Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine September 2023

HVACR NewsMagazine September 2023

Tech News

This limit is where alternative fuels give an advantage. While the US has embraces technology for cleaner air when fossil fuels are utilized, other geopolitical powers will use fossil fuel any way possible until the supply is gone due to population demands. Fossil fuel is cheap, abundant, and portable to a great extent. While the air is much cleaner today in the US, we have little influence with fuel use and air quality over greater Asia. Wildfires are a greater threat to US air quality than industry in general. Since electrical power was widely available in the US efforts to electrify has been attempted several times. In the late 1950’s Ronald Reagan pitched the idea with “Gold Medallion Homes”. In the 1970’s during the Arab Oil Crisis, the “Good Cents” program was initiated. As recent as the late 1980’s to early 1990’s, a government push was made to install heat pumps. It is the opinion of some in the industry, the push was a failure, due to poorly calculated loads, poor defrost technology and dependability issues. These machines had many mechanical components that contributed to the problem. One major issue that excludes equipment, was improper distribution systems that caused uncomfortable conditions. We didn’t pay attention to the properties of air. One can argue the entire range of HVAC of equipment has benefited by the age of electronic components taking a foothold industry since that 1980’s to 1990’s push. Most in the HVAC industry agree heat pumps are much more efficient and dependable today over those manufactured during that last heat pump push. Science also demands we deliver heat pump technology efficiently and effectively. Since the general design of air conditioning, moving

warm air to the outdoors, it only makes sense we can harvest heat outdoors, and move it indoor for comfort via the heat pump. The missing thought is, when we cool the human body, drafts are sometimes appreciated, especially when air movement speeds the process of perspiration drying. When in winter time conditions, the air is less moist as cooler air holds less humidity and heat pump delivered heat temperatures are around 90 degrees so the air must be mixed and delivered outside the occupied zone. Any air delivered below 98 degrees will be sensed as a draft making conditions uncomfortable, particularly for older folks. With these facts in mind, we must realize grille size, selection and configuration must be considered for air delivery in heating mode. What works for heating will make cooling more efficient and comfortable. The science also points out heat pump capacities vs. furnace capacities are not an even matchup. In hot humid areas of our county where 2000 square foot homes are cooled by 30,000 to 36,000 btu cooling systems, winter time loads can call for 80,000 btu to 110,000 btu heating capacity. If we look at heating capacity of a 36,000 btu high efficiency heat pump, we may find as little 24,000 btu at 35 degrees. Do not make the mistake of overlooking load information. In general, winter heating capacities are double that of cooling required where hot humid conditions exist in the summer. That logically would mean two heat pumps to do the job of one furnace. We can utilize dual fuel heat pump technology to overcome this hurdle and keep one system in place. Once comfort temperatures are met, the fossil fuel system takes a back seat, and the system moves to the heat pump mode. During high demand for heating the dual fuel makes up for the