Performance of Heat Pump Systems with PVT Collectors with Optimized Finned Heat Exchangers Integrated as Single Heat Source
Abstract
A novel PVT collector with an optimized finned heat exchanger was designed, built and tested. The test results indicate an excellent convective heat transfer coefficient for the air-to-water heat exchange. The system performance is assessed by simulation of a heat pump system, where the PVT collector is integrated as the only heat source to the evaporator. Due to the operating temperatures below ambient, the PVT collector harvests both ambient and solar heat and therefore can be considered as a solar air-to-water heat exchanger. The PVT heat pump system achieves a good seasonal performance factor of SPF = 3 with a relatively small PVT collector area of 4 m²/kWth and thus consumes 10 % less electricity than a PV-coupled air source heat pump system.