A new type of heat pump being developed at Purdue University
could allow residents in cold climates to cut their heating
bills in half. Heat pumps provide heating in winter and cooling
in summer but are not efficient in extreme cold climates. “With
this technology, we can maintain the efficiency of the heat pump
even when it gets pretty cold outside,” said Eckhard Groll, a
professor of mechanical engineering who is working on the
project. The innovation aims to improve efficiency in general
but is especially practical for boosting performance in cold
climates. The new heat pumps might be half as expensive to
operate as heating technologies now used in cold regions where
natural gas is unavailable and residents rely on electric
heaters and liquid propane. “We’ll be able to extend the
geographical range where heat pumps can apply,” said W. Travis
Horton, an assistant professor of civil engineering. “So this
could open up a whole new market.” Researchers expect to
complete a prototype by the end of the three-yea