Experimental study of an indirect-expansion heat pump system based on solar low-concentrating photovoltaic/thermal collectors

摘要

In the present study, a novel low-concentrating photovoltaic/thermal solar assisted water source heat pump (LCPV/T-WWHP) system is developed to satisfy both electricity and thermal demand of a university building. This system comprises of low-concentrating photovoltaic/thermal (LCPV/T) modules, a water-to-water heat pump (WWHP), storage tanks, and capillary network. The performance of this system is theoretically investigated by the mathematical model of exergy. Conclusion can be drawn from the experiment that the tracking radiation and the inlet temperature of the evaporator play a crucial role of the system. The maximum electrical efficiency is 15.2%, with an average of 9.4%. In addition, the maximum thermal efficiency is 86.7%, with an average of 54.8%. The WWHP operates stably, with the coefficient of performance greater than 4. The exergy efficiency of LCPV/T and the WWHP system are 11.8% and 73%, respectively. Consequently, the combination of LCPV/T and WWHP system can not only improve the performance of each subsystem, but also provides a new proposal to popularize such a system in remote regions or reconstruction project in rural districts. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.