Heat pump efficiency in fifth generation ultra-low temperature district heating networks using a wastewater heat source

Tobias Reiners, Michel Gross, Lisa Altieri, Hermann-Josef Wagner and Valentin Bertsch ()

Energy, 2021, vol. 236, issue C

Abstract: Ultra-low district heating (ULTDH) networks are operated at temperatures below 30 °C. However, the temperatures supplied are still too low for direct heating of the consumers. Heat pumps use the heating network as a source and can supply the consumers with space heating and domestic hot water as needed. Although individual manufacturers provide performance figures for the source temperature of 20 °C, these are usually derived from extrapolation from standard conditions with source temperatures of 0 °C and 10 °C. Up to now practical measurements are missing how efficiently heat pumps work in an ULTDH network environment and how the network temperature spread affects the performance. In this paper test rigs are used to investigate heat pumps under the conditions in ULTDH networks at a network supply temperature of 20 °C. It is shown that heat pumps can operate up to twice as efficient as with a geothermal probe. Furthermore, the network temperature spread has a significant influence on the performance of the heat pump. Heat pumps operate significantly better with a low source temperature spread.

Keywords: ULTDH network; Ultra low temperature district heating network; Heat pump; Decentral heat pumps; 5GDH; Space heating; Domestic hot water; Heat pump efficiency; Testing rig (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (21)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:236:y:2021:i:c:s0360544221015668

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2021.121318

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