Design, development and testing of a solar-powered multi-family residential-size prototype turbocompressor heat pump
An experimental program was conducted to further define, improve and demonstrate the performance characteristics and operational features of an existing 18-ton solar-powered prototype heat pump. The prototype heat pump is nominally sized for multi-family residential applications and provides both space heating and cooling. It incorporates a turbocompressor specially designed to operate at peak temperatures consistent with medium concentration collectors. The major efforts in this program phase included modification and improvement of the instrumentation sensors, the laboratory simulation equipment and selected heat pump components. After implementing these modifications, performance testing was conducted for a total operating time of approximately 250 hours. Experimental test results compared favorably with performance data calculated using the UTRC computer prediction program for the same boundary conditions. A series of tests was conducted continuously over a 12-h period to simulate operation (in the cooling mode) of the prototype heat pump under conditions typical of an actual installation. The test demonstrated that the heat pump could match the cooling load profile of a multi-family residential building. During the system performance testing, sufficient data were taken to identify the performance of each of the major components (e.g. turbine, compressor, heat exchangers, R11 pump). Component performance is compared with that calculated using the UTRC computer predict program and with data supplied by their manufacturers. The performance capabilities of the prototype heat pump system have been documented and recommendations are made for further design improvements which could be included in a MOD-2 configuration. The MOD-2 configuration would incorporate features that would improve system performance, reduce capital cost and most importantly improve system reliability.
- Research Organization:
- United Technologies Research Center, East Hartford, CT (United States); United Technologies Corp., Windsor Locks, CT (USA). Hamilton Standard Div.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-77CS34510
- OSTI ID:
- 6630629
- Report Number(s):
- UTRC/R-82-953050-1; ON: DE83000796
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
APARTMENT BUILDINGS
HEAT PUMPS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
SOLAR HEAT ENGINES
COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE
COMPRESSORS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
EFFICIENCY
EVALUATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLOW RATE
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT TRANSFER
IMPURITIES
MODIFICATIONS
PUMPS
SIMULATION
STABILITY
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
TURBOMACHINERY
WORKING FLUIDS
BUILDINGS
DATA
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
HEAT ENGINES
INFORMATION
MACHINERY
NUMERICAL DATA
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
TESTING
140901* - Solar Thermal Utilization- Space Heating & Cooling