Share

Maximizing operational efficiency of heat pumps with model predictive control: An experimental case study for residential application.

Number: 0805

Author(s) : GÖBEL S., STOFFEL P., WILL F., VERING C., MÜLLER D.

Summary

In residential heating applications, electrically-driven heat pump systems enable the integration of renewable energy sources (RES) and, thus, systematic sector defossilation. Since the heating demand of buildings and RES availability are time-variant and time-shifted, it is challenging to ensure optimal heat pump system operation. Optimal heat pump system operation requires access to reliable system interfaces and consistent use of higher control strategies such as model predictive control (MPC). However, missing interfaces prevent the spread of MPC in the field and call for conventional controls such as heating curves reducing the overall potential. 
This work shows the potential of MPC for heat pump systems by exploiting system interfaces in an experimental case study. We use a heat pump test bench coupled to a dynamic building performance simulation model in the hardware-in-the-loop approach and investigate two control levels: The refrigerant cycle controller ensures stable superheat and resilient operation; the system controller minimizes the heat pump power consumption within the comfort constraints. We analyze two MPC interfaces to control the system: First, the MPC sets the flow temperature, while a PID controls the compressor speed. Second, the MPC directly adjusts the compressor speed. We compare both MPC strategies with a conventional heating curve controller. The results highlight the need for heat pump interfaces to widespread MPC. Both MPC strategies reduce the heat pump power consumption by up to 20.25 %. Adjusting the flow temperature by MPC results in the lowest energy consumption but many compressor starts and comfort losses. Direct compressor-controlled systems claim the best results concerning comfort constraints and lead to a resilient operation by reducing on-off behavior.

Available documents

Format PDF

Pages: 12 p.

Available

  • Public price

    20 €

  • Member price*

    15 €

* Best rate depending on membership category (see the detailed benefits of individual and corporate memberships).

Details

  • Original title: Maximizing operational efficiency of heat pumps with model predictive control: An experimental case study for residential application.
  • Record ID : 30033504
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Technology
  • Source: 14th IEA Heat Pump Conference 2023, Chicago, Illinois.
  • Publication date: 2023/05

Links


See other articles from the proceedings (166)
See the conference proceedings

Indexing