The central part of a heat pump system. The compressor increases the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant and simultaneously reduces its volume while causing the refrigerant to move through the system. Over-sizing a heating or cooling system increases cycling losses. A device for recovering superheat from the compressor discharge gas of a heat pump or central air conditioner for use in heating or preheating water. Any of several types of combustible fuels formed from the decomposition of organic matter.
Examples are natural gas, propane, fuel oil, oil, and coal.
A device designed to transfer heat between two physically separated fluids or mediums of different temperatures. Heat pumps can extract heat from air, water, or the earth. They are classified as either air-source or geothermal units. A heat pump system that uses groundwater from a well or surface water from a lake, pond, or river as a heat source. The water is returned to the environment.