Free-Piston Diesel Compressor Based Heat Pumps Using Carbon Dioxide as Working Fluid

The key technical and economic indexes of Russian free-piston diesel compressors designed for carbon dioxide heat pumps are given. Use of these compressors allows building of 0.5–5.0 MW heat pumps with improved weight-size and cost parameters. A wide variety of hydrocarbons, such as natural gas, mine methane, associated petroleum gas, biogas, etc., can be used in these installations as the primary fuel, which makes it possible to increase the share of heat pumps substantially in stand-alone and centralized heat supply systems.