Lämmönpumppu

Lämmönpumppu is the Finnish term for a heat pump. A heat pump is a device that transfers thermal energy from a source of heat to a destination called a "heat sink." Heat pumps move thermal energy in the opposite direction of spontaneous heat transfer, by absorbing heat from a colder location and releasing it to a hotter one. This is done using a refrigeration cycle, which is based on the physical principle that when a fluid is allowed to expand, it cools down. The most common application is in heating and cooling buildings, where a heat pump can be used to transfer heat from the outside air, ground, or water into a building during the winter, and to extract heat from the building and transfer it to the outside during the summer.

There are several types of heat pumps, primarily categorized by the source of heat they utilize and the type of heat sink. Common types include air-source heat pumps, which extract heat from the outdoor air; ground-source heat pumps (geothermal heat pumps), which utilize the stable temperature of the earth; and water-source heat pumps, which use bodies of water as their heat source or sink. The efficiency of a heat pump is measured by its coefficient of performance (COP) for heating and its energy efficiency ratio (EER) for cooling. A higher COP or EER indicates greater efficiency.

Lämmönpumput are increasingly popular in Finland as an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional heating systems. They can significantly reduce energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to both economic savings for homeowners and broader environmental sustainability goals. The technology continues to evolve, offering improved performance and wider applicability across different climatic conditions.