EUROPEAN COMMISSION SAVE PROGRAMME

European Certified Heat Pump Installer

Specifications for the practical training

Targets of the practical training:

• The trainee should be able to identify the main components of the heat pump, their individual functions and the function of the whole process.
•  After the practical training the trainee should be able to measure temperatures, pressures, flows, etc. and calculate the COP of the heat pump and compare it with the test data supplied by the manufacturer. Therefore the trainee has to know what measuring points are needed and where these points can be found on the heat pump.
•  Additionally  the trainees should get an understanding of how the efficiency of the process is changing as the operating conditions change (e.g. changing temperatures of the heat source and heat sink)
• Trainees should be prepared to diagnoss the most frequent faults and failures in the heat pump systems and the reasons; where appropriate they should be able to rectify the situation. 
• Trainees should get an overview about the activities and the requirements for installing different forms of heat sources (e.g. horizontal and vertical collector, wells for ground water, DX systems, collectors in surface water resources, etc.)

Participation:

The practical training programme for installers is divided into eight modules. The recommendation is that there should be a maximum of 10 people attending. If the demand is such that there are more than ten trainees then they should be split into two or more groups. Working this way with smaller groups gives every participant the opportunity to actively work on the heat pump components; this ensures that a high quality ‘hands-on’ practical training programme is guaranteed.


Equipment for the training laboratory:
Heat Pumps:

Each training laboratory has to be equipped as a minimum with –
•    one heat pump model for the demonstration of the basic components and their interactions
•    and one real heat pump model complete with all system components (required heat sink and heat source, etc.)  to enable the demonstration of the typical workings of a heat pump installation.  
Which type of heat pump (water/water; air/water) that will be used in the training facilities of the participating countries will be entirely dependant on the existing market conditions and according to the framework conditions of each individual training institute.
The models would be special products produced for education purposes. These models should be situated on stable desks or training benches and could be mobile to maximise the efficiency of the available space. The area required for a typical heat pump model is approximately  1,2m x 1m. The models should be easily accessible from all directions enabling trainees to get an overview of the function of the heat pump and allow appropriate measurements of the refrigeration cycle to be taken. Furthermore, the space between the components of the heat pump models should be enough to facilitate easy measurement of the most important parameters.
The water/water or air/water heat pumps would be standard products, but the models of the heat source and heat sink would be prepared especially for training purposes.
The water/water heat pump can be located in front of a wall but a clear space of about 2 metres should be left to the front and sides. The total area required for the water/water heat pump model (including under floor heating element) would be approximately 6m². For the water/water heat pump models a 22mm (3/4’’) water supply or equivalent according to national standards) and an outlet drain DN 75 (75 mm outer diameter) or equivalent according to national standards would be required.
The air/water heat pump should be installed adjacent to an outer wall to facilitate the installation of a vent. Furthermore for the water side, a water supply (22mm) and a drain DN75 would be required.
All heat pump models would need an electrical supply in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions and in accordance to national standards. It could be assumed that an electric power supply which is suitable to run a system with a maximum electrical power consumption of 5 kW would be appropriate.
The training institutes need to be aware that the heat pump models would generate waste heat of approximately 5kW in the room (this is in addition to the heat which is removed by the water)  and this heat needs to be vented away (e.g. by the windows).

Room:

The most successful learning is achieved when the theoretical training is carried out in the same place as the practical training; therefore ideally the training laboratory has to be of sufficient size to accommodate the desks and other resources in addition to the practical training equipment.
If there are limited space resources then it is possible to carry out the practical and theoretical training in different rooms. For the practical training a room with an area of about 30 m² is suitable. The room should be equipped with a water supply, drainage and an electrical supply. Furthermore there should be a few desks, where trainees can do drawings and calculations. Where there is limited space it is possible to move the equipment and store it between the courses. This requirement for mobility has to be taken in consideration during the planning phase of the equipment.   

Measuring equipment

For the assessment of the heat pump cycle and the fault diagnosis, several measuring values are required. These would be:

•    Pressure in the evaporator   Temperature in the evaporator
•    Pressure in the condenser  Temperature in the condenser
•    Temperature on exit from the evaporator  for the estimation of the superheating in the evaporator
•    Temperature on entry to the compressor  for the estimation of the superheating in the pipe (before the compressor)
•    Hot gas temperature
•    Temperature on exit from the condenser  for the estimation of the subcooling in the condenser
•    Temperature on entry to  the expansion valve  for the estimation of the total subcooling

These measurements could be collected in different ways:

Option 1: The measurements would be collected by fixed instruments located on the heat pump and with portable measuring instruments which are available for each trainee. The installer would then have the option to collect information about the refrigeration circuit by the help of relatively simple instruments but without having to access the refrigeration circuit.
The disadvantage of this method is that the measuring uncertainty is very high and that in case of brine/water or water/water heat pumps the calculation of the COP is not possible.

•    Manometers
•    Air speed velocity instruments (Anemometers)
•    Portable temperature measuring instruments
•    Portable electric meter

Option 2: The measuring data would be collected by the help of fixed measuring equipment in the refrigeration circuit. The measuring uncertainty of this method would be much better than for option 1, but in this case it is necessary to access the refrigeration circuit.
This could be easily done for the demonstration of heat pumps in the laboratory but it would be not possible for the trainee to do this with a real heat pump.
 
•    Fixed temperature measuring instruments
•    Manometers
•    Heat meter
•    Electric meters  

Option 3: This is a portable analyzing instrument especially developed for the evaluation of heat pump circuits. From the temperature measurements mentioned above, the efficiency of the system, the superheating and subcooling etc. could be determined without accessing the refrigeration circuit; additionally the measuring uncertainty is relatively low. One disadvantage of this analysing instrument is the cost and therefore it would not be profitable for a small company to buy such an instrument.  

•    Analyze instrument ETM 2000 or similar instruments

The minimum requirement for a heat pump laboratory is defined as one system with fixed measuring instruments (Option 2) and one portable system (Option 1 or 3). This allows the trainee to assess the measuring uncertainly of the portable system in comparison with the fixed system.

Demonstration models:
To illustrate the components of the different heat sources a number of demonstration models are required. These will include the following parts:

    Photo documentation of the installation of a horizontal heat exchanger for a direct expansion heat pump
    Photo documentation of the installation of a horizontal heat exchanger for a brine/water heat pump
    Photo documentation of the installation of a vertical heat exchanger for a brine/water heat pump
    Photo documentation of the construction of a well for a water/water heat pump