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Thermo-economic performance of an integrated unglazed solar-air dual-source heat pump: an experimental investigation.

Author(s) : LIU S., PU J., LI J., ZHANG H., YE T. Z., ZHANG X., WAN Z., WANG Z., FAN X., ZHENG W.

Type of article: IJR article

Summary

The ongoing integration of renewable energy into power grids is driving a transition towards distributed and multi-source energy frameworks in building energy systems. Solar-assisted heat pumps, as the emerging distributed multi-source heating systems, face persistent challenges including operating instability, seasonal limitations, and complex control requirements. To address these shortcomings, this study develops a novel integrated unglazed solar-air dual-source heat pump (USAHP) system. The system synergistically harnesses dual renewable energy sources by incorporating high-efficiency finned tubes with absorbing coating and reflectors into a compound solar air collector-evaporator. The integration could maximize evaporator output within a constrained area. Experimental investigations are conducted to evaluate and analyze the system performance, specifically examining the effects of operating parameters and collector-evaporator configuration on thermal collection efficiency. Results demonstrate that among three key parameters, solar irradiance and ambient air temperature exert significantly positive influences on system performance, while relative humidity exhibits weak correlation. The reflector-equipped collector-evaporator enhances solar irradiance absorption by 27–54 %. The proposed USAHP achieves superior frost suppression and enhanced energy efficiency by elevating the evaporation temperature. The evaporation temperature of USAHP increases by up to 3.2 ◦C under experimental conditions, and COP improves by up to 19.3 % compared to conventional air-source and solar-air assisted heat pump systems. Furthermore, a payback period of 3.18 years demonstrates the economic viability of USAHP. This research represents key advancement in frost mitigation mechanisms and demonstrates substantial improvements in energy efficiency, thereby advancing heat pump technology for multi-source energy applications.

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Pages: 16 p.

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Details

  • Original title: Thermo-economic performance of an integrated unglazed solar-air dual-source heat pump: an experimental investigation.
  • Record ID : 30034557
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Technology
  • Source: International Journal of Refrigeration - Revue Internationale du Froid - vol. 182
  • Publication date: 2026/02
  • DOI: http://dx.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2025.12.012

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