I had a friend who had a natural gas powered air conditioner, but I doubt if it would pay to make it a heat pump. If you have natural gas, just use it to heat the house in a forced air furnace.
Greetings,
Who makes geothermal natural gas powered heat pumps? Does anyone have any experience with an oil or natural gas powered heat pumps (geothermal or otherwise)?
Thank you for your time and energy,
William
Greetings,
I might be able to get a low interest loan from the government for the money used to purchase the units. When the capital costs for the units are artificially low sometimes it makes since to do things that otherwise would not be economically sound.
Your tax dollars at work, William
"As I understand it" heat pumps are more than 100% efficient in suitable climates. Since furnaces are not more than 93% efficient, why wouldn't you use natural gas powered heat pumps?
Greetings,
QUOTE "A I understand it" heat pumps are more than 100% efficient in suitable climates. END QUOTE
Yes, they are. Natural gas heat pumps have an efficiency of about 140%. The Peerless natural gas boiler I installed last week had an efficiency of about 80%. Geothermal heat pumps have an efficiency of about 345%. The reason for this increased efficiency is that they are transferring heat from a liquid at ground water temperature (55 deg year round where I live) instead of the outside air (currently 12 deg). Geothermal heat pumps don't require a "suitable climate".
You asked why you wouldn't use a natural gas heat pump. You wouldn't use one because the up-front costs and increased complexity of the unit aren't covered by the energy savings. Sometimes up-front costs for traditional natural gas systems are prohibitive and electric is installed.
William
You only get over 100% efficiency for electric power, not gas.
That would be true only if electric motors are significantly more efficient than gas motors. (and I haven't a clue if they are or not)
Greetings,
For the purpose of heating efficiency is generally measured as BTU heat output / BTU fuel purchased.
You get 100% efficiency with vent-free gas heaters. You get over 100% efficiency with heat pumps. The is because some of the "BTU heat output" comes from the air outside of the house rather than the fuel purchased. This is why over 100% efficiency is possible -- even with gas.
H> >> William Deans wrote:
The natural gas heatpump that I had some connection with did not use a natural gas motor, only electric motors. It used natural gas for a source of energy for the change of state. Note I believe they must use Ammonia for the coolant and I am not at all sure if they would be reversible.
Greetings,
Neither electric nor gas motors are 100% efficient at converting electricity or gas into mechanical energy. Electric motors are closer than gas motors because gas motors give off more waste heat. In this case the "waste heat" is usable so it isn't as much as a problem.
Hope this helps, William
Obviously, what you really want to know is how much you are paying to heat your house. The cost of gas versus the cost of electricity determines which one is most economical. In most areas of the United States today, natural gas is MORE economical to heat their homes than heat pumps. Some geothermal units are more economical on an energy used basis, but not enough that the extra installation and maintenace cost are ever recovered.
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