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N

O
I
S
S
E
R
P
VAPOUR COM
HEAT PUMPS

RD YEAR
3

S
IE
D
U
T
S
Y
G
ER
EN
NICK BENNET
NOOR SHIEELA

CONTENTS
Review of the vapour compression cycle and its application to
heat pumps
Performance metrics heat pump CoP, SEER, SPF
Working fluids
Heat sources and their influence on performance
Applications
Defrosting

HEAT PUMP AS RENEWABLE ENERGY


DEVICE

REVERSING CYCLE

THE BASIC HP CYCLE


Evidently, this is the Rankine power
cycle in reverse

3, qc
2
CONDENSER
4

EVAPORATOR

qe

wc

THE COMPONENTS IN REALITY


Brazed plate condenser
(typical pinch 2-3K)

Working fluids azeotrope R134a


or zeotropic blends R407C, R410A
Mechanical thermostatic
expansion valve
OR

Water source - brazed


plate evaporator
(typical pinch 2-3K)

Scroll
compressor

Air source fin-and-coil


Evaporator (typical pinch
3-5K)

COP

Performa
nce
metric
SPF
Seasonal
Performance
Factor

SEER
( Seasonal
energy
efficiency
ratio )

ENERGY BALANCE

qc mr (h3 h4 )

(= the heating system load)

qe mr (h2 h1 )

(= the heat taken from the source)

wc mr (h3 h2 )

(= the power needed to drive the compressor)

Note that, according to the first law of thermodynamics:


wc qc qe

COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE
Practical cycle, for a heat pump:
CoP qc / wc qc / ( qc qe ) ( h3 h4 ) / ( h3 h2 )
Note:
CoPRefrigerator qe / wc ( qc wc ) / wc ( qc / wc ) 1 CoPHeatPump 1
That is: CoPHeatPump CoPRefrigerator 1
Anticipating a reverse Carnot cycle:

CoPCarnot Tc / (Tc Te )

SEASONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY RATIO SEER

CoP is a theoretical term usually associated with instantaneous and/or rated heat
pump performance
The SEER is the heating energy delivered by the heat pump divided by the
electrical energy consumed by the heat pump over a full period of normal
operation as defined by ARI and Eurovent standards
Thus variations in performance at part-load are accounted for
The precise definition of the SEER can be adjusted so that the electrical energy
used by ancillaries can be included (i.e. direct electrical top-up heating,
source/sink fans/pumps)
Note that different definitions of the SEER are used in the USA and Europe the
latter is often termed ESEER to be specific
Another term the seasonal performance factor, SPF, is also sometimes used;
whereas the SEER, ESEER are mainly to be found among manufacturers
catalogue data because they relate to defined standards, the SPF tends to be
related to measured heat pump performance in service

SEASONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY


RATIO - SEER

SPF
SEASONAL PERFORMANCE
FACTOR

For HEATING

to
measure
the
air source heat pumps

The higher the HSPF rating of a unit, the


more energy efficient it.

efficiency

of

SEER and SPF rating reflects


overall system efficiency on a
seasonal basis
COP reflects the systems
energy efficiency at one
specific operating condition

WORKING FLUIDS
HFC-based (organic):

Inorganic types:

R134a
R407C
R410A
Comment:
These are the common
organic types zero ODP
but powerful greenhouse
gases

Ammonia (NH3) R717


Carbon dioxide (CO2) R744
Comment:
Environmentally benign but
NH3 is toxic and explosive.
CO2 has a low critical
temperature and needs to be
either cascaded for heat pump
applications or used
transcritically

REVERSING CYCLE
Condenser

HtgR

ChwR
Evaporator

HEAT PUMP MODE

HtgF

ChwF

Source
Evaporator

HtgR

ChwR
Condenser

REFRIGERATION MODE

HtgF ChwF

Sink

PACKAGED HEAT PUMP

SPLIT SYSTEM
For homes without
ducts, air-source heat
pumps are also
available in a ductless
version called a
mini-split heat pump.

CLASSIFYING A HEAT PUMP

Thermodynamic cycle (compression; absorption)


Working fluid (e.g. R134a; R407C; R410A; R717)
Configuration (reverse cycle; split; multi-stage)
Bivalent (supported) or monovalent (independent)
Source and sink fluids

HEAT SOURCES FOR A HEAT PUMP


Ambient air:

Internal (exhaust) air:

convenient and freely


available
easy to utilise
variable (and low) source
temperatures
need for defrosting

higher, more stable source


temperatures than ambient
easy to utilise
limited availability

HEAT SOURCES - CONTINUED


Naturally-occurring:

Wastewater:

temperatures can be
higher and more stable
than ambient air
good heat transfer
limited availability
extraction difficulties
may need treatment

higher source
temperatures
good heat transfer
easy to utilise
limited availability
will need treatment

GROUND AS A HEAT SOURCE


Groundwater:

Earth:

stable and mild (winter);


cool (summer)
reasonable availability but
uncertain rates
good heat transfer
extraction difficulties
requires filtration

stable and mild


temperatures (Tmean-air at
depths >10m)
potentially good heat
transfer advantage of
high thermal mass
good availability subject
to access to land

GROUND SOURCE HEAT


EXTRACTION

Highly efficient renewable


energy technology
Offer significant emission
reduction potential
Dual usage as heater and air
conditioning.

COIL INSTALLATION

6m-deep slinky
horizontal loop

1m-deep slinky
control loop

150m-deep SCW head


120m-deep SCW head

Northumbrias advanced ground source heat pumps test facility

GROUND HEAT PUMP.

