Performance analysis of an air-source heat pump using an immersed water condenser

Abstract

A distributed model of an air-source heat pump (ASHP) system and its experimental setup using an immersed water condenser were presented. Dynamic performance of the ASHP was then evaluated by both simulation and experiment. The results indicated that the system coefficient of performance (COP) decreased as the condenser temperature increased, ranging from 4.41 to 2.32 with the average COP equaling 3.29 during the experiment. Comparisons between simulation results and experimental measurements demonstrated that the model was able to yield satisfactory predictions. Furthermore, temperature profiles of the refrigerant in the evaporator and condenser were also given. This paper provides the theoretical and experimental background for ASHP system optimization and a valuable reference for a solar air-source heat pump water heater when the solar irradiation energy is insufficient on cloudy or rainy days.

Keywords

air-source / heat pump / distributed model / immersed water condenser