Ranking of the best heat pumps for 2022

A heat pump for home heating is an extremely efficient and relatively new solution for saving home heating costs. Compared to an electric boiler, heating with a heat pump can reduce the cost of this item of utility costs by about 3-5 times. However, such indicators can only be achieved if the entire system is installed correctly, and the equipment used is correctly selected.

Household heat pump and its purpose

Initially, this equipment was not created at all as an alternative to classic boilers, but was intended only to slightly reduce operating costs. For a modern air heat pump, the coefficient of conversion of electricity into heat (abbreviated "COP") will be approximately 4-5 units, which means that each kilowatt of thermal energy will cost 4-5 times cheaper than using a standard electric boiler.

As a rule, the operating instructions for a heat pump from any manufacturer indicate that the equipment must be paired with a classic heating boiler in order to be ready in some cases to cover peak loads and increase the heating temperature. At the same time, formulas and calculations are given, using which it is possible to obtain the maximum effect (including economic) from the operation of the pumping apparatus, as well as significantly reduce its payback period. Such instructions also include typical schemes for integrating pumping systems into already installed heating systems with standard boilers. Unfortunately, the owners of the premises often neglect these recommendations, do not follow the current SNiPs (especially in terms of reserving boilers for the period of emergency repairs), which leads to rapid deterioration of the entire system and does not allow to achieve the necessary savings.

At the same time, the range of equipment in this segment presented on today's market allows you to use any of their samples for home heating. The best options are those that have the highest seasonal efficiency, are intuitively easy to set up and pay off in less time. According to these indicators, air heat pumps confidently hold leadership.

Features of choosing a heat pump for the home

Given the "extremes" of Russian legislation in the field of "green energy", the average level of professionalism among companies providing services for the installation of such systems, as well as the very cost of such work, it is very expensive to consider a geothermal heating pump as the only solution. This is largely due to the need to carry out large-scale earthworks. Thus, most Russians prefer to install air source heat pumps. The main thing is not to focus on the statement that such a system will become a complete replacement for the existing one (on an electric boiler).

IMPORTANT! The main factor in choosing a pump should be the presence / absence of a low-temperature heating system in the dwelling with operating temperatures of 40-45 degrees Celsius (fan coil units, underfloor heating, larger radiators), but not the type of new pump, not its price, and not even its predictable performance!

General principles of heat pump operation

The heat pump carries out the transfer of heat from one medium to another through the use of three heat circuits that are interconnected. As the primary medium, atmospheric air, external soil or water are used. For the second medium, use any coolant that heats radiators or underfloor heating.The air in the room is used as the tertiary medium.

Existing types and types of heat pumps

Depending on the method of energy transfer, they can be divided into:

• Compression - simple, highly effective and the most popular models. The main elements in their design are the evaporator, expander, condenser and compressor. They use a compression-expansion cycle of the coolant with subsequent heat release;
• Absorption (absorbent) - this equipment already belongs to a new generation and in it the absorbent-freon chemical pair acts as a working fluid. Due to this symbiosis, the overall performance of the system increases.

Depending on the heat source, heat pumps can be:

• Geothermal - heat energy is extracted from the earth or water;
• Air - heat energy is obtained from the atmosphere;
• Secondary sources - already used air, sewage, water are used as a heat source.

Depending on the order of heat transfer, this equipment can be divided into the following systems:

• "Air-to-air" - with this method, heat is taken from certain air masses, while lowering their temperature, and transferred to the room;
• "Water-water" - in this case, the heat of near-ground water is used for the needs of space heating and heating the DHW system;
• "Water-air" - wells or probes are used to heat water, and for air - an air heating system;
• "Air-to-water" - here atmospheric heat is used to warm up water heating;
• "Soil-water" - the pipeline is laid underground, and the water circulating through it receives heat from the earth;
• "Ice-water" - for heating, the energy obtained during the formation of ice is used.For example, the process of freezing 100-200 liters of water can heat a medium-sized house for an hour.

The most widespread are samples in which the primary medium is earth or air, because suitable reservoirs may not be in sufficient proximity to the heating system. The second most popular medium is water - a pipeline-loop is laid through the medium acting as a heat source and the coolant moves through it. In the course of moving along the circuit, the coolant is heated to the same temperature as the environment. After that, it enters the evaporator heat exchanger, where it heats the freon liquid gas, which is in the secondary circuit, to a boil. Freon goes into the compressor, where it is compressed, as a result of which it is strongly heated to a temperature of 50 - 75 degrees Celsius. Then the gas enters the condenser, where it gives off the heated heat to another medium - air or a heat-carrying liquid.

Possible modes of operation of a heat pump for a residential building

Standard modes include:

• Heating of premises;
• Heating and supply of hot water;
• Room cooling.

