Effective heat pump operation is dependent upon several factors, one being correct flow rates and another, the temperature difference between flow and return. Grant UK’s Renewables Sales Manager Kevin Ellis explains more, outlining the benefits of the company’s system volumiser/low-loss header which can be installed alongside its Aerona³ heat pumps.
In our previous column, we looked at heat pump system design with a particular focus on specification and sizing. If the wrong size of heat pump is selected and the heat emitters installed are too small, the system will be unable to reach the required expectations. However, flow rates and differentials are other areas that must be well understood.
If the flow rate is too high, the refrigerant will condense at a higher rate and could cause icing issues on the evaporator. If it is too low, it may be difficult to get the power required into the house and the heat pump would not work at its optimum efficiency.
Not only must an engineer ensure the correct flow rates are set when installing a heat pump, it is also important that, later on, the flow rate is not affected by factors elsewhere on the system, such as an additional pump. The flow rate should be protected and this is where a system volumiser and low-loss header can come into play.
As supplied by Grant UK, a combined volumiser/low-loss header creates a form of hydraulic separation which maintains the correct flow through the heat pump while also providing a suitable volume of system water, allowing the heat pump to fully modulate. In brief, the unit enables the heat pump to be kept separate from the rest of the system. The header also comes complete with a 3kW supplementary element and relay, and it is included in all three of Grant UK’s heat pump installation packs.
Designed to be installer-friendly while also serving to protect the efficient and correct operation, this is just one of the ways an air source heat pump can be installed. However, our experience with the combined volumiser/low-loss header has been very positive, making installation and diagnostics straightforward for engineers, and this is why Grant UK recommends installing this unit with Aerona³ heat pumps.
Merchants can sign up to the Grant eLearning Academy to complete the free, on-demand courses covering its heat pumps, accessories and other renewable products. Simply follow the QR code below:
