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New low charge heat pump using propane: design and experimentation.

Author(s) : CAVALLINI A., DA RIVA E., DEL COL D.

Summary

The design and the experimental performance of an innovative heat pump using propane and having a heating capacity of about 100 kW are presented in this paper. This unit has been designed for laboratory tests and has been realized in the framework of the European project SHERHPA in collaboration between University of Padova and Hiref SpA. Since propane is a flammable fluid, charge minimization is a priority in the design of such heat pump. Prototype shell-and-tube heat exchangers using minichannels and providing low charge have also been installed in the unit, along with conventional brazed plate heat exchangers, in order to compare different working configurations. Very similar values of COP and heating and cooling capacities have been measured when using the minichannel condenser instead of the brazed plate heat exchanger, even if this device provides a 65% reduction in terms of condenser internal volume and the propane charge reduction is about 0.8 kg. The experimental performance was also measured when adopting a minichannel internal heat exchanger showing in this case a slight improvement of the COP.

Details

  • Original title: New low charge heat pump using propane: design and experimentation.
  • Record ID : 2009-0835
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Technology
  • Source: 9th IEA Heat Pump Conference 2008: advances and prospects in technology, applications and markets. Conference proceedings [CD-ROM + abstracts].
  • Publication date: 2008/05/20

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