BECAUSE THE GROUND OR WATER TEMPERATURES STAY AT A CONSTANT TEMPERATURE,


THE GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP CAN TAKE HEAT FROM THE GROUND TO MAINTAIN THE
TEMPERATURE IN YOUR HOME WITH LITTLE OR NO SUPPLEMENTAL HEAT!

OVERALL SAVINGS CAN REACH OVER 70%!

A GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP IS THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO HEAT YOUR HOME.
TYPICALLY A GROUND LOOP IS BURIED IN THE GROUND OR GROUND WATER IS USED TO
HEAT YOUR HOME AND PRE HEAT YOUR HOT WATER.

SOURCE : (WWW.MIDSTATEELECTRIC)

The lowest

THE BENEFITS OF GROUND


SOURCE HEAT PUMPS
COULD LOWER YOUR FUEL BILLS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU REPLACE CONVENTIONAL
ELECTRIC HEATING

COULD PROVIDE YOU WITH INCOME THROUGH THE GOVERNMENTS


RENEWABLE HEAT INCENTIVE (RHI)

COULD LOWER HOME CARBON EMISSIONS, DEPENDING ON WHICH FUEL YOU


ARE REPLACING

NO FUEL DELIVERIES NEEDED


CAN HEAT YOUR HOME AS WELL AS YOUR WATER

MINIMAL MAINTENANCE REQUIRED

(SOURCE : HTTP://WWW.ENERGYSAVINGTRUST.ORG.UK )

SAVING FACT!
These are the savings
you might make every
year when replacing an
existing heating system
in an average fourbedroom detached home
with an average ground
source heat pump
installation

Source : energysavingtrust

STANDING COLUMN WELL WATER AS


SOURCE

GROUND SOURCE HP - COP

AIR SOURCE H. PUMP

AIR-SOURCE HP - PERFORMANCE
3
2.8

CoP

2.6
2.4
2.2
Defrost excluded
Defrost included

2
1.8
2

6
8
10
12
External air temperature (dg C)

14

16

EFFECT OF DEFROSTING

Periodic defrosting is needed in


air-source heat pumps. In UK
conditions this will typically
arise at external air temperatures
< 7 oC.

DEFROST EVENT DYNAMICS - POWER AND HEAT


15
Power consumed
Heat delivered

At these lower external


temperatures, the refrigerant in
the evaporator drops to below
0 oC. Thus, water condensing in
the air being cooled across the
evaporator subsequently turns to
ice as it settles on the evaporator
surface. Typically in UK
conditions, defrosting will add a
8-10% overhead on annual
power consumption.

10

kW

-5

-10
0

Time (minutes)

DEFROSTING METHODS
Reverse cycling (as depicted on previous slide) involves
periodic operational interruptions
Hot gas bypass (hot gas is bled from compressor discharge
to evaporator inlet) involves periodically disturbs normal
operation but can take longer to defrost
Direct resistance trace heating elements on the evaporator
coil (involves no disturbance but can be costly and add to
carbon emission)

HOW TO INITIATE DEFROST


Time & temperature:

Temperature differential:

most common (simplest


method)
defrost at fixed intervals
when (e.g.) Tambient<7oC
occasions when defrosting
initiated unnecessarily

initiates defrost when the


temperature difference
between ambient and
evaporator gas rises to a
preset limit
influenced by variations in
refrigerant charge

DEFROST INITIATION CONTD.


Air pressure:

Evaporator pressure:

initiation based on a rise


in evaporator airside
differential pressure
susceptible to ambient
wind effects

initiation based on a fall in


evaporator pressure and
condensing pressure
most reliable method
generally

ESTABLISHED APPLICATIONS
Heating:

Heating and Cooling:

low grade space heating


swimming pool water
preheating
horticultural (soil
warming)

a/c in (e.g.) shop units


clean rooms, computer
rooms, beer cellars
horticultural (dry stores,
mushroom growing)

MORE APPLICATIONS
Dehumidification:

Heat Reclaim:

warehouse humidity
control (e.g. munitions, art
archives)
condensation control (e.g.
swimming pool halls)
process drying (timber,
malt, pottery)

ventilation heat recovery


humid air from (e.g.)
swimming pools
effluent wastewater
refrigeration plant heat reclaim
(condensers)

PRACTICAL OPERATING
LIMITATIONS
Condensing gas temperatures at >90oC leads to oil carbon
deposition around inlet/outlet ports
Typical condenser outlet coolant limited to 50-55 oC (single stage)
Oil/refrigerant miscibility (lubrication adversely affected when
oil diluted with 8-10% refrigerant)
Foaming/slugging after idle periods or defrosting following
refrigerant migration to crankcase
Major R & D effort on oil-free compressors (e.g. levitating
magnetic bearing drives)

IDEAL OPERATING CONDITIONS


Best conditions for heat pumps
for space heating
Dwelling should be low energy design
Relatively low temperature of heat supply to the
house
Under-floor heating
Relatively high temperature of heat source
Winter air is not good source
Ground 1m below surface constant temperature
throughout the year
Ground is warmer at greater depths, warm minewater
excellent thermodynamically but may be polluting.
Deep geothermal energy not renewable in strict
sense.

INDUSTRIAL HEAT PUMPS

Northumbrias Low Carbon Systems laboratory

DOMESTIC STIRLING ENGINE MICRO-CHP


UNIT

GOOD LINK
http://energy.gov/energysaver/heat-pumpsystems

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