Abstract :
A prototype low capacity (10 kW) single stage Li–Br absorption heat pump (AHP), suitable for residential and small
building applications has been developed as a collaborative result between various European research institutes and
industries. The primary heat source for the AHP is supplied from flat plate solar collectors and the hot/chilled water
from the unit is delivered to a floor heating/cooling system. In this paper we present the simulation results and an overview
of the performance assessment of the complete system. The calculations were performed for two building types
(high and low thermal mass), three climatic conditions, with different types of solar collectors and hot water storage
tank sizes and different control systems for the operation of the installation. The simulations were performed using
the thermal simulation code TRNSYS. The estimated energy savings against a conventional cooling system using a
compression type heat pump was found to be in the range of 20–27%.
2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
