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Thermostat environment emulator design update and assessment for load-based testing methodology.

Number: 2522

Author(s) : KIM D., DHILLON P., HORTON W. T., BRAUN J. E.

Summary

In current testing and rating approaches for estimating seasonal energy efficiency (e.g., SEER) of residential heat-pump systems, the embedded controls of the unit under test (UUT) are overridden. As a result, the rated performance does not fully capture part-load operation and degradation effects that occur due to interaction of the integrated controls, equipment, and building dynamics, and does not incentivize the implementation of improved controllers. To address this deficiency, a load-based testing methodology has been developed for estimating the seasonal performance of residential heat pumps based on their dynamic performance measurement in a lab. The load-based testing methodology emulates the response of building sensible and latent loads to the equipment controls in a psychrometric test chamber by continuously updating the room temperature and humidity based on a virtual building model. The test unit thermostat naturally responds to dynamic temperature variations and controls the equipment capacity in response to a deviation from its setpoint. Since the thermostat response is integral in load-based testing, it is critical to provide representative and reproducible conditions to the thermostat. For this, a thermostat environment emulator (TEE) was developed to provide a standardized environment for the thermostat during load-based tests in order to ensure repeatability and reproducibility. This paper presents an updated design of a thermostat environment emulator that was previously presented by Cheng et al. (2021a) to improve performance and applicability across different test facilities. First, design updates to the TEE are discussed in detail, and then performance assessment results of the TEE are presented. Finally, performance and operation characteristics evaluation results of the TEE are discussed based on load-based tests with a 2-ton variable-speed heat pump.

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Pages: 11 p.

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Details

  • Original title: Thermostat environment emulator design update and assessment for load-based testing methodology.
  • Record ID : 30030763
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Technology
  • Source: 2022 Purdue Conferences. 19th International Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Conference at Purdue.
  • Publication date: 2022

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