Evaluation of the Use of Different Dedicated Mechanical Subcooling (DMS) Strategies in a Water Source Transcritical CO2 Heat Pump for Space Heating Applications

Abstract

In this work we analyze numerically different design configurations to be used in a R1234yf DMS cycle coupled with a water source, transcritical CO2 heat pump for heating applications in the building sector. Specifically, we study the temperature range proposed by a European standard for heating with inlet/outlet water temperatures of: 30 °C/35 °C, 40 °C/45 °C, 47 °C/55 °C and 55 °C/65 °C. Moreover, 25 °C/30 °C is also analyzed which is the range expected for indoor swimming pool water pool heating applications. A water inlet temperature of 10 °C at the evaporator was considered in all of the cases. Results show that depending on the coupling strategy between the DMS cycle and the CO2 heat pump, optimal COP values obtained can vary up to 30% whereas the optimal operating pressure of the CO2 cycle can vary up to 8%. A configuration based on splitting the water flow to be heated into the DMS condenser and the gas cooler in a system with IHX was the best option for all the temperature ranges studied. The improvement in the maximum COP values obtained with this configuration ranges between 5% (for swimming pool applications) and 25% (for space heating with 40 °C/45 °C) when compared with the base cycle depending on the water temperature range considered. When this configuration is not considered, the basic transcritical CO2 with IHX and without DMS was found the best option.