Laboratory test of a residential low-temperature water source heat pump

Technical Report · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5260569· OSTI ID:5260569

Mei, V. C.

A residential unitary low-temperature water source heat pump was tested in the laboratory. Tests were performed over a broad range of source water temperatures, 7.2 to 21.1/sup 0/C (45.0 to 70.0/sup 0/F), and water flow rates, 3.2 x 10/sup -4/ to 8.2 x 10/sup -4/m/sup 3//s (5 to 13 gpm). The heat pump capacity and coefficient of performance (COP) were found to be linearly related to the source water temperatures. In the heating mode, both the capacity and COP increased with increasing source water temperature and water flow rate. However, when an assumed water pumping power for a 46-m total head was taken into account in the COP calculation, the net COP for both heating and cooling decreased with increasing water flow rate. For cyclic operation over the tested source water temperature range, the coefficient of degradation, C/sub D/, ranged from 0.196 to 0.137 for heating and from 0.131 to 0.161 for cooling. The effect of inlet air humidity was also studied for cooling mode operation. A sample calculation is included to demonstrate the application of the test results in calculating the annual performance factor. The test results are used to form a data base on the performance of a typical residential unitary low-temperature water source heat pump.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5260569
• Report Number(s): ORNL/CON-100; ON: DE84009481
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320101* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Residential Buildings-- (-1987)
COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE
COOLING
FLOW RATE
HEAT PUMPS
HUMIDITY
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RESIDENTIAL SECTOR
TESTING
WATER SOURCE HEAT PUMPS