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Keywords

Y2

deviceZ2/3

oil/natural gas

S5

renewal energy

LTechnical Services

Heat Pump and Thermal Storage Technology Center of Japan

Heat Pump (General Purpose)
Featuresu The air, the water, and the ground existing in Nature are full of sun-based energy. The technology inthis heat pump makes this heat energy usable and puts it to use for air conditioning, water heating,and drying.
u Using heat energy from the air and water instead of fossil fuels increases energy efficiency and leads
to the reduction of CO2 emissions.
u The use of heat pumps has spread mainly in the household use, e.g. air-conditioners for cooling andheating and water heaters. They can also be used to meet the thermal energy demand for drying andheating (below 120ºC) in industrial processes.

Applicable Fields of Heat Pump
Refrigeration andheating capacity(kW)

Process cooling forindustorial use

Cold storage
warehouse andrefrigerator forbusiness use

Air-conditioning inbuildings and plants(cooling and heating)

Large

Freezing
storagewarehouse

Small

SlightMediumLarge

Small ← Share of heat pump → Large

Small

Medium

VRC/Evaporative
Concentration(Steam recompression)

Display case
Large

Large

Hot water
supplyMediumIndustrial
steam generator

SmallSmall

Air-conditioning
for residential use
Large Small

Refrigerator Large

Concentration and drying
for industorial use
SlightClothes drying Slight
Temperature(°C)

Use across industry/business/home sectors, further expanding therange of use due to technological advances and applications.

Basic Concept or Summary- Heat pumps don’t contain combustion devices or heaters, but are instead equipped with compressorsthat compress heating transmitter (i.e., refrigerant).
- By compressing and expanding heat-carrying elements (i.e., refrigerants) in a cycle, indoor heat istransferred outdoors or outdoor heat is transferred indoors by an air conditioner , for example, tosubsequently cool or heat a room.
- Fluctuations to the temperature of refrigerants is based on the principle that “compressing a gas
increases its temperature, while lowering its pressure (i.e., expanding) lowers its temperature.

1 unit electric power + 6 units heat in the air
Electricpower

OutdoorCompressor

7 units thermal energy(an example of heating with a household air conditioner)

The temperature of refrigerant
increases when compressedIndoors

Heat absorption from the airExpansion
valveWith sudden reduction in thepressure, the temperature of
the refrigerant drops.

Refrigerant (gas)
Refrigerant (liquid)
HeatEffects or Remarks

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P-u The final energy and CO2 emissions reductions by sectors (home, business, industry, agriculture, etc.)
and by use (hot water supply, air conditioning, heating, snow melting, etc.), in the event the use of theheat pump unit and the like becomes more popular, are shown in comparison with the base year
(FY2020) below (figures are estimates derived by this center in 2022).
Energy Saving Effect(Based on Final Energy Consumption)
Crude Oil Equivalent(10,000kL)

CO2 Reduction Effect
10,000 t-CO
Household Water Heaters

25,0794,178

Household Water Heaters
Household Air Conditioning

3,208

Commercial Water Heaters

14,747

Commercial Air Conditioning
Industrial Air Conditioning

1,177

Industrial Warming

5,846

Agricultural Greenhouse Warming
Other – Melting Snow

Installation in Practice or Schedule
Domestic

Examples of devices making use of heat pump technology:

Heat pumps used in households
For drying purposes

For hot water supply

Heat pump washer-dryer

EcoCuteFor Air-conditioning

Heat pumpfloor heating

Air-conditioners

For snow melting

For refrigeration

Heat pump hot water
snow melting system

Refrigerator-freezers

Overseas

Air conditioners in commercial buildings and district cooling systems around the world use
heat pumps with high-efficiency turbo chillers; however, variable-speed turbo chillers withinverter control have also been employed in recent years to achieve even higher standard ofenergy efficiency.
In Europe, heat pump heaters equipped with geothermal systems are widely used, andJapanese manufacturers have also added their independently-developed heat pumps as heatsources.

Contact:Heat Pump and Thermal Storage Technology Center of Japan
International & Technical Research Department
1-28-5 Hulic Kakigaracho Bldg., 6F, Kakigaracho Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Tel: +81-3-5643-2404 Fax: +81-3-5641-4501 URL: http://www.hptcj.or.jp/e/index.html