoelectric cooling to learn about solid-state heat pumps). To start with, you should know that the term “heat pump” – in scientific lingo – refers to any device used to move heat from one location to another. Should you choose a portable air conditioner, or a portable air conditioner that also functions as a space heater? If you’re looking to save a little pocket change and cut down on household clutter, the latter might be a good choice for you.īut how does it work? How does an appliance designed to cool the air also provide heat? It’s actually quite simple, as this article will help you to understand. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |