Experimental study of a multi-energy complementary heating system based on a solar-groundwater heat pump unit

•A SGHPS associated with radiant floor heating is investigated.•The new heating system has significant energy-saving effect.•The new heating system could meet the heating demand of stability and feasibility.•Economic analysis is conducted on the SGHPS and CCHS.

A solar-groundwater heat pump (SGHP) unit associated with radiant floor heating has been designed and established located in Tianjin, China, the performance was measured and compared with the conventional central heating system (CCHS) under the same indoor and outdoor environments. The experimental results showed that the energy-saving rate of SGHP is 30. 55% compared with CCHS. The energy-saving rate of floor heating systems can achieve 18.96% compared with the traditional radiator, and economic analysis has been conducted on the new type of heating system and the conventional central heating system. In present experiment, the solar energy contribution rate was about 27%. The result proved that SGHP could save energy significantly and meet the heating demand of stability and comfortableness.