Field Validation of Innovative Air-Source Heat Pumps for Cold-Climate Heating Applications

Technical Report · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 2023

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/2000471· OSTI ID:2000471

Trojanowski, Rebecca ^[1]; Loprete, J. ^[1]; Lindberg, J. ^[1]; Butcher, T. ^[1]; Walburger, A. ^[2]; Genzel, N. ^[2]

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1. Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
2. Frontier Energy, Cazenovia, NY (United States)

Air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) have historically found application in milder climates in the United States (US). Their application in cold climates has been hindered by reduced performance as outdoor temperatures fall below freezing and the need for backup or auxiliary electric resistance heaters to meet peak heating loads. Recent advances in cold-climate air-source heat pumps (ccASHPs) with features such as variable-speed compressors, multistage systems, and highly optimized thermal design have improved performance by increasing the coefficient of performance (COP), low-ambient-temperature capacity, and heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF) dramatically. Despite their benefits, ccASHPs are still not widely prescribed for cold climate conditions. This is due in part to a lack of verified, demonstrated performance and analysis in cold climates. Ultimately, high-efficiency ccASHPs play a key role in emerging energy/grid renovation efforts in addition to their potential energy savings and avoided carbon emissions, but their actual performance in various cold climate field settings must be better understood. The primary objective of this project was to measure the in-field performance of variable-capacity air-source heat pumps in cold climates with the goal of enabling the development of field-based performance maps. Specifically, the study looked at how the heat pumps operated in the field, the frequency of cycling, the frequency of defrost events, and the time spent in each mode of operation. The results are intended to be used by DOE to inform research and development of energy-efficient equipment and to develop guidelines for optimizing primary energy savings when using air-source heat pumps in heating-dominated regions.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Building Technologies Office
• DOE Contract Number: SC0012704
• OSTI ID: 2000471
• Report Number(s): BNL--224785-2023-FORE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION