Experimental analysis of parallel operation of two heat sources in a dual-source heat pump incorporating two compressors
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Dual-source heat pumps have the potential to improve heating efficiency and / or the space required for heat sources. Parallel operation of two heat sources using two compressors can increase these benefits but poses technological challenges – specifically in the increased refrigerant cycle interconnection complexity, refrigerant and compressor oil management. These benefits and challenges have yet to be thoroughly investigated which is the primary objective of this research paper. An experimental analysis was conducted on a dual-source heat pump that utilized both an air heat source and a ground heat source. It included both individual and parallel operation modes of the heat sources. A prototype with a novel two-compressor interconnection was designed, manufactured, and tested in laboratory conditions. Analysis of the energetic benefit included efficiency evaluation at different ambient conditions and the corresponding loads on the ground source heat exchanger. Energetically, the single source operation showed comparable results in the coefficient of performance to conventional heat pumps despite the increased interconnection complexity. Parallel operation could efficiently cover heating loads at reduced load on the individual heat sources (at -7 °C, a reduction to 41 % on the ground-source and 58 % on the air-source heat exchanger). Technological challenges were highlighted in refrigerant and compressor oil shifts. While a control-based solution for the refrigerant shift was demonstrated, the oil shift requires further analysis of oil conditions in failing compressors.
Institutions: Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, Universität Innsbruck
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,820
Award: G8154928427
OpenAlex ID: W4405531937