Most modern pumps are capable of operating in several modes at once - heating rooms and hot water with its subsequent supply, heating water and cooling rooms, cooling some and simultaneously heating other rooms. However, such samples are very expensive and belong to the category of professional equipment, so they are more often placed in water parks, bath complexes, spas, etc. An ordinary household heat pump most often works in only one mode at once, but can quickly switch between them .

Additional modes of operation of heat pumps include:

• Automatic maintenance of temperature (both for water, and for air in rooms);
• Ability to work according to a given schedule of events (for example, heating rooms at a certain time);
• Operation in temperature compensation mode (depending on the outdoor temperature, the required indoor temperature is maintained).

It is also worth mentioning other functions that do not have such frequent use:

• Defrosting mode (gradual “defrosting” of the premises, if they have had a low temperature for a long time);
• Maintaining the circulation of the coolant through a heat exchanger (i.e. maintaining a minimum positive temperature in the circuit in order to prevent its complete freezing);
• Automatic troubleshooting in the system;
• Automatic system restart (in case of failure, error detection, power outage/restore);
• "warm start" (compressor warming up);
• Ability to remember the last settings;
• Inverter compressor power control.

The optimal power of a heat pump for home heating should be approximately 120-200% of the calculated heat loss of the house (i.e., of the required specific power). Although these parameters are highly recommended and will provide up to 95% of the heat demand for the whole house for a full heating season, but their achievement will greatly affect the cost of the entire system as a whole. Thus, it can be very difficult to achieve a figure of even 120% heat loss.

It should be noted that if we focus on the conversion factor of electrical energy for heating in the climatic conditions of central Russia, then it should be equal to 3 COP units.We must not forget that the installation of a heat pump is primarily a way to save money, however, it will be different for each region of our large country. For example, an air heat pump with the same technical characteristics will pay off much faster (namely, 2-3 times) for the heating seasons in the Moscow or Leningrad region than on the Crimean peninsula.

Heat pump and its efficiency

The pump power factor means the ratio of heating power to consumed, in other words, how many kilowatts of thermal power are output for each consumed kilowatt of electricity. For example, for a conventional electric heater, this coefficient is about one. And for air conditioners and heat pumps, it starts from 3.0 and can reach 5.0, and even more. This indicator is also influenced by the heat-conducting circuit.

For example, an air circuit will cost much less, however, its use in domestic conditions may cause some discomfort. This is because the fan driving the air will spread its own noise throughout the rooms, and also in winter it takes a longer time to warm up the air. Thus, if the dwelling is located in a region where there are severe frosts in winter, then it makes sense to install a bivalent heating system (two heat sources will be used immediately). Such a system will independently control the heating efficiency, for example, if the temperature has reached a certain level and it cannot be raised above it by means of the first source, then an additional heat source is automatically connected.

But on the earth contour, such problems, as a rule, do not arise, because the temperature of the earth below the freezing level does not fall below 0 degrees Celsius. At a depth of 3-4 to 40-50 meters, it is at the level of the average annual air temperature characteristic of the area. And at a depth even lower, it even begins to rise. And the ground heat exchanger works completely silently.

At the same time, practice shows that a soil heating complex can pay off in about 20 years. And this is only taking into account current electricity prices. Accordingly, in the future, electricity prices will continue to rise, and the payback period will be reduced. At the same time, it is worth remembering that usually manufacturers declare a minimum service life of a heat pump of 20 years, but in fact it can work for all 100. Therefore, its purchase can really be economically justified.

DIY body pump

Despite all the advantages of equipping a home with a heat pump, the cost of the entire system is far from small and can reach several thousand US dollars. However, the entire system can be created by hand. Most often, a compressor, several plate heat exchangers, a drying filter, an expansion valve and a few other components will be enough for this. As a refrigerant, you can use liquefied gas freon R22. All these components are quite enough to create a system that will provide heat for a three-level house of 300 square meters.

To begin with, on the site around the house, it is necessary to lay two HDPE pipe loops of 450 meters each and one loop of 600 meters. The end of the 600-meter circuit must be lowered into the nearest flowing reservoir.In addition to the system, it is necessary to install ventilation, which will heat the coolant to the heat exchanger. In the summer, ventilation will be used to cool the premises. Approximately, the entire specified system will "wind up" for three years on 300 squares of living space about 39,000 kilowatts. Savings in person.

Ranking of the best heat pumps for 2022

Geothermal

2nd place: Silanis TNV-GT 15 kW

Inexpensive model of geothermal equipment, perfect for domestic use. There is an internal memory of 8 GB and remote control using an Android application. The model has a "soft start" function and can control the temperature of the coolant at 12 points of the system.

Name	Index
Coolant temperature, degrees Celsius	Up to 60
Dimensions, mm	700x600x1300
Weight, kilograms	210
Pump type	Air to air
Thermal power, kilowatt	15
Voltage, volt	380
Cost, rubles	370000

• Current price;
• Powerful electronic stuffing;
• Control variability.

