A new high efficiency reversible air-to-water heat pump working with propane for commercial applications in Southern Europe

Project Information

Grant agreement ID: JOE3970077

Project closed

Start date 1 March 1998

End date 29 February 2000

Funded under

• Specific programme for research and technological development, including demonstration in the field of non-nuclear energy, 1994-1998

Total cost € 0,00

EU contribution No data

Coordinated by

Asociación para la Investigación y Diagnosis de la Energía
Spain

Exploitable results

Development of a methodology for characterization of reversible air-to-water heat pumps working with propane, a global model, software and documentation and a calculation program for calculating the p

The HEAHP consortium has produced a pre-commercial air-to-water reversible heat pump prototype working with propane for use in the mild climate conditions typical of Southern Europe. With respect to our previous commercial R22 reference machine, this prototype works safely, with a much lower charge (66%), a similar or even higher capacity and much better efficiency (increase of 10% to 20%). All the aimed improvements included in the milestones (40% lower charge, similar capacity, 10% better efficiency) were clearly surpassed. The obtained results have been possible not only because of the excellent properties of the refrigerant, but also because of the intense combined experimental and computational effort of the consortium to adapt heat pump technology and designs to propane. Specific results: Methodology for characterisation of reversible air-to-water heat pumps: -Development of a new energy-saving methodology for measuring heating and cooling capacities of Heat Pumps. Global model of an air-to-water reversible heat pump unit working with propane. Software and documentation: -Development of a very precise Heat Pump model incorporating very accurate sub-models for each Heat Pump component. It is also provided with a Graphic User Interface. Heat exchangers calculation program: -Development of program for Heat Exchangers simulation allowing, through a Graphic User Interface, the study of different geometries and flow configurations. -Programme for calculation of the performance of volumetric compressor. -This program simulates any type of piston compressor. It has the possibility to choose the circulating refrigerant in a database. The simulation gives pressure and temperatures of the refrigerant in all points, the movement of the walls and the circulating mass flow rate.

Exploitation of the Final Heat Pump designed among all partners and manufactured at CIATESA.

The HEAHP consortium has produced a pre-commercial air-to-water reversible heat pump prototype working with propane for use in the mild climate conditions typical of Southern Europe. With respect to our previous commercial R22 reference machine, this prototype works safely, with a much lower charge (66%), a similar or even higher capacity and much better efficiency (increase of 10% to 20%). All the aimed improvements included in the milestones (40% lower charge, similar capacity, 10% better efficiency) were clearly surpassed. The obtained results have been possible not only because of the excellent properties of the refrigerant, but also because of the intense combined experimental and computational effort of the consortium to adapt heat pump technology and designs to propane. Specific results: Exploitation of the Final Heat Pump: The results obtained will be mainly used to manufacture and sale the Heat Pump, as a way to open the use of environmentally safe refrigerants in the market. A marketing process will be also required to do so.

Heat exchanger improved prototypes

The HEAHP consortium has produced a pre-commercial air-to-water reversible heat pump prototype working with propane for use in the mild climate conditions typical of Southern Europe. With respect to our previous commercial R22 reference machine, this prototype works safely, with a much lower charge (66%), a similar or even higher capacity and much better efficiency (increase of 10% to 20%). All the aimed improvements included in the milestones (40% lower charge, similar capacity, 10% better efficiency) were clearly surpassed. The obtained results have been possible not only because of the excellent properties of the refrigerant, but also because of the intense combined experimental and computational effort of the consortium to adapt heat pump technology and designs to propane. Specific result: Heat Exchanger Improved Prototypes. An advanced design of the copper brazed heat exchanger (APHE) and of the air heat exchanger (AAHE) for R290 have been built and supplied by AL Artec. They were design according to the previous Characterisation test results, the outputs of the calculation module developed by UPV and AL Artec know-how and experience.