Potential of Direct Solar Thermal Driven Absorption Heat Pump in Hybrid Systems
Abstract
The energy requirement in buildings is currently changing, the heating demand is decreasing while the cooling demand can be expected to rise. Due to increase of global economics and thus living comfort as well as the need to minimize climate impact highly efficient and renewable solutions for heating and cooling are absolutely essential. Solar thermal and photovoltaic driven systems coupled to thermal/electrical driven heat pumps are promising technologies to satisfy these needs. However, such systems show a wide range of efficiencies and economics caused by different system designs and control strategies. The research project "SolarHybrid" is systematically processing and optimizing the solar driven systems and their hybrid combinations thereby highly efficient and economic competitive solutions are accomplished. A study on the hybrid combination of a solar-thermal direct driven absorption heat pump with a vapor compression heat pump for heating and cooling is highlighted here. Up to 80% non-renewable primary energy savings can be realized and despite increased initial investment costs this solution is economic. The results show that levelized energy costs at the same level or even lower as a reference system can be achieved.