Tuesday, May 24, 2011

What Makes a Heat Pump Work


Heat pumps are an effective and efficient way to both heat up and cool down substances and spaces.Heat pumps use a fluid, called a refrigerant, that circulates within a tube to transmit heat from one location to another. A heat pump can be used to cool down a room by transferring heat from it to the outside. A heat pump can also be used to heat a room by transferring heat from outside in.

There are many types of heat pumps, and once you understand how they work, in general, it becomes possible to appreciate how each of the various types works in its specific set of conditions. Heat pumps rely on two physical properties of liquids, condensation and evaporation to accomplish the heat transfer. When a liquid evaporates to the gaseous state, it readily absorbs heat from the surroundings. On the contrary, when a gas condenses to become a liquid it gives up its heat to the environment.

Now consider how the heat pump warms a room. The pump first causes the internal fluid to evaporate, and then flow through a section of the circular tube located in a space meant to lose heat. The gaseous refrigerant readily absorbs heat from the surrounding environment and then continues to circulate in the tube. Next it passes to the compressor, which compresses the gas causing it to heat up greatly. Now the hot gas circulates to the condenser, which is located in the section of the circular tube located in the room to be heated. The gas is made to condense and in the process it gives up a lot of heat to the surrounding environment.

The same heat pump can also function in the reverse direction, and it can be made to cool the same room it previously warmed. In this mode, the evaporated liquid is first made to flow through the room being warmed. The gas readily absorbs heat from the air, lowering the temperature of the chamber. Next the heated gas flows through the compressor and then the condenser, which is located outside. The gas changes to the liquid state and gives up its heat to the outside.

The refrigerant in the gaseous state can so readily absorb warmth that it can even take heat from air that is cooled to 0 degrees Celsius. Consequently heat pumps can actually warm homes even in winter weather. Of course, as the outside temperature drops, the efficiency of the pump drops. However, newer pumps can continue to work with 60% efficiency, even at temperatures as low as -17 degrees Celsius.

The efficiency of a heat pump is measured in terms of its Coefficient of Performance (COP). The COP is the ratio between the amount of energy used to make the pump work and the amount of heat change in the room being warmed or cooled. While an electrical heater normally has a COP of 1, heat pumps generally have COPs which can range as high as 7-8 in ideal conditions. This means that in most circumstances, heat pumps are more effective at heating and cooling than electrically powered heating and cooling units. This is why they are so often used today in the HVAC industry.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Modern Day Pet Care


Modern dog care facilities are sophisticated clinics which are equipped to treat your animal in style. A well equipped pet care facililty will include dog grooming, doogie daycare, dog boarding dog walking. Each of these chores is required ot be undertaken by properly trained staff members, and the whole pet care center needs to be supervised by a qualified and efficient manager.

Modern dog groomers could have trained as cosmetologists and or passed a six month course in a dog grooming academy. Stylish high quality pet spa centers will also provide pick up and drop off services for their canine clients.

Modern doggie daycare has come a long way from the crate and cage kennel. Serioius pet owners demand their pet to be boarded in a dog boarding facility offering an open air play area. To make this available, the kennels must also match up canine temperment. In a well run dog day care center, each dog will be observed before the start of the boarding to be sure they will reaact sociably with the other animals.

Dog boarding presents additional challenges. A large quality dog boarding center will have someone staying overnight with the pets. What if a fire broke out? With a night watchman on hand, pet owners can be assured that their dog will be well looked after round the clock.

To round out the list of services, a well equipped pet care facility will offer pet walking and pet sitting services and professional dog training. Also, when the owner comes to drop off his pet he will have the opportunity to select from a number of quality pet products.

Lest I forget, the modern dog care facility is seldom if ever called a kennel. In a large city, where there are many sophisticated pet lovers, it will more likely be called a pet club or pet salon. So when it comes to pet care, "It's a dog life" is not such a demeaning term anymore.

Pet Walking and Sitting


Dog walking and pet sitting is a service made available by many quality pet care facilities. The people who work in quality pet care facilities, such as the Bark Bark Club of Chicago, a fine Chicago Pet Care Facility, recognize the importance to pet owners of not leaving their pet alone. With this in mind, quality pet care facilities offer dog walking and pet sitting services so that the beloved pet
won't be left all by his lonesome when the owners are away. Dog sitting and pet sitting services give owners the option to leave their pets in the familiar home setting when they go away on vacation. Additionally, some owners would prefer putting their pets in crate free boarding when they are away on vacation, however, their pets fail the socialization requirements needed to be permitted into crate free boarding. So they can either put their animal in pet sitter.

Dog and pet walkers are bonded and insured individuals who can be trusted with animals and are sure to put the owner's mind at ease during the hours when he can't be at home with his canine companion.

All in all, pet sitting and pet walking are great services for people who are able to give their pets the care they deserve.

Pet Walking and Sitting


A service made available by many quality pet care facilities is dog walking and pet sitting. The people who work in quality pet care facilities, such as the Bark Bark Club of Chicago, a fine Chicago Pet Care Facility, recognize the importance to pet owners of not leaving their pet alone. With this in mind, quality pet care facilities offer dog walking and pet sitting services so that the beloved pet
won't be left all by his lonesome when the owners are away. Dog sitting and pet sitting services give owners the option to leave their pets in the familiar home setting when they go away on vacation. Additionally, some owners would prefer putting their pets in crate free boarding when they are away on vacation, however, their pets fail the socialization requirements needed to be permitted into crate free boarding. So they can either put their animal in pet sitter.

Dog and pet walkers are bonded and insured individuals who can be trusted with animals and are sure to put the owner's mind at ease during the hours when he can't be at home with his canine companion.

All in all, pet sitting and pet walking are great services for people who are able to give their pets the care they deserve.