Heat pump

Glava Energy Center, in collaboration with the Soletaer AB and students at Karlstad University designed a heat pump for heating domestic hot water by utilizing solar energy.

Thesis work by six students

The heat pump was developed as a thesis work by six students at Karlstad University. They have had the guidance by Soletaer AB and a prototype was tested in the fall of 2012 and spring of 2013. Glava Energy Center with the goal to be launched as a finished product in late 2013.

Fact

A heat pump is a technical device that transfers heat from a cold to a warm place. It collects heat energy from nature – in rock, soil, water and air and transfer it to the other media, such as hot air or hot water. Its function may be, for example, heating the house or water.

This product is a solar-air heat pump, in other words it is using solar energy for heating water and providing three to four times lower cost. The average small household consumes approximately 5000 kWh per year to heat water for household consumption. It represents approximately 20 percent of total energy consumption and the company get a saving of around 600 EUR per year.

A heat pump’s efficiency is measured in COP (coefficient of performance), ie the amount of heat energy generated per input electrical energy. For example, of 1 kWh of electricity will be out 4 kWh of thermal energy, ie with a heat factor of 4 (COP-4). A heat pump has a COP higher than 2.76 and is therefore classified into the category of renewable energy.

Source: www.wikipedia.org

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In collaboration with

Karlstad University and Soletaer AB.