What is the function of a heat pump outdoor unit?

Tasks and design of an ESTIA outdoor unit

While we're all warm and cozy inside, it stays outside in the icy cold and provides a constant boost of energy. Let's talk about your heat pump system's outdoor unit.

Even though it is often placed as inconspicuously as possible, it plays a key role in how the heating system works. It's therefore high time that we shine the spotlight on this critical component of the heat pump system!

What does the outdoor unit actually do?

Let's briefly recap how an air-to-water heat pump works again: it recovers thermal energy from the air and transmits it to a heating system by means of a refrigerant and compressor.

The heat pump outdoor unit is one of the key components of the system in this process, housing the previously mentioned compressor and air heat exchanger. The outdoor unit recovers thermal energy from the outdoor air through the refrigerant circulating in the system, which changes physical state in the evaporator and thereby stores the absorbed energy. This process even works at outside temperatures as low as -25°C!

The refrigerant is now compressed to a high pressure and temperature level in the compressor. The heat generated in this manner is now guided inside the building and transmitted to the water pipe system via a heat exchanger in order to heat domestic hot water and heating water to the desired temperature.

For further information about how heat pumps work, take a look at our blog article "Everyone's talking about heat pumps, but how do they actually work?"

How a heat pump works

Choosing the right location

Where should the outdoor unit now be placed?

Creativity knows almost no bounds when it comes to answering this question – be it in a hidden corner in the garden, on the balcony, behind the carport, or even on the roof. In theory, there are a huge number of options. After all, sometimes there's not enough alternatives to get the unit completely out of sight. With increasing urban density, gardens are becoming increasingly small and the options for installing outdoor units are becoming more limited.

However, the following factors are extremely important when selecting where to place it before you can think about aesthetic considerations.

Proximity of the outdoor unit to the building
Even if the refrigerant piping is well-insulated, the shorter the distance the refrigerant has to travel, the less energy is lost and the more efficiently the heat pump works.
Noise
Even though modern outdoor units work very quietly (the ESTIA range even has various silent modes for nighttime operation), it is advisable to orient the suction or exhaust openings so that they are not in proximity to windows or doors.
Stable surface
Movement and vibrations which could subsequently result in technical faults are prevented thanks to a solid and even surface.
Sufficient air supply
In order to ensure fault-free air circulation, the suction and exhaust openings of the outdoor unit must be at a sufficient distance to walls, garages, or other obstacles.

If all these points are taken into consideration, there's nothing standing in the way of ensuring successful placement of the outdoor unit!

Want to see technical details for the outdoor units? Yes, please!

Outdoor units from TOSHIBA's ESTIA range impress not only due to their functionality and understated design. There are all sorts of technical intricacies under the hood which demonstrate both the high-quality workmanship and the innovativeness of the products.

The units, which are available in power classes of 4, 6, 8, 11, or 14 kW, are characterized by the following special features:

Multiple silent modes for quiet nighttime operation
Highly efficient heat exchanger thanks to special fin design
"Wide flow" flow-optimized air grille
Highly efficient DC fan motor
DC vector-controller inverter
DC twin-rotary compressor with liquid injection
Compact dimensions

Works from the outside in

You have to consider a few things before purchasing and subsequently installing a heat pump in order to ensure optimum usage and energy efficiency of the heating system.

Key points to consider are the choice and placement of the suitable outdoor unit, as this is not only responsible for winning energy, but also transferring this energy indoors – and is therefore one of the main components of a heat pump system.

The high-quality products from TOSHIBA's ESTIA series have been developed using the latest state of the art technologies. The experts from TOSHIBA will be happy to help you find the perfect unit for your personal needs.