Techno-Economic Assessment of Residential Heat Pump Integrated with Thermal Energy Storage

Sara Sultan, Jason Hirschey, Navin Kumar, Borui Cui, Xiaobing Liu, Tim J. LaClair and Kyle R. Gluesenkamp ()
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Sara Sultan: The Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
Jason Hirschey: George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
Navin Kumar: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
Borui Cui: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
Xiaobing Liu: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
Tim J. LaClair: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
Kyle R. Gluesenkamp: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 10, 1-23

Abstract: Phase change material (PCM)-based thermal energy storage (TES) can provide energy and cost savings and peak demand reduction benefits for grid-interactive residential buildings. Researchers established that these benefits vary greatly depending on the PCM phase change temperature (PCT), total TES storage capacity, system configuration and location and climate of the building. In this study, preliminary techno-economic performance is reported for a novel heat pump (HP)-integrated TES system using an idealized approach. A simplified HP-TES was modeled for 1 year of space heating and cooling loads for a residential building in three different climates in the United States. The vapor compression system of the HP was modified to integrate with TES, and all heat transfer to and from the TES was mediated by the HP. A single PCM was used for heating and cooling, and the PCT and TES capacity were varied to observe their effects on the building’s energy consumption, peak load shifting and cost savings. The maximum reduction in electric consumption, utility cost and peak electric demand were achieved at a PCT of 30 °C for New York City and 20 °C for Houston and Birmingham. Peak energy consumption in Houston, New York City, and Birmingham was reduced by 47%, 53%, and 70%, respectively, by shifting peak load using a time-of-use utility schedule. TES with 170 MJ storage capacity allowed for maximum demand shift from on-peak to off-peak hours, with diminishing returns once the TES capacity equaled the daily building thermal loads experienced during the most extreme ambient conditions.

Keywords: thermal energy storage; heat pumps; phase change material; peak demand; phase change temperature; storage capacity; residential buildings (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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