If we consider the issue of heating from a purely theoretical point of view, then a person has a lot of solutions to this problem. In reality, the situation is somewhat worse, since the choice is limited by cost, the ability to maintain the installation, etc.
Heat pump heating
Installing a heating system with your own hands with a fuel pump is quite profitable in terms of ease of use. When turned on, this unit does not make noise, does not create an unpleasant odor, and, pleasantly enough, there is no need to install a chimney or any other additional structures.
However, such a system is completely dependent on electrical power. It requires a minimum amount of energy to work, but if for some reason the electricity is lost, then the system will stop working. Assembling a heat pump with your own hands, like the entire installation as a whole, is quite economical. It is inexpensive, just likeservice process. It is worth noting that buying such an installation is still quite expensive.
Pump details
When craftsmen talk about installing a heat pump, by this they mean the installation of a certain set of equipment, and not just one pump. It is important to note here that almost any substance with a temperature of 1 degree Celsius and above can become a heat source for such a system.
All systems are divided into several types, for example "water - air", "water - water", etc. The use of a heat pump is based on the fact that bodies are able to transfer their thermal energy to other bodies or to the environment. The first word in a pair usually indicates the medium from which the given heat is taken. The second word defines the type of carrier in the system, which will receive this thermal energy. In modern versions, the heat source is usually water, air or soil. The simplest design is one that uses air as a source.
Device efficiency
Naturally, the efficiency of each of the devices is not the same, but it depends on the system in which the pump operates. Air installations are considered the least effective. In addition, the performance of such a system is strongly affected by the weather. Ground installations are characterized by good stability. The utility factor of such installations is in the range from 2.8 to 3.3, which is quite good. The most effective were the "water - water" installations. This is largely due to the fact that the temperature of the source is quite stable.
What are the benefits of installation
Like any other system, this one has certain benefits that can be obtained by its owner.
Assembling and installing a heat pump with your own hands has the following advantages:
- High economic efficiency. With electrical costs of 1 kW, for example, you can get about 3-4 kW of thermal energy, which is quite profitable. It is also worth noting that these figures are averages, since the exact figures are highly dependent on the design and type of unit.
- Sustainability. A self-assembled heat pump, like the entire installation as a whole, does not produce any harmful emissions into the environment during its operation. The use of such devices does not harm the environment.
- Versatility. When installing traditional heating systems, you have to constantly pay for gas or other substances. Solar installations or wind turbines do not always work stably. Heat pumps are almost universal, and you can install them anywhere. The main thing is that the type of system is chosen correctly.
- It is worth noting that the thermal system is quite multifunctional. If in winter it is used, as it should be, for heating, then in summer it can be used as an air conditioner.
- The safety of the heating system is at a fairly high level, sincethe temperature of the working units does not exceed 90 degrees, there are no toxic emissions during operation, and fuel is not required for their operation. It is no more dangerous than a refrigerator.
Varieties of home systems
Heat pump for home heating can be absorption or compressor type. The most common are compressors. Such systems can also be assembled from an old refrigerator or air conditioner using a working compressor from these devices. In addition to the compressor, it is also necessary to have an expander, an evaporator and a condenser. In order to design a heat pump for heating an absorption-type house, you will also need such a part as absorbent freon.
Heating plants also differ in the type of heat source used. They can be air, geothermal or using secondary heat. The input and output circuits can use either the same carrier or two different ones. For this reason, systems can be with the following types of coolant:
- "air - air";
- "water is water";
- "water - air";
- "air - water";
- "soil - water";
- "ice - water".
It is important to note that the efficiency of an installation is determined by the conversion factor. This is the difference between the energy expended and the energy received. Of course, the greater this difference, the more efficient the system is considered.
Getting Started
Before parsingcertain assembly methods, it is necessary to determine the source of heat, as well as draw up a diagram of the device by which the assembly will be carried out. It will be possible to assemble working options for a heat pump with your own hands only after some tools are rented, as well as some additional components are bought.
The first step. Drawing
The energy source for the thermal installation must be underground, and therefore it will be necessary to drill a well or at least dig a small depression. This means that the place of work and depth must be plotted on the diagram. It should be noted that the temperature at the place of installation of the part should not be less than 5 degrees Celsius. If there are reservoirs of artificial or natural origin nearby, then you can use them as a place for installation.
It is also worth noting that you can choose almost any scheme of a heat installation and work according to it. The heat source has almost no effect on the progress of work. A working version of a heat pump, assembled from a refrigerator with your own hands, is the most common model. To do this, you need to disassemble the old device and remove the compressor from there, which will be the main element of the system, pumping freon and water through the pipeline.
