Characteristics analysis of the photovoltaic thermal heat pump system on refrigeration mode: An experimental investigation

Abstract Photovoltaic thermal heat pump technology stands for the combination of solar heat pump technology and a photovoltaic system, which has the characteristics of tri-generation (heating, cooling, and electricity) to meet the building's energy requirement. In this paper, the dual-use photovoltaic thermal heat pump system was used and investigated experimentally with an emphasis on the refrigeration mode, which with the feature of the novel roll-bond photovoltaic thermal unit working as condenser directly. Moreover, renewable energy such as solar radiation and long-wave radiation are the main energy source of this system. The experimental investigation of the system comprising; 4 roll-bond photovoltaic thermal units, 1 horsepower heat pump unit and 600 L ice storage tank was carried out. The performance evaluation method and uncertainty analysis of the system was proposed and implemented along with the examination on the refrigeration performance and operating characteristics of the system. The results indicate that the proposed photovoltaic thermal heat pump system can achieve the refrigeration for building space cooling demand in summer with high performance and long-term stable operation. This study could provide a valuable reference for the photovoltaic thermal heat pump multi-generation system design and large-scale practical application in northern China.