EcoRenovator - View Single Post - Thermal storage and water to water heat pump

jeff5may · 05-22-17, 11:14 PM

Yep, the thermal battery guy is leveraging the system with water being used as a phase change material (PCM) on both ends. The latent heat of fusion required to make water change phases makes a big difference in the energy available in the stored water.

In heating season, the freezing and thawing of ice water holds 150 times more heat than sensibly heating and cooling the water. It also makes the solar collectors WAY more effective. As long as they are producing a source temperature above 0 degC, they are thawing ice. When outdoor temperature is above freezing, the panels can transfer heat even in the dark.

During cooling season, an evaporative cooling tower is employed. With a small "swamp cooler" unit, the heat flowing into the cistern from the heat pump could be dissipated with ease, once the cistern water temperature exceeded outdoor temperature. In your situation, the waste heat could be dissipated into your swimming pool to keep it comfortable. A few floating solar pool fountains could be enough to lose a few tons an hour during the day, and at night the pool would not need help evaporating during peak season.

I have done this before to cool off the outdoor unit of air-source units and it works well any way you do it. I have put drip irrigation misters on a tap water supply with valve, boosted performance over 30 percent. I put a kiddie pool in below a window unit to catch condensate, pumping the stuff with a submersible solar fountain pump and cut energy usage and boosted cooling performance. This all happened in the same climate zone as you.

05-22-17, 11:14 PM	#6
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,428 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	Yep, the thermal battery guy is leveraging the system with water being used as a phase change material (PCM) on both ends. The latent heat of fusion required to make water change phases makes a big difference in the energy available in the stored water. In heating season, the freezing and thawing of ice water holds 150 times more heat than sensibly heating and cooling the water. It also makes the solar collectors WAY more effective. As long as they are producing a source temperature above 0 degC, they are thawing ice. When outdoor temperature is above freezing, the panels can transfer heat even in the dark. During cooling season, an evaporative cooling tower is employed. With a small "swamp cooler" unit, the heat flowing into the cistern from the heat pump could be dissipated with ease, once the cistern water temperature exceeded outdoor temperature. In your situation, the waste heat could be dissipated into your swimming pool to keep it comfortable. A few floating solar pool fountains could be enough to lose a few tons an hour during the day, and at night the pool would not need help evaporating during peak season. I have done this before to cool off the outdoor unit of air-source units and it works well any way you do it. I have put drip irrigation misters on a tap water supply with valve, boosted performance over 30 percent. I put a kiddie pool in below a window unit to catch condensate, pumping the stuff with a submersible solar fountain pump and cut energy usage and boosted cooling performance. This all happened in the same climate zone as you. Last edited by jeff5may; 05-23-17 at 08:12 AM..