Aerothermics: advantages, benefits and applications
Aerothermal energy, a sustainable and efficient option
Aerothermal systems are designed to provide heating in winter, cooling in summer and hot water all year round by extracting the ambient energy contained in the air by way of a thermodynamic cycle. Being considered a clean energy it has numerous benefits, for both you and the environment. Find out more about them below.
Heat pumps are becoming increasingly efficient and will play a key role in the decarbonisation process.
The transition towards a low-emission economy is possible, but to achieve this it is essential to develop more efficient energy carriers and end uses. Decarbonisation and electrification are an opportunity for creating wealth, generating green jobs and improving air quality —the goal of the European Union (EU), for example, is to achieve net carbon-free emissions by 2050—. The challenge, therefore, concerns the energy sector in particular, but also society in general, because this process will be vital in combating climate change.
The electrification of transport and residential heating, and the production of electricity — electrical self-consumption — via renewable energies will form a key part of the road map to be followed by the energy sector for decarbonising the economy. It is here where clean alternatives come into play, such as wind energy, photovoltaic energy, hydroelectric energy, green hydrogen, hybrid energy and aerothermics. Let's now find out a little bit more about the latter.
Aerothermics and the demand for heat. Applications
Aerothermal systems are heat pumps that extract the ambient energy contained in the air via a thermodynamic cycle for providing heating in winter, cooling in summer and hot water all year round. Electric heat pumps have extremely high potential —they are far more efficient than conventional boilers— and will therefore play a key role as an element of change when it comes to electrifying and decarbonising heat demand.
In Europe, for example, the use of heat represents 50% of end user demand for energy. Within that use, heating and domestic hot water (DHW) in buildings represent over 60% of heat requirements. Industrial thermal processes add around 30% and cooling, more important in the south than in the north, only 2%.
How aerothermal energy works. Heat pumps
The latest electric heat pumps are a very efficient technology, so much so that the regulators consider them to be renewable. The basic reason for this is that it is based on a thermodynamic cycle capable of extracting heat from the outdoor air thanks to the use of refrigerants.
How does an
aerothermal heat pump work?
+7 °C
Primary circuit:
Ambient air,
underground water,
sealed probe, etc.
+22 °C
Secundary circuit:
Heating circuit, hot
water storage, hot
air ducts, etc.
Low-Pressure Liquid
Low-Pressure Gas
High-Pressure Gas
High-Pressure Liquid
through the evaporator and absorbs heat from the primary circuit.
the evaporator it turns into a gas.
compressor its pressure and temperature increases.
expansion valve it releases its energy in the condenser and reverts
to its initial state (liquid).
SEE INFOGRAPHIC: How does an aerothermal heat pump work? [PDF] External link, opens in new window.
The refrigerants, which are undergoing constant development, are one of the key factors in heat pump performance. The latest most extensively used refrigerant in these pumps is R32, which reaches temperatures of up to 70ºC and is capable of improving efficiency. Others are also under development, such as R-290 (propane), R-744 (CO2) and the nano fluids.
A heat pump's performance depends both on the input (outside) and output (inside) temperatures. The most widely adopted thermal distribution systems are, therefore, the low temperature ones, such as underfloor heating and cooling. Its use for DHW or for high-temperature radiators provides a lower performance, although it must be said it is much higher than that of conventional boilers. To work, a heat pump requires the following components:
Compressor
Its job is to transform electrical energy and raise the pressure of the refrigerant fluid.
Condenser
This component condenses the refrigerant, which is transformed from a gas to a liquid by the heat exchanger.
Expansion valve
This device generates a high load loss by reducing the temperature to cause the refrigerant fluid to expand.
Evaporator
This element causes the refrigerant fluid to evaporate. The heat is then absorbed and the cycle restarts.
The advantages and disadvantages of aerothermics
Aerothermics provides numerous benefits, not only for the private user, but also for society as a whole, and it is for this reason that the majority of new-build housing is fitted with this type of systems:
It offers a high level of efficiency and performance.
It helps reduce emissions and energy consumption, thereby contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
It helps users to make savings on their bills after the initial outlay and it is useful all year round.
It is convenient, safe and reliable as it does not depend on fuel supplies or complex maintenance procedures. Furthermore, its functional design is relatively simple.
It improves air quality at local level by eliminating completely emissions of the NOx (nitrogen oxide) and SOx (sulphur oxide) particles produced by combustion boiler-based systems.
