Performance and Economics of Eight Alternative Systems for Residential Heating, Cooling, and Water Heating in 115 US Cities

摘要

This study updates the results of a previous report, ORNL/CON-52, to take into account the effects of 1981 costs and technology on the performance and economics of five electrically driven heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and water-heating systems for residences. In addition, the present study extends the analysis to include three fossil-fuel-fired systems. Current life-cycle costs and annual efficiencies are presented for 115 cities in the United States for each of the following residential systems: (1) an electric furnace, central air conditioner, and electric resistance water heater; (2) a high-performance air-to-air heat pump with electric resistance water heater; (3) a high-performance air-to-air heat pump with desuperheater water heater; (4) a minimum annual cycle energy system (ACES) of the brine-chiller type; (5) a full ACES of the brine-chiller type; (6) an advanced gas furnace, central air conditioner, and gas water heater; (7) an oil furnace, central air conditioner, and electric resistance water heater; and (8) a pulse gas furnace, central air conditioner, and gas water heater. Of the electrically driven systems, the full ACES is found to exhibit the highest annual efficiency and the highest life-cycle costs for most regions of the nation. The gas furnace system generally exhibits lower life-cycle costs than any of the other residential heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems and yields reasonably good annual efficiency. (ERA citation 08:007798)