Second step. Selection of parts for work
It is very important to note that if the compressor from the old refrigerator is old, non-working or junk, then it is better to buy a new one. Repairing it is unprofitable, besides, such a part will not last long.
To assemble the thermalDo-it-yourself pump from the refrigerator will also require a thermostatic valve. The best option would be if both elements are from the same system so that they fit exactly to each other. To install the pump, you will need to purchase L-brackets 30 cm. In addition, you will need to purchase a few more parts:
- 120 liter high sealing container;
- regular plastic tank up to 90 l;
- you will also need 3 copper pipes with different diameters;
- for the pipeline it is necessary to purchase polymer, and preferably metal-plastic pipes.
To install a heat pump, you will need standard tools, and a grinder and a welding machine will come in handy for cutting pipes.
Third step. Working with system nodes
The first thing to do is to install the compressor on the wall using brackets. After this is done, you can start assembling the capacitor. To make it, it is necessary to cut the metal tank in half, insert a copper coil into one part of it. Then the container is welded back, after which several threaded holes are made in it.
Next, you need to proceed to work with the heat exchanger. For the installation of the heat pump to be successful, you need to wind the copper pipe around a steel tank with a volume of 120 liters. The ends of the turns are attached with rails. Plumbing transitions are attached to the pipe outlets. The same procedure must be carried out with a plastic tank, it willbe used as a vaporizer. Since this reservoir will not overheat, the presence of a metal element is optional. The finished structure is also attached to the wall using the same brackets.
When all these nodes are ready, you can proceed to the selection of a thermostatic valve. When the structure is assembled, then freon of a certain brand must be pumped into it - R-22 or R-422. If there are no skills to work with this substance, then it is best to call a specialist, since the procedure is quite unsafe.
The fourth step. Connection with the fence device
It is important to note here that the heat pump circuit, the connection of the system to the intake device depends on its type:
- "Water is earth". If this scheme is selected, then the collector must be installed below the freezing level of the soil. The pipeline of this system must be located at the same depth.
- "Water - air". The installation of this system is considered the simplest, since it does not require any excavation. As a place for mounting the collector, you can use any place near the house or even on the roof.
- The "water - water" system is installed only if there is a reservoir nearby. The structure is assembled from polymer pipes, which are then lowered into the center of the reservoir.
When calculating the heat pump, it may happen that its power is not enough. In this case, there are systems that are called bivalent. In other words, the thermal installation is installed in parallel with the electric althe boiler, for example, performs the function of additional heating in this case.
Air conditioner device
You can assemble a heat pump from an air conditioner with your own hands. However, it is worth noting here that this will require the help of a good household appliance repairman if the owner does not have such skills. In general, it is worth saying that it is quite simple to assemble such a structure on your own.
Assembly parts
How to make a heat pump out of an air conditioner? It is worth noting that the principle here is about the same. Only you need to take the compressor not from the old refrigerator, but from the air conditioner. It is also worth checking what refrigerant it works with so that you can charge the system later. Further, as in the previous case, you will need two copper pipes with different diameters and wall thicknesses from 1 mm. One of them should be 12 m and will be used for the coil, and the second 10 m for the evaporator. A thermostatic expansion valve is required. To make a coil, you need a fairly thick pipe.
The assembly process is no different from what was described earlier, with a refrigerator compressor. Installation is also carried out depending on which type of source was selected. As practice shows, such home-made systems differ in power of 2.6-2.8 kW. Of course, such a system is not very powerful. For example, at an outdoor temperature of -5 degrees Celsius, such a pump will be able to maintain an indoor temperature of 60 m2 up to +17 degrees Celsius.
Calculation of system parameters
The calculation of the heat pump is carried out either with the help of an online calculator or with the help of specialists. You can use the formula:
R=(k × V × T)/860.
In this formula, R is the power required to heat the room; k - coefficient for accounting for heat losses by the building (1 - a well-insulated room, 4 - a wooden barrack); V is the total volume of the room to be heated; T - the largest temperature difference between the outside world and the internal space; 860 - conversion factor of the calculation result in kW from kcal.
Consumers of thermal energy
After any model of the heat pump has been assembled, it is necessary to connect it to any consumer. Since the power of this system is not too high, it should be connected to specialized heating systems, for example, a heater. An excellent option would be to connect such a device to a warm floor. Possible connection with low-inertia radiators made of aluminum or steel with a large radiation area.
It would be appropriate to say that homemade options are also best suited only as an additional source of heating. It will not be possible to fully ensure the heating of the house with the help of homemade products, or the temperature will be small. Only an industrial installation can cope with this task on its own. In addition, the widespread use of such installations was due to the fact that they are 100% environmentally friendly. The transition to such heating systems will significantly affect the improvement of the environment.
