Comparison Aquaviva Model 12 12 kW vs Aquaviva Superior 12 12 kW

— Heating. Heat pumps designed for use in heating systems are the most traditional and simple design option. Note that not all of these units can fully provide the temperature and power required for traditional water heating — many of them are more main function low-temperature heating like floor heating, or to work as an additional source of energy in combination with a boiler. Therefore, before buying such a unit, you should carefully read its specs.

— Heating and hot water. Heat pumps capable of operating both for heating and domestic hot water supply. The purely heating models described above, usually, differ in the presence of a built-in water heater (or the ability to connect an external one).

— Hot water supply. Heat pumps designed exclusively for domestic hot water are relatively rare. A feature of many of these models is the absence of an indoor unit — the unit (usually of the “air-to-water” type, see “Source”) is located outdoors and is connected to an indirect type water heater installed inside. For several reasons, this option has not received much distribution.

— For the pool. The main difference between pool heat pumps is the operating temperature, which in cold weather makes the pump extremely inefficient. The second main parameter is the heating temperature of the coolant; in such models, it is usually not higher th...an +40 °C, but such a temperature is possible only under perfect conditions. In most models, the highest efficiency is achieved at air temperatures from 15° to 27 °C and a water supply temperature of ~26 °C, which is comfortable for a person. Usually, such models have a monoblock design, which allows you to connect the supply and return lines directly to the heat pump.

This parameter is used in pool heat pump models (see “Suitable for”). It expresses the recommended maximum volume of the pool in cubic meters, which will ensure the proper performance of the device. Note that the recommended volume is usually indicated approximately, because it is important to take into account other factors: the presence of a protective coating from the sun, ambient temperature, etc.

— Heating and cooling. Heat pumps that work on pumping heat in two directions. The main heating function is usually used for the water circuit of floor heating or radiator heating, and for cooling, such devices can replace fan coil units. It is worth noting that models with this mode can be used, for example, only for heating. For example, if the cooling system already exists, which will simplify the installation of communications in general.

— Heating only. There are heat pumps that operate only in heating mode, which is important if the room already has an air conditioning system and cooling is not required.

The maximum heat output generated by a heat pump is the amount of heat it can transfer from the outdoors into the heating system and/or domestic hot water.

The heat output is the most important spec of a heat pump. It directly determines its efficiency and ability to provide the required amount of heat. Note that this spec is shown for optimal operating conditions. Such conditions are rare, so the actual output heat is usually noticeably lower than the maximum; this must be taken into account when choosing. There are special formulas for calculating the optimal value of the maximum heat output, depending on the specific condition.

Electric power consumed by the heat pump when operating only for heat transfer, without the use of an additional heating element (if any, see below). The ratio of thermal power to power input determines the thermal coefficient COP (see below) and, accordingly, the overall efficiency of the unit. It also affects overall power consumption (and therefore electricity bills), as well as some power and connection requirements — for example, models powered by 230 V and with a power of more than 5 kW cannot work from an outlet and require a special connection to the mains.

For more information on power consumption, see the paragraph above. Here is indicated the consumption of electricity during operation in the cooling.

The lowest ambient temperature (air or ground, see Heat source) at which a heat pump can safely and reasonably efficiently perform its functions. Efficiency at minimum temperature, of course, is noticeably reduced, but the device can still be used as a heat source.

The data on the minimum operating T allows you to evaluate the suitability of the pump for the cold season.

The highest temperature to which the pump can heat the coolant. It is worth noting that such indicators can be achieved at a fairly high temperature of air or ground. And since heat pumps are used during the cold season, the actual maximum temperature, usually, is less than theoretically achievable. Nevertheless, this parameter makes it possible to evaluate the capabilities of the unit or its suitability for certain tasks.

The compressor is the main element, the "heart" of the unit: it circulates the coolant through the heat pump circuits and transfers heat from outdoors to the room. Knowing the name of the compressor, you can find detailed information about it and find out some features of the heat pump as a whole. Note that the name is usually indicated if the device uses a high-end compressor, often an inverter one.

— Inverter. The presence of a compressor with inverter power control in the heat pump. Models without an inverter have only two modes of operation — either on or off; and the set intensity of heating/cooling is provided by turning the compressor on and off for certain periods. In turn, the principle of inverter control is to smoothly change the compressor power, which avoids constant switching on and off. It provides many advantages: minimal wear, no power surges and unnecessary load on the electrical mains, as well as a comfortable (low and stable) noise level.