Ground source heat pump technology development within the EU funded project Ground-Med

Abstract

In the framework of the FP7 Ground-Med project, eight buildings have been equipped with prototype ground source heat pump systems, demonstrating innovative solutions for high energy efficiency in terms of seasonal performance factors (SPF). Among the technologies demonstrated are borehole heat exchangers with water as heat transfer fluid, coarse sand as grouting, energy class A intelligent pumps (circulators), water source heat pumps of enhanced COP, water or both refrigerant/water reversible heat pumps with heat exchangers always in counter flow, low temperature heating and low power consuming fan-coil units, air handling units exploiting condensing heat, in-wall piping heating/cooling system, PCM cold storage, PCM hot storage, tandem compressors, inverter control, temperature compensation functions and new control algorithms. Monitoring results during an entire cooling season (8 May to 26 October 2012) in one demonstration site yielded an array of seasonal performance factors of ( 5.81; 5.31; 4.20; 3.34 ), corresponding to power consumption to compressor, plus external pump, plus internal pumps, plus all fans respectively. Fully application of technologies, set points and algorithms developed during the project will further increase these values.