A Water-to-Water Heat Pump Model with Experimental Validation

Abstract

An experimental validation of a steady-state model for water-to-water heat pumps is conducted on a 10 kW test bench. The objective of the model is to predict the capacity and the required compressor power, based on the inlet conditions of the secondary fluids in the evaporator and condenser. Detailed manufacturer performance maps based on the AHRI 540-2020 standard are utilized to model the fixed-speed scroll compressor. A new semi-empirical model for the thermostatic expansion valve incorporates condensing temperature effects on superheating prediction. Sub-models for individual components, including detailed representations of the evaporator and condenser, are integrated into a global model, resulting in a set nonlinear equation solved using an equation solver with appropriate guess values. The validation of the model is conducted in an experimental test facility equipped with two precisely controlled secondary fluid loops. The heat pump is instrumented to measure condensation and evaporation pressures, the compressor discharge temperature, compressor power, superheating, and sub-cooling. The results are divided into three sub-sections: the first validates the complete heat pump model by comparing its power consumption and COPs in heating and cooling; the second compares the predicted and measured operational conditions; finally, it is shown how the model can be used to predict the non-operational conditions of the heat pump for specific scenarios.