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Purdue university experts show us one great method to reduce 50% of winter home heating costs

heatpumpResearchers at Purdue University are working on a new research project that promises the potential to cut heating bill in half for those who live in very cold climates. The study, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, builds on previous work that began about 5 years ago at Purdue’s Ray W. Herrick Laboratories.

Heat pumps provide heating in winter and cooling in summer but aren’t efficient in extreme cold climates. The published research involves changes to the way heat pumps operate to make them more cost-effective in extreme cold temperatures.

The modern technology works by modifying the conventional vapor-compression cycle behind standard air con and refrigeration.

The usual vapor-compression cycle has four stages:
1° Refrigerant is compressed as a vapor
2° Condenses into a liquid
3° Expands to a combination of liquid and vapor
4° Then evaporates

The project will investigate two cooling approaches during the compression process.
In one approach, relatively a lot of oil are injected into the compressor to absorb heat generated through the compression stage.
In the second approach, a combination of liquid and vapor refrigerant from the expansion stage is injected at various points during compression to supply cooling.

HeatPump_sceneThe newest heat pumps might be half as expensive to operate as heating technologies now utilised in cold regions where gas is unavailable and residents depend on electric heaters and liquid propane.

In the meanwhile here some tips to improve you home air quality and save energy:

- Be certain your thermostat is located in a spot that is not too cold or hot.

- Install an automatic timer to maintain the thermostat at 68 degrees in the daytime and 55 degrees during the night time.

- Use storm or thermal windows in colder areas. The layer of air between the windows acts as insulation helping to maintain the heat inside the spot where you are interested.

- If you haven’t already, insulate your attic and all outside walls.

- Insulate floors over unheated spaces such as your basement, any crawl spaces and your garage.

- Close off the attic, garage, basement, spare bedrooms and storage areas. Heat only those rooms that you use.

- Seal gaps around any pipes, wires, vents or other openings that could transfer your heat to areas that aren’t heated.

- Dust is a wonderful insulator and tends to build up on radiators and baseboard heat vents.

A lot of people don’t know that common indoor air quality practices lower home air heating costs too:

- Rain and high humidity can bring moisture indoors, creating dampness, mold and mildew — big problems for healthy indoor air. Look at your roof, foundation and basement or crawlspace once a year to catch leaks or moisture problems and route water away from your home’s foundation.

- Keep asthma triggers away from your house by fixing leaks and drips once they start. Standing water and moist encourage the development of dust mites, mold and mildew — probably the most common triggers that can worsen asthma. Make use of a dehumidifier or air conditioner when needed, and clean both regularly.

- High amounts of moisture at home increase dampness and the growth of mold, which not only damage your house but threaten health. Install and run exhaust fans in bathrooms to remove unhealthy moisture and odors out of your home.

- Ventilate your kitchen stove directly outside or open a kitchen window when you cook. Keeping exhaust — including cooking odors and particles — outside of your home prevents dangerous fumes and particles from harming you or your family.

About me – Rosalind Dall writes for the ductless split system air conditioner blog, her personal hobby blog related to tips to help people consume less energy and purify indoor air.

July 13th, 2010 | Category: Alternative Energy, Green Research

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