UK: Researchers at the University of Glasgow have developed a new flexible heat pump with integrated thermal storage.
In a new paper published in the journal Communications Engineering, the researchers outline how their flexible heat pump technology can provide an elegant solution to the current heat pump problem by integrating heat storage — a small tank and a coil of copper pans and low cost solution.tube.
The water tank recovers part of the excess heat energy generated during the operation of the heat pump and stores it as an additional heat source for the subsequent operation of the heat pump.
The recovered heat can be reused as a temporary heat source, greatly reducing the power consumption of the pump.For air source heat pump applications, the recovered heat stored in the water also allows the flexible heat pump to operate continuously during defrost.
A working prototype using off-the-shelf components shows that the design is about 3.7% more efficient than the current design, and provides a relatively low heating temperature of 35°C.
When the temperature of the power supply increases, so does the energy recovered, which improves system efficiency and saves more power.The team’s analysis predicts that, after optimization, it could be 10% more efficient than existing products when the heating temperature rises to 65°C.
“The advantages of flexible heat pumps over existing heat pump products are similar to those of condensing boilers over non-condensing boilers – both can recover excess heat, thereby greatly improving efficiency,” commented Yu Zhibin, a professor of thermal energy at Peking University.Glasgow James Watt School of Engineering, who led the research and development of flexible heat pumps.
“Our flexible heat pump solves many of the problems of current generation heat pumps, enabling them to deliver higher performance while using less power. Small tanks cost little to store heat, but save electricity significantly. It can be used in a wide variety of heat pump applications.
“Now that we have patented the technology and demonstrated the concept in the lab, we are eager to start working with manufacturers, energy suppliers and other partners to take the first steps towards bringing these next-generation heat pumps into UK homes step and around the world,” he added.Professor Yu and his team are currently looking for collaborators to advance their flexible heat pump technology.