Assessing the performance limits of a variable-speed residential heat pump system

Abstract

Most of the ducted split-type heat pump systems in the world feature fixed-speed compressors and fans. To meet forthcoming minimum energy rating requirements, reduce operational costs of the heat pump, and increase environmental sustainability, the efficiency of heat pump systems must be improved. Variable-speed equipment offers significant advantages for load modulation and has the ability to increase the seasonal performance significantly. Additionally, novel electrical motor technologies, such as permanent magnet (PM) motors can reduce the power consumption of the drives by up to 25-55% compared to the widely used permanent split capacitor (PSC) motor.In this study, a ducted fixed-speed heat pump system with a cooling capacity of 17.6 kW and a seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) rating of 4.11 is analyzed to quantify the theoretical performance limits that could be obtained by increasing the motor efficiency of the condenser fan, the evaporator fan and the compressor. Furthermore, the performance increase by replacing the fixed-speed components with variable-speed equipment is evaluated. A detailed charge-sensitive system simulation model that was previously developed by the authors and validated using experimental data obtained with the same unit was employed to carry out parametric studies to evaluate the impact of variable-speed compressor and indoor/outdoor fans on the SCOP rating.The study showed a 0.9% improvement of SCOP with every percentage increase of compressor motor efficiency. The dependence of the evaporator fan and condenser fan motor efficiency on SCOP was lower, but considering the generally low motor efficiencies of these components, a noticeable efficiency gain can be achieved. In variable-speed equipment, the motor efficiency of the component at minimum operational point was the significant factor on SCOP. The motor efficiency at intermediate and maximum speed had only marginal effects on the SCOP. This showed the importance of equipment with high motor efficiencies at low speeds for ducted split-system heat pumps. The change of the fixed-speed system to a fully variable-speed heat pump resulted in a high gain of SCOP, proving the superiority of a variable-speed system. Overall, the model predicted an SCOP gain of 35% when changing the system to a fully variable system with state-of-the-art high efficient motors.