As heat is transferred from the heat exchanger into the water pipe in WSHPs, the process is quieter and has a smaller carbon footprint since water transports heat more effectively than air. The heat transfer coefficient that is the most restricting in an air-source unit is situated on the air side.
Air-to-air convection has a heat transfer coefficient of between 25 W per m2 and 250 W per m2. On the other hand, the forced convection heat transfer coefficient for water ranges from 50 to 20,000 Watts per 2. The reason why WSHPs are becoming more popular is that they are smaller and more efficient than air source heat pumps.
The heat exchange procedure may be accomplished when you have a multi-unit of water source heat pump by simply using a single central, evaporative cooling tower or dry coolers that are positioned on the ground or roof. It is feasible to set up WSHP systems under ceilings that have been lowered or concealed away from occupied spaces like mechanical rooms or utility closets.
They can utilize less ducting and use less energy if installed on ceilings near the area of usage. One of the greatest energy consumers in an HVAC system is the fan. The number of energy fans used should be reduced via an overall intelligent design.
In contrast to bundled furnace air conditioners
The heating efficiency of WSHPs is higher than that of packaged furnace air conditioners. Around 95% of the heat produced by a furnace is heated using natural gas (for a COF of 0.95) and 100% of heat from electrical sources (COP equals 1.0).
When a water-source heating pump is in the heating phase of operation, the heat energy produced by the water loop is collected and used in the process. It also absorbs and uses the heat produced by compression inside the refrigerant circuit to form an energy source for heating.
Heating and cooling simultaneously with WSHPs
Considering the demands of the numerous tenants residing in the multi-purpose area and the location of the building, it is common for some tenants to want both cooling and heating simultaneously. However, the ice cream business next door wants cooling while the restaurant needs hot water.
Globally, there is a wide range of energy needs that need to be met. WSHPs have the capacity to remove heat from a region that is not taking it and utilize it in another location.
WSHPs are excellent in energy recovery and transportation. Water has a specific temperature of 4.2 KJ/kg C and is neither poisonous nor flammable. It is the ideal way to transmit energy without the drawbacks of utilizing combustible or artificial refrigerants, especially close to the occupied area.
Final Thoughts
Commercial buildings have used WSHPs, an energy-efficient technology, with great success. They have been most effective at lowering energy use when there is diversity in energy demand, which results in smaller boilers and cooling towers. WSHPs are able to transfer thermal energy over long distances safely and effectively as compared to other current alternatives since water serves as the heat transport medium in the common water loop.
Because they are smaller, they provide designers more architectural flexibility by permitting the placement of boilers, towers, and pumps away from populated areas. WSHPs eliminate the fire risk posed by heating furnaces. They operate extremely efficiently while using a lot less refrigerant than VRF systems.