Public bodies are promoting measures to encourage the development of electrification via, for example, tax incentives.
All of these benefits face the obstacles that the introduction of heat pumps face presently and which we examine below:
- Domestically, a sufficient outdoor space is required. although this is becoming increasingly smaller thanks to technological advances. Aerothermics generators also need an indoor space for the heat exchanger and the DHW storage system. In addition, these generators give off heat in the summer, meaning they require about 3 metres of free space around them.
- The high price of the machines, as well as the cost of installing the new equipment, make the changeover cost greater than that of fitting a conventional boiler plus an air-conditioning system for the entire home. However, this is offset by a lower operating cost.
- Traditionally, air-source heating is associated with: thermal discomfort — in splits there can be an excess of air flow speed and a dry atmosphere —, low inertia — systems that instantly stop heating when turned off — and noise nuisance. However, the use of aerothermics with underfloor heating and cooling is a perfect combination that makes it possible to take full advantage of all of this technology's capabilities (a warm floor in winter and cool floor in summer).
The following has evaluated to null or missing: ==> contenido.Imagen.getAttribute("alt") [in template "20102#20129#206596" at line 108, column 30] ---- Tip: If the failing expression is known to legally refer to something that's sometimes null or missing, either specify a default value like myOptionalVar!myDefault, or use <#if myOptionalVar??>when-present<#else>when-missing</#if>. (These only cover the last step of the expression; to cover the whole expression, use parenthesis: (myOptionalVar.foo)!myDefault, (myOptionalVar.foo)?? ---- ---- FTL stack trace ("~" means nesting-related): - Failed at: #assign altImg = contenido.Imagen.get... [in template "20102#20129#206596" at line 107, column 17] ----
1${request.setAttribute('CSS',((request.getAttribute('CSS'))!"")+'&/o/iberdrola-corporativo-theme/css/HuellaDigital/owl.carousel.min.css&/o/iberdrola-corporativo-theme/css/comunes/owl.theme.default.css')}
2<#assign randomName = randomNamespace />
3
4<section id="relacionados2col">
5<#if Titulo.getData()?? && Titulo.getData()!="">
6<div class="contenidoCentrado">
7 <div class="contenidoInterior container">
8 <h3 aria-level="3" role="heading" class="cabecera distributiva-title">${Titulo.getData()}</h3>
9 </div>
10</div>
11</#if>
12
13<div class="clearfix"></div>
14
15<#-- carrusel -->
16 <#if vistaCarrusel?? && getterUtil.getBoolean(vistaCarrusel.getData())>
17 <div class="us__module us__module-distributiva-master noBB">
18 <div class="us__module-content-wrapper sinBordeArriba">
19 <div class="carruselDistrib2col owl-carousel owl-theme">
20 <#list Repetible.getSiblings() as reptDiapo>
21 <@descripcionTxt reptDiapo.Descripcion.getData()/>
22
23 <div class="nobordeCarrusel">
24 <div class="us__content-container">
25 <div class="us__row-container">
26
27 <div class="us__column us__js-animate us__js-animated" data-animation-type="right-opacity" style="opacity: 1; transform: matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0);">
28
29 <#if (reptDiapo.Enlace.getFriendlyUrl())?? && reptDiapo.Enlace.getFriendlyUrl()!="">
30 <a href="${reptDiapo.Enlace.getFriendlyUrl()}" class="us__column-image">
31 <#else>
32
33 <#if reptDiapo.EnlaceAPaginaExterna.getData()??>
34 <#if reptDiapo.EnlaceAPaginaExterna.getData()!="">
35 <a target="_blank" href="${reptDiapo.EnlaceAPaginaExterna.getData()}" class="us__column-image">
36 </#if>
37 </#if>
38 </#if>
39
40 <#assign altImg = (Imagen.getAttribute("alt"))?? />
41
42
43 <#if (reptDiapo.Imagen.getData())?? && reptDiapo.Imagen.getData()!="">
44 <img alt="${reptDiapo.Imagen.getAttribute("alt")}" class="us__image bordeImagen" data-src="${reptDiapo.Imagen.getData()}" src="${reptDiapo.Imagen.getData()}">
45 <#else>
46 <img alt="${reptDiapo.Imagen.getAttribute("alt")}" class="us__image" data-src="" src="">
47 </#if>
48 </a>
49 <div class="us__column-text">
50
51 <#if reptDiapo.Enlace.getFriendlyUrl()?? && reptDiapo.Enlace.getFriendlyUrl()!="">
52 <a href="${reptDiapo.Enlace.getFriendlyUrl()}" class="us__link-more">
