Conceptual design and preliminary experimental study on curved PV ventilated facade assisted heat pump system (CPVF-HP)

Abstract

Integrating photovoltaic PV with curved architecture boosts renewable energy use and reduces carbon emissions in building applications. This paper proposes a curved PV ventilated facade assisted heat pump system (CPVF-HP), utilizing curved PV ventilation facade as carrier for the application of PV in curved buildings, and enhancing overall energy efficiency through synergistic operation with heat pumps. In the cooling mode, the system employs the heat pump evaporator to pre-cool the air entering the curved PV ventilated facade, thereby reducing the temperature of the PV cells and the air conditioning load of the building. In the heating mode, the CPVF-HP system preheats the air entering the heat pump evaporator using the curved PV ventilated facade, elevating the evaporation temperature of the heat pump. The experimental setup of CPVF-HP is established, and the dynamic performance of the CPVF under various ventilation conditions and its synergistic operational performance with the heat pump have been investigated. The results indicate that CPVF displays considerable difference in irradiance and temperature across its east–west orientation, especially noticeable during morning and afternoon hours, affecting the system's electrical performance. Notably, isotropic scattered radiation improves radiation uniformity and the electrical efficiency of CPVF. The system achieves a notable average electrical efficiency increase of 69.90% on cloudy days compared to sunny conditions. CPVF-HP system effectively manages temperatures by precooling or preheating the air, enhancing the electrical efficiency by 34.43% in cooling mode, and increasing COP by 5.23% in heating mode compared to an independent heat pump operation. The CPVF-HP system demonstrates a synergistic improvement in both thermal and electrical performance, offering an innovative approach to optimizing energy efficiency in curved PV integrated buildings.