Coupled solar thermal - air source heat pump (ASHP) system integrating thermal energy storage for electrification of space heating in cold climates

全球范围内，建筑消耗的能源占总能耗的40%以上，二氧化碳排放量占总排放量的39%以上。在加拿大，空间供暖和水供暖占家庭总能源使用量的80%以上，其中大部分来自化石燃料能源系统。随着人们对气候变化的日益关注和灾难性天气事件的迫近，迫切需要转向可再生和更清洁的能源。热泵被认为是基于化石燃料的空间加热技术的潜在替代品。根据技术（空气源或地源）的不同，它们的效率在200% - 600%之间。最简单的热泵技术是空气源热泵系统。它既便宜又容易安装。然而，由于它依赖室外环境空气作为能量的来源和吸收，在最冷或最热的时期，它的性能会下降。这是阻碍它们在极端寒冷气候下广泛使用的因素之一。为了提高空气源热泵系统的性能，我们建议将太阳能热系统和蓄热系统与空气源热泵系统相结合。通过具体的当地气候条件下的详细数值模拟和配套的实验研究，将开发一个针对加拿大寒冷气候进行优化的系统，并安装用于长期性能监测。在卡尔加里大学、Eta能源解决方案、SAIT和ENMAX之间的NSERC联盟合作中，我们提出了一种将太阳能热能注入热泵制冷循环以提高其性能的新方法。我们将开发和验证建立系统性能的详细热力学模型。利用开发的模型，将开发和测试实验室规模的实验装置。之后，将在住宅中安装实际的系统并监控其性能。这项研究有可能在我们极端寒冷的气候中增加热泵技术的广泛使用，帮助减少与空间采暖相关的二氧化碳排放，实现净零排放。

Globally buildings use over 40% of the total energy consumption and give over 39% of the total CO2 emissions. In Canada, space heating and water heating account for over 80% of the total energy used in homes most of which comes from fossil-fueled energy systems. With the increasing concerns of climate change and the impending catastrophic weather events, there is an urgent need to shift to renewable and cleaner sources of energy. Heat pumps are being considered a potential replacement for fossil fuel-based space heating technologies. They are highly efficient giving efficiencies between 200 - 600% depending on the technology (air source or ground source) The simplest heat pump technology is the air source heat pump system. It is cheap and easy to install. However, because of its reliance on outdoor ambient air as a source and sink for energy, its performance degrades during the coldest or hottest periods. This is one of the factors hindering their widespread use in extremely cold climates. To improve the performance of air source heat pump systems, we propose coupling a solar thermal system and thermal energy storage with an air source heat pump system. Through detailed numerical modeling under specific local climatic conditions and supporting experimental studies, a system optimized for Canada's cold climates will be developed and installed for long-term performance monitoring. In this NSERC Alliance partnership between the University of Calgary, Eta Energy Solutions, SAIT, and ENMAX, we propose a novel way of injecting solar thermal energy into a refrigeration cycle of a heat pump to improve its performance. We will develop and validate detailed thermodynamic models that establish system performance. Using the developed models, a lab-scale experimental setup will be developed and tested. After that, an actual system will be installed in a residence and its performance monitored. This research has the potential to increase the widespread use of the heat pump technology in our extremely cold climate, helping reduce space heating-related CO2 emissions in our quest to achieve net zero.