Electro-Thermal Transient Characteristics of Photovoltaic–Thermal (PV/T)–Heat Pump System

Wenlong Zou, Gang Yu () and Xiaoze Du ()
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Wenlong Zou: Key Laboratory of Power Station Energy Transfer Conversion and System, North China Electric Power University, Ministry of Education, Beijing 102206, China
Gang Yu: Key Laboratory of Power Station Energy Transfer Conversion and System, North China Electric Power University, Ministry of Education, Beijing 102206, China
Xiaoze Du: Key Laboratory of Power Station Energy Transfer Conversion and System, North China Electric Power University, Ministry of Education, Beijing 102206, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 17, 1-18

Abstract: This study investigates the electro-thermal transient response of a photovoltaic–thermal (PV/T)–heat pump system under dynamic disturbances to optimize operational stability. A dynamic model integrating a PV/T collector and a heat pump was developed by the transient heat current method, enabling high-fidelity simulations of step perturbations: solar irradiance reduction, compressor operation, condenser water flow rate variations, and thermal storage tank volume changes. This study highlights the thermal storage tank’s critical role. For V tank = 2 m 3 , water tank volume significantly suppresses the water tank and PV/T collector temperature fluctuations caused by solar irradiance reduction. PV/T collector temperature fluctuation suppression improved by 46.7%. For the PV/T heat pump system in this study, the water tank volume was selected between 1 and 1.5 m 3 to optimize the balance of thermal inertia and cost. Despite PV cell electrical efficiency gains from PV cell temperature reductions caused by solar irradiance reduction, power recovery remains limited. Compressor dynamic performance exhibits asymmetry: the hot water temperature drop caused by speed reduction exceeds the rise from speed increase. Load fluctuations reveal heightened risk: load reduction triggers a hot water 7.6 °C decline versus a 2.2 °C gain under equivalent load increases. Meanwhile, water flow rate variation in condenser identifies electro-thermal time lags (100 s thermal and 50 s electrical stabilization), necessitating predictive compressor control to prevent temperature and compressor operation oscillations caused by system condition changes. These findings advance hybrid renewable systems by resolving transient coupling mechanisms and enhancing operational resilience, offering actionable strategies for PV/T–heat pump deployment in building energy applications.

Keywords: photovoltaic/thermal collector; heat pump; dynamic simulation; transient heat current model; electrical and thermal performance (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: 2025
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