53 <#else>
54
55 <#if reptDiapo.EnlaceAPaginaExterna??>
56 <#if reptDiapo.EnlaceAPaginaExterna.getData()!="">
57 <a target="_blank" href="${reptDiapo.EnlaceAPaginaExterna.getData()}" class="us__link-more" title="<@liferay.language key='accesibilidad.enlace.externo'/>">
58 </#if>
59 </#if>
60 </#if>
61
62 <h4 class="us__text-title titulo_card">${reptDiapo.TituloRepetible.getData()}</h4></a>
63 <p class="us__font-black">${TEXTO}</p>
64 </div>
65 </div>
66
67 </div >
68 </div>
69
70 </div>
71 </#list>
72 </div>
73 </div>
74</div>
75
76<#-- Fin carrusel -->
77 <#else>
78 <div class="us__module us__module-distributiva-master">
79 <div class="us__module-content-wrapper <#list Repetible.getSiblings() as contenido><#if contenido?is_last>
80 <#if contenido?index % 2 == 0>conLastBorde</#if>
81 </#if></#list>">
82 <#list Repetible.getSiblings() as contenido>
83
84 <@descripcionTxt contenido.Descripcion.getData()/>
85
86 <#assign classBG = "" />
87 <#assign classBG = "us__with-border" />
88
89 <div class="us__content-container">
90 <div class="us__row-container <#if contenido?is_last>
91 <#if contenido?index % 2 == 0>sinLastBorder</#if>
92 </#if>">
93
94 <div class="us__column ${classBG} us__js-animate us__js-animated" data-animation-type="right-opacity" style="opacity: 1; transform: matrix(1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0);">
95
96 <#if contenido.Enlace.getFriendlyUrl()?? && contenido.Enlace.getFriendlyUrl()!="">
97 <a href="${contenido.Enlace.getFriendlyUrl()}" class="us__column-image">
98 <#else>
99
100 <#if contenido.EnlaceAPaginaExterna??>
101 <#if contenido.EnlaceAPaginaExterna.getData()!="">
102 <a target="_blank" href="${contenido.EnlaceAPaginaExterna.getData()}" class="us__column-image">
103 </#if>
104 </#if>
105 </#if>
106
107 <#assign
108 altImg = contenido.Imagen.getAttribute("alt")
109 />
110
111 <#if contenido.Imagen.getData()?? && contenido.Imagen.getData()!="">
112 <img class="us__image bordeImagen" alt="${contenido.Imagen.getAttribute("alt")}" data-src="${contenido.Imagen.getData()}" src="${contenido.Imagen.getData()}">
113 <#else>
114 <img alt="${reptDiapo.Imagen.getAttribute("alt")}" class="us__image" data-src="" src="">
115 </#if>
116 </a>
117 <div class="us__column-text">
118
119 <#if contenido.Enlace.getFriendlyUrl()?? && contenido.Enlace.getFriendlyUrl()!="">
120 <a href="${contenido.Enlace.getFriendlyUrl()}" class="us__link-more">
121 <#else>
122
123 <#if contenido.EnlaceAPaginaExterna??>
124 <#if contenido.EnlaceAPaginaExterna.getData()!="">
125 <a target="_blank" href="${contenido.EnlaceAPaginaExterna.getData()}" class="us__link-more" title="<@liferay.language key='accesibilidad.enlace.externo'/>">
126 </#if>
127 </#if>
128 </#if>
129
130 <h4 class="us__text-title titulo_card">${contenido.TituloRepetible.getData()}</h4></a>
131 <p class="us__font-black">${TEXTO}</p>
132 </div>
133 </div>
134
135 </div >
136 </div>
137
138
139 </#list>
140 </div>
141</div>
142
143<div class="clearfix"></div>
144 </#if>
145
146</section>
147
148<#macro descripcionTxt texto>
149 <#assign TEXTO = texto?replace("<em>", "-em-") />
150 <#assign TEXTO = TEXTO?replace("</em>", "-/em-") />
151 <#assign TEXTO = TEXTO?replace('<[^>]+>','','r') />
152 <#assign TEXTO = TEXTO?replace("-em-", "<em>") />
153 <#assign TEXTO = TEXTO?replace("-/em-", "</em>") />
154</#macro>
155
156
157
158<@liferay_util["html-top"]>
159<style>
160.sinLastBorder {
161 border-bottom: none !important;
162}
163.conLastBorde {
164 border-bottom: 1px solid #D8CFC7;
165}
166#relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master {
167 border-top: 1px solid #D8CFC7;
168}
169#relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master.noBB {
170 border-top: none;
171}
172.decPagination #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column .us__column-text {
173 width: 75%;
174}
175#relacionados2col .us__module .us__module-content-wrapper {
176 display: flex;
177 flex-wrap: wrap;
178}
179#relacionados2col .us__module .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container {
180 width: 50%;
181}
182.contenidoInterior a:hover {
183 text-decoration: none !important;
184}
185#relacionados2col {
186 max-width: 980px;
187 margin: auto;
188 padding: 25px 0px;
189}
190#relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper { padding: 0 0px;}
