Air source heat pump exhaust
Discussion
We've just had an ASHP installed to heat our pool - first world problem incoming.
The ASHP is installed around the side of the pool shed and exhausts into an area that has pretty good airflow in from the top and sides of the pump, but the exhaust itself (which is v cold) pushes out into a wooded, bushy area which to an extent blocks or rebounds the exhausted, colder air, so it does feel noticeably colder around the ASHP, which I'm sure affects efficiency. Based on the reading from the ASHP it is receiving air which is roughly 3 degrees colder than ambient.
My question is whether anyone has ever seen any kind of exhaust trunking or similar applied to an ASHP to direct the exhaust a little further away from the unit? Essentially what I'm envisaging is a tube roughly attached to the exhaust of the ASHP, maybe 10 feet long, that channels the exhaust through the bushes and away from the unit itself. I've tried some googling but nothing obvious comes up. Is this stupid / not worth it?
PS I miss my gas boiler which was a beast at heating the pool but pretty sketchy in terms of safety.
The ASHP is installed around the side of the pool shed and exhausts into an area that has pretty good airflow in from the top and sides of the pump, but the exhaust itself (which is v cold) pushes out into a wooded, bushy area which to an extent blocks or rebounds the exhausted, colder air, so it does feel noticeably colder around the ASHP, which I'm sure affects efficiency. Based on the reading from the ASHP it is receiving air which is roughly 3 degrees colder than ambient.
My question is whether anyone has ever seen any kind of exhaust trunking or similar applied to an ASHP to direct the exhaust a little further away from the unit? Essentially what I'm envisaging is a tube roughly attached to the exhaust of the ASHP, maybe 10 feet long, that channels the exhaust through the bushes and away from the unit itself. I've tried some googling but nothing obvious comes up. Is this stupid / not worth it?
PS I miss my gas boiler which was a beast at heating the pool but pretty sketchy in terms of safety.
You need to be careful about restricting the air flow through the unit. These deflectors are reasonably common in Australia where heat pumps are generally used for cooling rather than heating so they encourage the hot air to rise rather than hang about reducing efficiency by being sucked back in.
https://www.ozaironline.com.au/products/air-divert...
https://www.ozaironline.com.au/products/air-divert...
The installation manual should say what the guidelines are for clearance etc ?
Sounds like whatever is interfering with the exhaust it must be pretty close to have the impact you say ?
Our heat pump is the standard air gets sucked in the back and pushed out the front. With ours I think the obstruction would have to be very close and pretty solid to impact the temperature of the air that gets drawn in to the unit
Sounds like whatever is interfering with the exhaust it must be pretty close to have the impact you say ?
Our heat pump is the standard air gets sucked in the back and pushed out the front. With ours I think the obstruction would have to be very close and pretty solid to impact the temperature of the air that gets drawn in to the unit
The rubbish chute isn't actually a terrible idea....
I'll take a photo in the light tomorrow. It's got pretty good airflow for the exhaust so perhaps I'm being precious but with a barry-sized exhaust pipe I suspect I can direct the flow even better. The exhaust is bloody freezing and definitely there is some exhaust flow making its way back into the inlet.
I'll take a photo in the light tomorrow. It's got pretty good airflow for the exhaust so perhaps I'm being precious but with a barry-sized exhaust pipe I suspect I can direct the flow even better. The exhaust is bloody freezing and definitely there is some exhaust flow making its way back into the inlet.
In my experience the exhaust from an ASHP pool heater is pretty big. Adding an exhaust pipe (of even that size) would restrict the airflow, and affect efficiency. (Ideally you want masses of hot air going through the ASHP, and every degree counts).
Is it possible to remove the bushes, or move the ASHP?
Is it possible to remove the bushes, or move the ASHP?
b14 said:
We've just had an ASHP installed to heat our pool - first world problem incoming.
The ASHP is installed around the side of the pool shed and exhausts into an area that has pretty good airflow in from the top and sides of the pump, but the exhaust itself (which is v cold) pushes out into a wooded, bushy area which to an extent blocks or rebounds the exhausted, colder air, so it does feel noticeably colder around the ASHP, which I'm sure affects efficiency. Based on the reading from the ASHP it is receiving air which is roughly 3 degrees colder than ambient.
My question is whether anyone has ever seen any kind of exhaust trunking or similar applied to an ASHP to direct the exhaust a little further away from the unit? Essentially what I'm envisaging is a tube roughly attached to the exhaust of the ASHP, maybe 10 feet long, that channels the exhaust through the bushes and away from the unit itself. I've tried some googling but nothing obvious comes up. Is this stupid / not worth it?
PS I miss my gas boiler which was a beast at heating the pool but pretty sketchy in terms of safety.
A lot of arm waving in this thread.The ASHP is installed around the side of the pool shed and exhausts into an area that has pretty good airflow in from the top and sides of the pump, but the exhaust itself (which is v cold) pushes out into a wooded, bushy area which to an extent blocks or rebounds the exhausted, colder air, so it does feel noticeably colder around the ASHP, which I'm sure affects efficiency. Based on the reading from the ASHP it is receiving air which is roughly 3 degrees colder than ambient.
My question is whether anyone has ever seen any kind of exhaust trunking or similar applied to an ASHP to direct the exhaust a little further away from the unit? Essentially what I'm envisaging is a tube roughly attached to the exhaust of the ASHP, maybe 10 feet long, that channels the exhaust through the bushes and away from the unit itself. I've tried some googling but nothing obvious comes up. Is this stupid / not worth it?
PS I miss my gas boiler which was a beast at heating the pool but pretty sketchy in terms of safety.
Somebody, somewhere should be able to tell you what the effect of that 3 degree drop in the local temperature would be, in terms of reduced COP of the heat pump. Maybe there's a chart in the manual?
The data I've seen for one ASHP suggested it didn't make much difference, until the ambient drops to about 10degC, then the slope gets a bit steeper.
The evaporator will always be colder than the incoming air.
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