• Not found (for its category)

1st place: DX Lian HW12

This pump uses innovative DX technologies - they allow direct boiling of the coolant in the system, due to which the heated area will increase, and excessive condensate will not accumulate in the circuit. The design uses a twin-rotor compressor with a synchronous drive.

Name	Index
Coolant temperature, degrees Celsius	55
Dimensions, mm	700x600x1500
Weight, kilograms	300
Pump type	Air - air
Thermal power, kilowatt	12
Voltage, volt	380
Cost, rubles	990000

• For laying the circuit, only 2-4 square meters of land is required;
• An RCD is installed in the case;
• A unique self-diagnosis system is used.

• High price.

On water heating

2nd place: Meeting MDS20D

Somewhat underpowered, but still reliable pump for domestic use. Able to heat rooms up to 100 square meters. Its distinctive feature is that it is able to function even at low temperatures (from + 5 Celsius). The design is equipped with a rotary compressor with three modes of operation.

Name	Index
Coolant temperature, degrees Celsius	60
Dimensions, mm	750x650x550
Weight, kilograms	75
Pump type	Water - water
Thermal power, kilowatt	7
Voltage, volt	220
Cost, rubles	140000

• Budget price;
• Small dimensions and weight;
• Availability of additional modes.

• Low power.

1st place: HISEER GS07

A good pump model, perfect for heating country houses of medium size up to 100 square meters. All the minimum required options are available: a three-stage operation mode, the function of maintaining the set temperature, weather-compensated automation. Decent model at the current price.

Name	Index
Coolant temperature, degrees Celsius	60
Dimensions, mm	640x1040x600
Weight, kilograms	107
Pump type	Water - water
Thermal power, kilowatt	7
Voltage, volt	220
Cost, rubles	240000

• Excellent value for money;
• Has a weather compensation mode;
• Noise level is minimized.

• No remote control included.

inverter

2nd place: Danheat up to 5.3 kW

Another household model, characterized by extreme ease of installation. Belongs to the category of budget samples. Technical characteristics allow you to apply it to any, even the smallest premises, but you should not expect ultra-high power from this pump. The device may well fit for shift purposes.

Name	Index
Coolant temperature, degrees Celsius	43
Dimensions, mm	640x1040x600
Weight, kilograms	55
Pump type	Air - air
Thermal power, kilowatt	5.2
Voltage, volt	220
Cost, rubles	110000

• Extremely small dimensions and weight;
• Reliable components;
• Budget price.

• Little functionality;
• Reduced power.

1st place: Danheat up to 13 kW

A unit specially optimized for the Russian climate. Works on the system "air - water". It features low power consumption with a fairly high output effect. As a cooler, a new composition of freon R410A is used. The COP efficiency ratio is 3.3 units.

Name	Index
Coolant temperature, degrees Celsius	55
Dimensions, mm	640x740x600
Weight, kilograms	160
Pump type	Air - water
Thermal power, kilowatt	13
Voltage, volt	220
Cost, rubles	390000

• Optimal price/quality ratio;
• Increased output power;
• Small power consumption.

• Not identified (for its segment).

For swimming pools

2nd place: Azuro BP 50WSC

Compact pool heat pump, easy to install and requires little maintenance.It can be used to heat water both in a monolithic (concrete) pool, and in a prefabricated or frame pool. It functions perfectly from April to October in central Russia. Installed rotary type compressor.

Name	Index
Coolant temperature, degrees Celsius	35
Dimensions, mm	510x780x270
Weight, kilograms	35
Pump type	Air - water
Thermal power, kilowatt	4.6
Voltage, volt	220
Cost, rubles	80000

• Easy installation;
• Rotary compressor;
• Multifunctionality.

• It is not recommended to start at an ambient temperature above +35 Celsius.

1st place: Zodiac Z200 M5 (WH000013)

Monoblock, and therefore relatively expensive model from a French manufacturer. It is positioned as high-quality, but at the same time simple and economical equipment. It can be used both for heating private and public pools of any design. With sufficient power, it does not require increased power supply.

Name	Index
Coolant temperature, degrees Celsius	35
Dimensions, mm	380x840x660
Weight, kilograms	45
Pump type	Air - water
Thermal power, kilowatt	6.1
Voltage, volt	220
Cost, rubles	180000

• Multifunctionality;
• Increased power;
• Easy to install and maintain.

• Not found.

Instead of an epilogue

Currently, the market for the units under consideration is quite wide and it is difficult to single out a specific leader in it.But the trends are such that the buyer prefers a Western manufacturer for heating pools, Asian models are perfect for heating small areas, and Russian models are quite suitable for home use (heating large areas of private houses). In turn, the majority of supplier firms offer, in addition to the purchase of equipment directly, their installation supervision services. They are provided mainly at a significant discount, so it is not a sin to use them. You can buy heat pumps in retail chains and on Internet sites.