System COP is a more relevant metric of geothermal heat pump performance since the owner is paying for the electrical energy to operate the heat pump and the circulator, and their operation is always simultaneous.
While some cities have banned or attempted to ban gas-fired boilers in new buildings, other areas favor hybrid electric/gas or high efficiency gas systems as sustainable solutions.
The goal is to keep the system COP as high a possible as the operating conditions of the heat pump change. The logic behind maximum COP tracking is to continually look for an earth loop flow rate that improves the system COP.
So, your firm won the bid to design a new commercial project that includes a hydronic radiant snow- and ice-melting system. How do you start and what do you need to know?
Every year, manufacturers develop new or improved products for the North American hydronic market. Product development planning by those manufacturers depends on several factors. Here are a few of the main considerations.
Multiple boiler systems have been used for decades. They allow full heating capacity to be delivered when necessary, while also retaining high efficiency under partial load conditions compared to a single large boiler.
When a fixed output heat pump supplies a highly zoned heating or cooling distribution system, a buffer tank is typically used to prevent the heat pump from short-cycling under very low load conditions.