DOE EERE Research Reports

Electrically-Driven Heat Pumps

Geothermal Heat Pumps

Water Source Heat Pumps

Laboratory Test of a Residential Low-Temperature Water Source Heat Pump

1984

ORNL/CON-100
V. C. Mei
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Abstract: A residential unitary low-temperature water source heat pump was tested in the laboratory. Tests were performed over a broad range of source water temperatures, 7.2 to 21.1 C (45.0 to 70.0 F), and water flow rates, 3.2 x 10^-4 to 8.2 x 10^-4 m³/s (5 to 13 gpm). The heat pump capacity and coefficient of performance (COP) were found to be linearly related to the source water temperatures. In the heating mode, both the capacity and COP increased with increasing source water temperature and water flow rate. However, when an assumed water pumping power for a 46 m (150 ft) total head was taken into account in the COP calculation, the net COP for both heating and cooling decreased with increasing water flow rate. For cyclic operation over the tested source water temperature range, the coefficient of degradation, C_D, ranged from 0.196 to 0.137 for heating and from 0.131 to 0.161 for cooling. The effect of inlet air humidity was also studied for cooling mode operation. A sample calculation is included to demonstrate the application of test results in calculating the annual performance factor. The test results are used to form a data base on the performance of a typical residential unitary low-temperature water source heat pump. Keywords: water source heat pump, ground coupled heat pump, geothermal heat pump, energy efficiency Availability: National Technology Information Service U.S. Department of Commerce 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, Virginia 22161 view or download report

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