Solar Assisted Heat Pump for Domestic Hot Water Production

In this article, a R&D project is described involving a prototype solar assisted heat pump (HP) designed for domestic hot water preparation for single family dwellings. This project, developed within the framework of Task 44 of the IEA Solar and Cooling Programme, uses solar energy on the HP evaporator side to maximize the performance level of the system. In cases where solar energy is not enough, the HP under investigation has been designed to extract energy from the heating circuit of the building. This study involves both test bench measurements and dynamic simulations of the solar assisted heat pump system. The overall objectives of the project are summarised as follows:.
• Development of solar thermal technology
• Improvement of HP performance for DHW production
• Reduction of non-renewable energy consumption
• Reduction of environmental impactsThis article presents an overview of the project and its current status.