Abstract
Increasing the efficiency of heat pump systems primarily used for heat supply to buildings is an important topic. This is especially true for systems constructed according to non-standard schemes and which use low-grade heat from various sources that are rarely considered for these purposes. Such studies require special, often expensive, data acquisition systems. In this paper, a low-cost computer-based monitoring system is presented. The monitoring system incorporates solutions which are new or seldom used. It is shown that modern semiconductor thermistors can replace commonly used platinum temperature sensors and thermocouples. A proposal for processing frequency output signals from sensors through an analog-to-digital converter and a way to reduce the number of required input channels are described. The monitoring system allows optimization of various types of heat-pump-based installations. The system has been used for quite a long time to monitor the operation of the heat pump installation using low-grade heat from a surface watercourse. With its help, the feasibility of using the previously proposed submersible floating heat exchanger is justified and the optimal scheme for its placement in the watercourse is determined.
Highlights
Increasing the use of renewable energy sources is of a great importance nowadays
It is shown that modern semiconductor thermistors can replace commonly used platinum temperature sensors and thermocouples
The described monitoring system made it possible to optimize the heat pump installations (HPI) operating on a base low-grade heat of the open watercourse
Summary
Increasing the use of renewable energy sources is of a great importance nowadays. A significant proportion of the total cost of energy resources relates to the heat supply for the residential sector. - the use of energy from renewable fuel resources (biogas, pellets, etc.); - the use of high-grade energy received from the Sun or the Earth’s interior, directly or through conversion into electrical energy; - the use of low-grade heat, both natural and anthropogenic waste, through conversion by means of heat pumps. Devices for generating electricity based on renewable sources and heat pumps consuming this energy may not be located next to each other, but, for example, be part of the same microgrid [2]. This approach has enormous potential, and it is currently far from being realized to its fullest extent. Leveraging the potential of environmental warmth for the purpose of housing heating seems attractive, and the use of heat pumps makes this task feasible
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