Optimal defrost initiation for air-source heat pumps: Evaluating the improvement potential of common defrosting controllers

Jonas Klingebiel, Christoph Höges, Stephan Göbel, Paul Bannmüller, Thies Boelsen, Valerius Venzik, Christian Vering and Dirk Müller

Energy, 2025, vol. 324, issue C

Abstract: The timing of defrost initiation for air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) significantly impacts operational efficiency, especially in cold climates. While literature studies demonstrate the existence of optimal defrost initiation time (topt), there is limited knowledge how operational parameters (e.g., air temperature, air relative humidity and heating capacity) influence topt. Additionally, the performance gap between conventional defrosting controllers and the theoretical optimal defrost strategy remains uncertain, leaving the improvement potential for further refinements of defrost controllers unknown.

Keywords: Frost formation; Defrost initiation; Demand-based defrosting; Defrost control method; Defrost map (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:324:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225015130

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.135871

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