An experimental investigation on the coefficient of performance of the small hot water heat pump using refrigeration R410A and R32

Abstract

Hot water is an important factor in domestic life and industrial development. Today, the heat pump is used to produce hot water more and more popular because it has many advantages of saving energy compared to the method of producing hot water by the hot water electric heater. The main aim of this study is to evaluate of the coefficient of performance (COP) of the small hot water heat pump using refrigeration R410A and R32. The capacity of both hot water heat pump is similar, one using new refrigerant R32 and other using refrigerant R410A. These heat pumps were designed and installed at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education to evaluate the COP for the purpose of application the new refrigerant R32 for hot water heat pump. The compressor capacity is 1 Hp, the volume of hot water storage tank is of 100 liters and is insulated with thickness of 30 mm to reduce the heat loss to invironment, the required hot water temperature at the outlet of condenser is 50 oC, and the amount of required hot water is 75 liters per batch and is controlled by float valve. The experimental results indicate that the COP of the heat pump using the new refrigerant R32 is higher than heat pump using refrigerant R410A from 9% to 15% when the experimental conditions such as ambient temperature, initial water flow rate through the condenser and the required temperature of hot water were the same. In addition, the effect of the ambient temperature, initial water temperature and water flow rate were also evaluated.