RussellMc wrote:
>> Efficiencies over 100% bother physics-type people so much they had to
>> invent another term for heat pumps :o)    Coefficient of performance? Po=
wer
>> out divided by power in? Sounds like efficiency to me. ;)
>>    =20
>
> Obviously not a Physics-type person.
>
> I have yet to see a description of heat pump operation that makes good
> intuitive sense.
> I'm certainly not saying that that cannot be done (as it obviously
> can) but, whereas most physical processes can be described with a
> 'join the dots' description that makes sense at a basic level, I've
> not seen such for heast pumps. I obviously should draw one.
>  =20
Heat pumps are really much the same thing as refrigerators. They move=20
heat from a colder place to a warmer place. Per the second law of=20
thermodynamics to do this they must also convert "useful energy" into=20
heat. The heat delivered to the "warm side" is a combination of heat=20
moved from the "cold side" and heat generated in the device.

Traditionally this is done through the forced compression and expansion=20
of fluids (compressing the fluid increases it's temperature allowing=20
energy to be released to the "warm side", letting the fluid expand=20
reduces it's temperature allowing heat energy to be absorbed from the=20
"cold side". There are also other physical processes that can be used.
--=20
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