Heat Pump COP Calculator
Enter source and sink temperatures to calculate the ideal Carnot COP and estimated real-world COP for a heat pump in heating or cooling mode.
Input Parameters
Heat pump: extracts heat from a cold source and delivers it to a warm space.
°C
°C
Carnot COP (Ideal Maximum)
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Theoretical upper limit; no real device can exceed this.
Estimated Real-World COP
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Estimated at ~50% of Carnot COP, typical for vapor-compression systems.
Details
- Temperature Lift
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- Cold Side (Kelvin)
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- Hot Side (Kelvin)
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- vs. Resistance Heater
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Real-World COP vs. Carnot
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Summary
Enter source and sink temperatures to calculate the ideal Carnot COP and estimated real-world COP for a heat pump in heating or cooling mode.
How it works
- Select operating mode: heating (heat pump) or cooling (refrigerator/AC).
- Enter the cold-side temperature (source for heating, sink for cooling).
- Enter the hot-side temperature (sink for heating, source for cooling).
- The calculator uses absolute temperatures (Kelvin) for Carnot formulas.
- Carnot COP_heating = T_hot / (T_hot − T_cold); Carnot COP_cooling = T_cold / (T_hot − T_cold).
- Real-world COP is estimated at 40–60% of Carnot COP, typical for modern equipment.
Use cases
- Estimate heat pump efficiency before purchasing or installing a unit.
- Compare heating vs. cooling performance at different outdoor temperatures.
- Understand how temperature lift affects heat pump efficiency.
- Calculate energy savings versus a resistance heater (COP > 1 = savings).
- Academic and engineering coursework on thermodynamic cycles.
- HVAC system sizing and energy auditing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated: 2026-06-10 ·
Reviewed by Nham Vu