Performance of solar assisted parallel and series heat pump systems with energy storage for building heating

Abstract

With rising energy costs and an increasing demand for renewable energy sources, thermal energy storage (TES) systems are becoming an interesting option. TES is a key component of any successful thermal system and a good TES should allow minimum thermal energy losses. The use of a latent heat storage system using phase change materials (PCMs) is an effective way of storing thermal energy. Latent heat storage enables high-energy storage density which reduces the footprint of the system and the cost. However, PCMs have very low thermal conductivities making them unsuitable for large-scale use without enhancing the effective thermal conductivity. On the other hand, solar energy systems and heat pumps are two promising means of reducing the consumption of fossil energy sources and potentially, the cost of delivered energy for refrigeration and air conditioning purposes. In this study, the performance of solar assisted parallel and series heat pump systems with latent heat energy storage for residential heating applications was investigated theoretically.