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Experimental evaluation of a novel absorption heat pump module for solar cooling applications
Mälardalen University, School of Business, Society and Engineering, Future Energy Center. Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1203-3016
Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden.
2015 (English)In: Science and Technology for the Built Environment, ISSN 2374-4731, Vol. 21, no 3, p. 323-331Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Given the environmental benefits of utilizing free thermal energy sources, such as waste heat and solar energy for cooling purposes, many developments have come about in thermally driven cooling. However, there are still some barriers to the general commercialization and market penetration of such technologies that are associated with system and installation costs, complexity, and maintenance. In efforts to overcome these limitations, a novel absorption heat pump module has been developed and tested. The module comprises a fully encapsulated sorption tube containing hygroscopic salt sorbent and water as a refrigerant, sealed under vacuum, and within which there are no moving parts. The absorption module consists of two main components, one that alternately functions as an absorber or generator and other that alternates between the roles of evaporator and condenser. The module therefore operates cyclically between a cooling delivery phase and a regeneration phase. Each module has a significant energy storage capacity with cooling delivery phases ranging from 6–10 h in length with temperature lifts between 16◦C and 25◦C. The modules are optimized for integration directly into a solar thermal collector, for roof or fac¸ade installation, for daytime regeneration and night-time cooling delivery. Collector integrated modules would be completely modular maintenance-free absorption heat pumps with similar installation requirements to standard solar thermal collectors. This article describes the test method and performance characteristics of the individual absorption modules. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2015. Vol. 21, no 3, p. 323-331
National Category
Energy Engineering
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:mdh:diva-28917DOI: 10.1080/10789669.2014.990336ISI: 000362067900010Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-84940377508OAI: oai:DiVA.org:mdh-28917DiVA, id: diva2:853223
Available from: 2015-09-11 Created: 2015-09-11 Last updated: 2020-10-22Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Evaluation of a Modular Thermally Driven Heat Pump for Solar Heating and Cooling Applications
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Evaluation of a Modular Thermally Driven Heat Pump for Solar Heating and Cooling Applications
2015 (English)Licentiate thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Exploiting solar energy technology for both heating and cooling purposes has the potential of meeting an appreciable portion of the energy demand in buildings throughout the year. By developing an integrated, multi-purpose solar energy system, that can operate all twelve months of the year, a high utilisation factor can be achieved which translates to more economical systems. However, there are still some techno-economic barriers to the general commercialisation and market penetration of such technologies. These are associated with high system and installation costs, significant system complexity, and lack of knowledge of system implementation and expected performance. A sorption heat pump module that can be integrated directly into a solar thermal collector has thus been developed in order to tackle the aforementioned market barriers. This has been designed to aid in the development of cost-effective pre-engineered solar energy system kits that can provide both heating and cooling.

This thesis summarises the characterisation studies of the operation of individual sorption modules, sorption module integrated solar collectors and a full solar heating and cooling system employing sorption module integrated collectors. Key performance indicators for the individual sorption modules showed cooling delivery for 6 hours at an average power of 40 W and a temperature lift of 21°C. Upon integration of the sorption modules into a solar collector, measured solar radiation energy to cooling energy conversion efficiencies (solar cooling COP) were between 0.10 and 0.25 with average cooling powers between 90 and 200 W/m2 collector aperture area. Further investigations of the sorption module integrated collectors implementation in a full solar heating and cooling system yielded electrical cooling COP ranging from 1.7 to 12.6 with an average of 10.6 for the test period.

Additionally, simulations were performed to determine system energy and cost saving potential for various system sizes over a full year of operation for a 140 m2 single-family dwelling located in Madrid, Spain. Simulations yielded an annual solar fraction of 42% and potential cost savings of €386 per annum for a solar heating and cooling installation employing 20m2 of sorption integrated collectors.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Västerås: Mälardalen University, 2015
Series
Mälardalen University Press Licentiate Theses, ISSN 1651-9256 ; 222
National Category
Other Engineering and Technologies not elsewhere specified
Research subject
Energy- and Environmental Engineering
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:mdh:diva-29356 (URN)978-91-7485-240-0 (ISBN)
Presentation
2015-11-26, Paros, Mälardalens högskola, Västerås, 10:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Projects
Reesbe
Funder
Knowledge Foundation
Available from: 2015-10-16 Created: 2015-10-16 Last updated: 2020-10-22Bibliographically approved
2. Evaluation of Modular Thermally Driven Heat Pump Systems
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Evaluation of Modular Thermally Driven Heat Pump Systems
2020 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The building sector accounts for approximately 40% of primary energy use within the European Union, therefore reductions in the energy use intensity of this sector are critical in decreasing total energy usage. Given that the majority of energy used within the built environment is for space conditioning and domestic hot water preparation, prudence would suggest that decreasing primary energy used for these end purposes would have the biggest overall environmental impact. A significant portion of the energy demands in buildings throughout the year could potentially be met using solar energy technology for both heating and cooling. Additionally, improving the efficiency of current heating and cooling appliances can reduce environmental impacts during the transition from non-renewable to renewable sources of energy. However, in spite of favourable energy saving prospects, major energy efficiency improvements as well as solar heating and cooling technology are still somewhat underutilised. This is typically due to higher initial costs, and lack of knowledge of system implementation and expected performance.

 

The central premise of this thesis is that modular thermally (i.e., sorption) driven heat pumps can be integrated into heating and cooling systems to provide energy cost savings. These sorption modules, by virtue of their design, could be integrated directly into a solar thermal collector. With the resulting sorption integrated collectors, cost-effective pre-engineered solar heating and cooling system kits can be developed. Sorption modules could also be employed to improve the efficiency of natural gas driven boilers. These modules would effectively transform standard condensing boilers into high efficiency gas-driven heat pumps that, similar to electric heat pumps, make use of air or ground-source heat.

 

Based on the studies carried, sorption modules are promising for integration into heating and cooling systems for the built environment generating appreciable energy and cost-savings. Simulations yielded an annual solar fraction of 42% and potential cost savings of €386 per annum for a sorption integrated solar heating and cooling installation versus a state-of-the-art heating and cooling system. Additionally, a sorption integrated gas-fired condensing boiler yielded annual energy savings of up to 14.4% and corresponding annual energy cost savings of up to €196 compared to a standard condensing boiler.

 

A further evaluation method for sorption modules, saw the use of an artificial neural network (ANN) to characterise and predict the performance of the sorption module under various operating conditions. This generic, application agnostic model, could characterise sorption module performance within a ± 8% margin of error. This study thus culminates in the proposal of an overall systematic evaluation method for sorption modules that could be employed for various applications based on the analytical, experimental and simulation methods developed.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Västerås: Mälardalen University, 2020
Series
Mälardalen University Press Dissertations, ISSN 1651-4238 ; 316
Keywords
sorption heat pump, sorption module, thermochemical energy storage, artificial neural network, built environment, solar energy, gas-driven heat pump, solar cooling, heating and cooling, renewable energy, energy efficiency, experimental, simulation, analytical
National Category
Engineering and Technology
Research subject
Energy- and Environmental Engineering
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:mdh:diva-49197 (URN)978-91-7485-472-5 (ISBN)
Public defence
2020-09-08, Dalarna University, Borlänge, 09:15 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2020-06-30 Created: 2020-06-29 Last updated: 2022-11-08Bibliographically approved

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