Did you know that old gas pipelines can be reused to transport water and heat homes? A team of British researchers has found a way to do it, creating a system that is as innovative as it is sustainable. In an age where energy efficiency and sustainability have become global priorities, a revolutionary idea emerges from the UK. A group of scientists from the University of Nottingham have developed a prototype of Ice source heat pump. This system uses a surprising resource: gas pipelines, converted to transport water, and uses the freezing process to heat homes.
Second Ramin Mehdipourlead author of the study:
Our heat pump surpasses the performance of all existing models. We have completed a prototype and are ready to test its performance in real conditions.
The system efficiency was numerically simulated on a 98 m² house, located in Nottingham, using 2021 meteorological data. Preliminary results indicate significantly higher efficiency than traditional heat pumps, especially in cold weather conditions.
How does the ice source heat pump work?
This innovative system is based onlatent energy generated during the freezing process of water. The pump cools the water to ice using R290 refrigerant and uses the heat released to heat the home. The ice generated can be discharged into the drainage system or stored for summer cooling.
A key advantage is the use of stable ground temperatures during the winter, which provide a constant and reliable heat source. Unlike air-source heat pumps, which suffer drops in efficiency in periods of intense cold, this technology guarantees high performance even in the most extreme conditions. With a coefficient of performance (COP) equal to 4.77represents an ideal solution for harsh climate areas.
Advantages and prospects of this revolutionary technology
Compared to traditional systems, the ice source heat pump offers several advantages:
Although traditional heat pumps may be more efficient in mild climates, the new system demonstrates clear superiority during cold peaks, when conventional systems experience drops in performance.
The results of the study were published in the work “A comparative study on the performance of ice-source heat pumps versus other heat source heat pumps: A case study in the UK”, in the journal Renewable Energy.
