The Role Refrigerant Plays in Your Heat Pump
When you hear the term “heat pump,” you likely don’t think about refrigerant playing a role. However, this is essential to the functionality of your heat pump. Heat pumps work by using the same basic refrigeration-based cycle as an air conditioner, but in the opposite direction. Essentially, a heat pump moves warm air from one place to another: to where it’s needed or not needed depending on the season.
Heat pumps typically consists of two parts. There is an indoor unit that consists of the evaporator coil and the indoor blower fan, and an outdoor unit that contains the compressor and condenser coil. The outside unit is what’s referred to as the heat pump. A compressor circulates refrigerant that absorbs and releases heat as it travels between the indoor and outdoor units.
How Does This Process Work?
Refrigerant starts off as a gas before entering a compression valve in your heat pump. That compression valve subjects it to a large amount of heat and pressure, and then releases the gas into a series of compression coils. Here, the heat dissipates rapidly and the gas reverts to a liquid. The refrigerant then moves through an expansion valve, and that releases a controlled amount of cold refrigerant into a series of evaporator coils. As warm air causes the refrigerant to evaporate, it cools the surrounding air, reverting to a gas and returning back to the compression valve to start the cycle again.
During this time of year, these components switch roles and the whole process is reversed, allowing your heat pump to warm the air indoors. The benefit of this type of heating and cooling system is that it works great in locations with mild winters, making it an excellent energy efficient option for residents in Denton, TX.
If you are considering a heat pump installation or if your current heat pump needs repairs, contact PRK Services, Inc. today!