Investigation on the performance coupling characteristics between a compound anti-frosting method and air source heat pump system

Abstract

Air source heat pump systems are prone to frosting when operating under low temperature and high humidity working conditions, leading to reduced operational stability and performance. The traditional defrosting methods suffer from defects including high energy consumption, heating interruption, and system pressure surges. To address these issues, a novel active–passive compound anti-frosting method for air source heat pump systems is introduced in this work, which involves utilizing the synergistic effect of high-speed airflow and superhydrophobic modification. To reveal the coupling characteristics between the energy consumption of the anti-frosting method and the system performance, the airflow parameter model based on droplet growth and force taken is established, the simulation algorithm for system frosting and defrosting is developed, and the system's operating characteristics and performance under different operation modes are compared within typical frosting condition. The results indicate that the active–passive compound method can realize frost-free operation and reduce the ant-frosting and defrosting energy consumption by more than 90%. Consequently, it improves the system's comprehensive performance coefficient in a single frosting-defrosting period by 9.7%∼14.3%, compared to the control group without any anti-frosting measures. The introduction of the active method further enhances the frost suppression effect of the superhydrophobic modification.