A review for the applications and integrated approaches of ground-coupled heat pump systems

X.Q. Zhai, M. Qu, X. Yu, Y. Yang and R.Z. Wang

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2011, vol. 15, issue 6, 3133-3140

Abstract: During the past few decades, a large number of ground-coupled heat pump (GCHP) systems have been widely applied in various buildings around the world due to the attractive advantages of high efficiency and environmental friendliness. However, most buildings in warm-climate or cold-climate areas have unbalanced loads, dominated by either cooling loads or heating loads. Therefore, it is necessary to employ integrated approaches in the design of GCHP systems to decrease the initial cost of the GCHP systems and, at the same time, to improve the system performance. In this paper, the main integrated approaches of GCHP systems were summarized based on the available references and our experience. Then the suggestions were given. For a heating-dominated building, the combination of a GCHP system with a solar thermal system shows great potential for energy conservation and high-efficiency utilization of the GCHP system. With respect to a cooling-dominated building, the simplest approach is to integrate a GCHP system with a cooling tower although there are more available technologies. It is believed that the high inertia heating or cooling distribution systems such as radiant floors, ceilings or walls are more suitable for GCHP systems. It is highly suggested to establish optimal operational control strategies for integrated GCHP systems according to the climatic conditions, building functions and thermal balance of the ground.

Keywords: Ground-coupled; heat; pump; Application; Integrated; approach (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (31)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032111001687
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:rensus:v:15:y:2011:i:6:p:3133-3140

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 600126/bibliographic

Access Statistics for this article

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews is currently edited by L. Kazmerski

More articles in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().