191#relacionados2col .contenidoCentrado .contenidoInterior.container h3.cabecera.distributiva-title {
192 margin-bottom: 20px;
193 margin-top: 30px;
194}
195#relacionados2col .contenidoInterior.container {
196 max-width:980px;
197}
198#relacionados2col .contenidoInterior h3.cabecera {
199 text-align: left;
200 float: left;
201 width: 100%;
202 font-size: 32px;
203 font-weight: 500;
204 line-height: 36px;
205 font-family: "IberPangea",sans-serif;
206 color: #00A443 !important;
207}
208#relacionados2col h4.us__text-title.titulo_card {
209 font-size: 26px;
210 line-height: 32px;
211 color:#00402A!important;
212 font-family: "IberPangea", sans-serif;
213 font-weight: 500;
214 margin-top: 5px;
215 margin-bottom: 5px;
216 display: -webkit-box;
217 -webkit-line-clamp: 3;
218 -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
219 overflow: hidden;
220 text-overflow: ellipsis;
221}
222#relacionados2col h4.us__text-title.titulo_card:hover {
223 color:#00402A!important;
224 font-weight: 700;
225}
226#relacionados2col .us__module p.us__font-black {
227 font-size: 17px;
228 line-height: 23px;
229 font-weight: 400;
230 color: #615D5A!important;
231 margin-bottom: 0px;
232}
233.decPagination #relacionados2col .us__module p.us__font-black {
234 font-family: 'IberPangeaText', sans-serif;
235}
236
237
238#relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container {
239 position: relative;
240 width: 100%;
241 margin: 0px;
242 text-align: left;
243 display: inline-block;
244 max-height: 241px;
245 border-bottom: 1px solid #D8CFC7;
246}
247
248#relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .carruselDistrib2col .nobordeCarrusel .us__content-container .us__row-container {
249 border-bottom: none;
250}
251#relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column {
252 display: block;
253 width: 100%;
254}
255#relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column>a>.us__image {
256 width: auto;
257 margin-right: 41px;
258}
259#relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column .us__image {
260 width: auto;
261 margin-right: 18px;
262}
263.decContenido #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column .us__image {
264 width: 151px;
265 margin-right: 0px;
266}
267#relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column .us__column-text {
268 width: 70%;
269 margin: 0px 15px;
270}
271section #relacionados2col #decContenidoCentralDer .us__row-container .us__column.us__with-border {
272 border: 1px solid rgba(155, 155, 155, 0.2) !important;
273}
274#relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column:nth-child(even) {margin-left: 0px;}
275#relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column {
276 background-color: transparent;
277 display: flex;
278 padding: 25px 0px;
279}
280#relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper.sinBordeArriba .bordeCarrusel .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column, #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper.sinBordeArriba .nobordeCarrusel .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column, {
281 padding: 11px 12px 11px 0px;
282}
283#relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column.us__with-border {
284 background-color: transparent;
285 display: flex;
286 padding: 25px 20px 25px 0px;
287}
288#relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper.sinBordeArriba:nth-child(1) {
289 border-top: none;
290}
291#relacionados2col img.us__image {
292 height: 190px;
293}
294#relacionados2col .us__module-content-wrapper.sinBordeArriba .carruselDistrib2col .owl-stage-outer {
295 border: 1px solid #D8CFC7;
296 border-radius: 15px;
297}
298
299@media(max-width:767px){
300
301section #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container {
302 display:inline-block !important;
303 padding-bottom: 15px;
304 }
305
306section #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container { margin-bottom:0px; }
307
308 section #relacionados2col .us__separator {
309 margin-top:-20px;
310 opacity:0;
311 }
312 #relacionados2col .contenidoInterior.container {
313 border-bottom: none;
314 }
315 #relacionados2col .contenidoInterior h3.cabecera {
316 font-size: 26px;
317 line-height: 30px;
318 }
319 #relacionados2col h4.us__text-title.titulo_card {
