Heat Pumps

South Korean scientists built an air source heat pump integrated with a photovoltaic thermal unit that can reportedly achieve an average heating and cooling coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.54 and 3.31, respectively. The system is also claimed to be 44% cheaper than ground source heat pumps combined with PVT energy.

The new product can reportedly provide a leaving water temperature of up to 65 C. It is available in three versions with outputs of 8 kW, 10 kW, and 12 kW, respectively.

Swiss researchers conducted a survey among 1,582 single-family house owners located in Switzerland, Germany, and France to know more about their preference for leasing or buying a heat pump. They found that lease payments and lease contracts are crucial factors in decision-making, and that homeowners tend to prefer all-inclusive leasing products with lower monthly payments.

New research from Germany shows that most of the heat pumps deployed in existing multifamily buildings may have to operate close to their water temperature operating limit (WTOL), thus being unable to provide elevated temperatures above 60 C. The researchers warned, however, that proper installation proceedings and new types of heat pumps may help solve this issue.

Lochinvar has developed a heat pump with a hot water supply of up to 70 C, with a coefficient of performance (COP) of 5.5. The system is entirely cascadable, offering outputs ranging from 88 kW to 880 kW. It also includes 455 liters of hot water storage capacity and uses propane (R290) as a refrigerant.

Austria’s Ökofen has developed a residential heat pump that identifies cost-effective and eco-friendly electricity in real time, in order to optimize heat production. It is now seeking a patent for its proprietary control technology.

Germany’s 3U Holding AG said its ThermCube heat pump is an ideal solution for new and existing detached and semi-detached houses with a total heat demand of between 6 kW and 11 kW. The new product has reportedly a heat output of 2.33 kW to 8.20 kW and a flow temperature of up to 70 C.

Researchers in Finland say that decentralized heat pumps could provide significant cost savings when selling surplus heat into district networks. However, they warned that capital expenditure remains high.

New research shows that hybrid heat pumps combining an electric heat pump and a gas boiler represent a technically feasible and economically viable solution to partially decarbonize heat supply in older dwellings. Gas and electricity prices, however, are crucial factors in real scenarios.

Bosch is currently selling the new heat pumps in the DACH markets and is planning to expand sales in other European markets in September. The new products use propane as the refrigerant and integrated sound diffusers. The manufacturer is also offering a power meter/sensor enabling the heat pumps to work with any existing PV system and battery storage solution at home.