Performance and economics of using heat pump desuperheaters for residential water heating

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:5107243

Abbatiello, L A

The efficiencies and economics of three methods of water heating are compared, i.e., desuperheater and conventional gas and electric water heaters. The homeowner using a desuperheater water heater system should expect effective annual water heating COPs which range from 1.3 for northern cities to 2.9 in southern cities. The average consumer could expect to save between 800 and 2500 kWh/year if he is presently heating water with a conventional electric water heater. Should the homeowner elect to install a heat pump water heater within the thermal envelope of his air-to-air heat pumped home, he could expect similar savings. Even though the consumer can achieve significant energy savings, these savings may not translate into significantly different life cycle economics. The major economic conclusions of this study are: the desuperheater water heater can save a significant amount of energy at attractive life-cycle costs and acceptable first costs if the owner is choosing between electrically powered alternatives; heat pump water heaters offer savings which are comparable to those of the desuperheater system in all regions of the country; water heating with natural gas still offers the lowest first and life-cycle costs of all alternatives.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5107243
• Report Number(s): CONF-800966-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320101* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Residential Buildings-- (-1987)
APPLIANCES
BUILDINGS
COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COST
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
GAS APPLIANCES
HEAT PUMPS
HEATERS
LIFE-CYCLE COST
PERFORMANCE
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
RESIDENTIAL SECTOR
SUPERHEATERS
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
USES
WATER HEATERS