320 font-size: 20px;
321 line-height: 24px;
322 }
323 #relacionados2col .us__module p.us__font-black {
324 font-size: 16px;
325 }
326 #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column, #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column.us__with-border {
327 align-items: normal;
328 }
329 #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column .us__column-text {
330 width: 60%;}
331 #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column .us__image {
332 width: 105px;
333 }
334 #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper.sinBordeArriba .bordeCarrusel .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column, #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper.sinBordeArriba .nobordeCarrusel .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column {
335 padding: 30px 0px 19px 0px;
336 margin-left: -2px;
337 }
338 #relacionados2col img.us__image {
339 height: 160px;
340 }
341 #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column.us__with-border {
342 padding-bottom: 5px;
343 padding-top: 21px;
344 }
345 #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column .us__image {
346 margin-right: 20px;
347 }
348 #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper.sinBordeArriba .bordeCarrusel .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column .us__image, #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper.sinBordeArriba .nobordeCarrusel .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column .us__image {
349 margin-right: 15px;
350 }
351 .decPagination #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column>a>.us__image {
352 margin-right: 40px !important;
353 }
354 #relacionados2col .us__module .us__module-content-wrapper {
355 display: block !important;
356 }
357 #relacionados2col .us__module .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container {
358 width: 100% !important;
359 }
360}
361.carruselDistrib.owl-carousel .owl-item img {
362 width: auto !important;
363 }
364.bordeCarrusel {
365 border: 1px solid #D8CFC7;
366 border-radius: 15px;
367 padding-left: 15px;
368}
369.nobordeCarrusel {
370 border-radius: 15px;
371 padding-left: 15px;
372}
373#relacionados2col .owl-theme .owl-dots .owl-dot span {
374 border: 1px solid #00402A !important;
375 background: #fff !important;
376}
377#relacionados2col .owl-theme .owl-dots .owl-dot.active span {
378 background: #00A443 !important;
379 border: 1px solid #00A443 !important;
380}
381#decContenedorInterior #relacionados2col .owl-theme .owl-dots, .decPagination #relacionados2col .owl-theme .owl-dots {
382 text-align: right;
383 margin-top: 10px;
384}
385@media all and (max-width: 991px) {
386#decContenedorInterior #relacionados2col .us__module p.us__font-black {
387 display: -webkit-box;
388 -webkit-line-clamp: 5;
389 -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
390 overflow: hidden;
391 text-overflow: ellipsis;
392 }
393 #relacionados2col .us__module .us__module-content-wrapper .bordeCarrusel .us__content-container, #relacionados2col .us__module .us__module-content-wrapper .nobordeCarrusel .us__content-container {
394 width: 100%;
395 }
396 .decContenido #relacionados2col .us__module.us__module-distributiva-master .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container .us__row-container .us__column .us__image {
397 width: auto;
398 }
399}
400@media all and (min-width: 992px) {
401 #decContenedorInterior #relacionados2col .us__module p.us__font-black {
402 display: -webkit-box;
403 -webkit-line-clamp: 4;
404 -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
405 overflow: hidden;
406 text-overflow: ellipsis;
407 }
408 #relacionados2col .us__module .us__module-content-wrapper .us__content-container {
409 width: 50%;
410 }
411 #relacionados2col .us__module .us__module-content-wrapper .bordeCarrusel .us__content-container, #relacionados2col .us__module .us__module-content-wrapper .nobordeCarrusel .us__content-container {
412 width: 100%;
413 }
414}
415
416</style>
417</@>
418<@liferay_util["html-bottom"]>
419<script>
420
421$(document).ready(function(){
422
423$(".carruselDistrib2col").owlCarousel({
424 dots:true,
425 margin: 18,
426 responsive: {
427 0: {
428 items: 1
429 },
430 768: {
431 items: 2,
432 margin: 15
433 }
434 }
435 });
436 });
437
438</script>
439 </@>