How heat pumps REALLY work - BBC World Service

Heat pumps are seen by many to be the best way of cutting carbon dioxide emissions to heat our homes because they run on electricity instead of gas.

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In the UK, the government’s climate advisers calculate that around half of all homes will need to have a heat pump by 2040 if the UK is to meet its net zero targets.

BBC News’ climate editor Justin Rowlatt takes you through the science behind the workings of a heat pump.

00:00 Introduction
01:36 Take a look inside a heat pump
02:03 The second law of thermodynamics explained
02:45 What is a phase change?
03:15 Latent heat is stored in a phase change
03:45 Dry ice turns into gas at -78C
04:35 The boiling point of refrigerants such as butane is -36C
05:40 How refrigerants flow inside the heat pump
06:26 The power of pressure
08:12 Water is boiled in a vacuum
09:06 Making tea on Mount Everest
09:45 Boiling point for a pressure cooker is 115C
11:07 A valve in heat pump expands and eases pressure

With special thanks to Professor Andrea Sella, professor of chemistry at University College London.

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