Multi-objective optimization of a solar assisted heat pump-driven by hybrid PV

Abstract

The role of renewable energy sources becomes more and more important in modern times. Solar energy utilization in the building sector is one attractive solution for covering heating and electricity needs. In this direction, the investigation of a solar heating-electricity production system ideal for building applications is investigated in this study. This cogeneration system includes hybrid PV (or PV/T) collectors and a heat pump which is driven totally (heat and electricity) by the solar collector. The system is designed properly in order to produce net electricity production except for the need of the heat pump. This system is optimized using an innovative multi-objective procedure with heating and electricity production as the objective functions. The optimization is performed in steady-state conditions for seven different working fluids in the heat pumps. The optimum design points for all the working fluids are compared and finally, R32 is selected as the most suitable choice with R1234yf to be the second one. In the optimum design conditions, 10 m2 of hybrid PV collector are able to feed the heat pump and finally 4.33 kWth of heating and 0.53 kWel of net electricity to be produced. The next step in this study is the investigation of the system with R32 for all the winter period in the climate conditions of Athens (Greece). Six different typical days (one for every month from November to April) are examined and the final results are given. For January, which is a representative winter month, it is found that the daily heating and electricity production is 34.9 kWh and 5.13 kWh respectively. Moreover, the mean daily energy efficiency is found 60.53% while the exergy 9.26% for this month.