Optimization of operating parameters of a ground coupled heat pump system by Taguchi method

• Performance of a vertical ground coupled heat pump (GCHP) system has been investigated experimentally.
• Taguchi method is applied to these parameters to optimize coefficient of performance of GCHP system.
• Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and signal/noise (S/N) ratio are used for evaluation of experiment results.
• The most significant parameter on the performance is found to be borehole depth.

This paper focuses on optimization of vertical ground coupled heat pump (VGCHP) system. This optimization is realized by examining effects of parameters on the system. Thus, experimental studies have been conducted under varying depth of boreholes and temperatures of condenser and evaporator. Then, the Taguchi method is applied to these parameters to optimize coefficient of performance (COP) of VGCHP system. Also, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and signal/noise (S/N) ratio are used for evaluation of experiment results. It is found that depth of borehole is the most significant parameter, affecting the COP by 67.77%.