How do swimming pool heat pumps work
How Swimming Pool Heat Pumps Work
A Heat Pump uses electricity to operate but they also use the sun-warmed air which contributes to the efficiency of the unit. Swimming pool heat pumps do not generate heat.
Your existing swimming pool pump circulates the water through the heat pump unit and warms the swimming pool. The FAN inside the heat pump circulates air through the outer EVAPORATOR AIR COIL that acts as a heat collector. The liquid refrigerant in the air coil absorbs the available heat in the ambient air transforming it into a gas. The refrigerant gas is then pumped into the COMPRESSOR. When this warmed gas is compressed, it intensifies or concentrates the heat like a magnifying glass in the sun. This intensely hot gas is then pumped into the HEAT EXCHANGER CONDENSER where the actual heat transfer takes place. As the swimming pool water passes through the heat exchanger, the hot gas gives up its heat to the cooler swimming pool water. The refrigerant returns to a liquid state and is pumped through the EXPANSION VALVE then into the evaporator air coil to start the process all over again.
Swimming pool heat pumps work efficiently as long as the outside temperature remains above the 5ºc–8ºc range. The cooler the outside air they draw in, the more energy they use. However, since most people use outdoor swimming pools during warm and mild weather, this usually isn’t an issue.