When it comes to installing a geothermal heat pump water heater, it’s important to make sure that the water tank is the right size. That way, you’ll be able to enjoy hot water while saving money on your energy bills. Here’s how you can properly size the water tank for a geothermal heat pump water heater.
First, you’ll need to calculate your household’s peak-hour hot water demand. This will give you an idea of how much hot water your household needs during peak hours, such as in the morning when everyone is showering and washing dishes. To do this, add up the flow rates of all your fixtures that use hot water – such as showers, baths, dishwashers and washing machines – and divide it by their respective recovery rates (the time it takes for them to heat up). Once you have this number, multiply it by 60 minutes to get your peak-hour hot water demand.
Next, you’ll need to decide what type of storage tank you want. The most common types are electric tanks or gas tanks. Electric tanks are best for households that require a lot of hot water during peak hours, while gas tanks are better suited for those who don’t need as much hot water at one time. You’ll also need to consider the size – electric tanks come in sizes ranging from 40-80 gallons and gas tanks from 20-120 gallons – and installation requirements of each type before making a decision.
Once you’ve chosen a tank type and size that meets your household needs, you can then calculate how much energy is required to heat the tank’s contents in one hour – also known as its recovery rate – by multiplying its capacity (in gallons) by 8.34 BTUs per gallon per hour (BTU/h). For example: if you have an 80-gallon electric tank, its recovery rate would be 667 BTU/h (80 x 8.34).
Finally, make sure that the geothermal heat pump is powerful enough to heat up your storage tank in one hour or less; otherwise, it won’t be able to keep up with your household’s hot water demands during peak hours. To do this, multiply its output rating (in tons) by 12000 BTUs per ton; if this figure is higher than the recovery rate of your storage tank then it should be powerful enough for your needs.
By following these steps carefully when sizing the water tank for a geothermal heat pump water heater, you’ll be able to get all the hot water you need while still saving money on energy bills!