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Energy Evaluations of a New Plant Configuration for Solar-Assisted Heat Pumps in Cold Climates

Author

Listed:
  • Stefania Perrella

    (Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering Department, University of Calabria, V. P. Bucci 46/C, 87036 Rende, Italy)

  • Roberto Bruno

    (Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering Department, University of Calabria, V. P. Bucci 46/C, 87036 Rende, Italy)

  • Piero Bevilacqua

    (Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering Department, University of Calabria, V. P. Bucci 46/C, 87036 Rende, Italy)

  • Daniela Cirone

    (Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering Department, University of Calabria, V. P. Bucci 46/C, 87036 Rende, Italy)

  • Natale Arcuri

    (Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering Department, University of Calabria, V. P. Bucci 46/C, 87036 Rende, Italy)

Abstract

Heat pumps in buildings allow for the limiting of CO 2 emissions by exploiting directly the renewable energy available in the external environment (aerothermal, hydrothermal and geothermal sources). Moreover, other renewable technologies such as active solar systems can be integrated easily into use with them. This combination not only increases the share of primary energy provided by renewable sources for heating/cooling but also improves the heat pump performance indices. Nevertheless, in cold climates, air–water heat pumps should be equally penalized due to the unfavorable outdoor air temperature. Conversely, a water–water heat pump, connected with a solar tank and thermal solar collectors, overcomes this issue. Indeed, the higher temperature attainable in the cold source allows for reaching greater COPs, and when the solar tank temperature level is enough, emitters can be directly supplied, avoiding the absorption of electric energy. In this paper, this plant configuration, in which a further tank after the heat pump was considered to manage the produced thermal energy, is investigated. Proper control strategies have been developed to increase the renewable share. Regarding a reference residential building located in Milan, for which the water–water heat pump was sized properly, a parametric study, carried out in TRNSYS by varying solar tank volume and collecting surface, has allowed for the identification of the optimal system configuration. A renewable share, ranging between 54% and 61% as a function of the collecting surface and the storage volume, was detected, as was an average seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) over 4. Regarding two common heating plant configurations using an assisted PV air-to-water heat pump and a gas boiler, the optimal solution allows for the limiting of CO 2 emissions by 33% and 53%, respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefania Perrella & Roberto Bruno & Piero Bevilacqua & Daniela Cirone & Natale Arcuri, 2023. "Energy Evaluations of a New Plant Configuration for Solar-Assisted Heat Pumps in Cold Climates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:2:p:1663-:d:1036236
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bevilacqua, Piero & Bruno, Roberto & Rollo, Antonino & Ferraro, Vittorio, 2022. "A novel thermal model for PV panels with back surface spray cooling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    2. Bevilacqua, Piero & Perrella, Stefania & Bruno, Roberto & Arcuri, Natale, 2021. "An accurate thermal model for the PV electric generation prediction: long-term validation in different climatic conditions," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 1092-1112.
    3. Banister, Carsen J. & Collins, Michael R., 2015. "Development and performance of a dual tank solar-assisted heat pump system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 125-132.
    4. Piero Bevilacqua & Stefania Perrella & Daniela Cirone & Roberto Bruno & Natale Arcuri, 2021. "Efficiency Improvement of Photovoltaic Modules via Back Surface Cooling," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-18, February.
    5. Maria Pinamonti & Alessandro Prada & Paolo Baggio, 2020. "Rule-Based Control Strategy to Increase Photovoltaic Self-Consumption of a Modulating Heat Pump Using Water Storages and Building Mass Activation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-21, November.
    6. Roberto Bruno & Francesco Nicoletti & Giorgio Cuconati & Stefania Perrella & Daniela Cirone, 2020. "Performance Indexes of an Air-Water Heat Pump Versus the Capacity Ratio: Analysis by Means of Experimental Data," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-19, July.
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