Flexible Air Source Heat pump for domestic heating decarbonisation (FASHION)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Glasgow
Department Name: School of Engineering
Abstract
The UK has set a target to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Heat accounts for nearly half of the UK's energy consumption. Among several possible solutions, heat pumps are considered as one of the most promising technologies for decarbonising the domestic heating sector. Among all heat pumps, air source heat pumps (ASHP) are the most cost-effective option for householders. the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) recommends mass deployment of heat pumps to comply with the net zero target, and their net zero 'Further Ambition' scenario includes the deployment of 19 million heat pumps in homes by 2050. However, the uptake of heat pumps in the UK is very low at present. In 2018, heat pump sales in the UK were around 27,000 units (most are ASHPs), significantly lower than other EU countries. This represents a grand challenge for the government, industry, business, and research communities.
There are a number of technological and non-technological barriers hindering the wide uptake of heat pumps, particularly air source heat pumps in the UK. There is a mismatch between the current ASHP products and the existing infrastructure and property configuration. Over 80% of houses in the UK use gas boilers for space heating, so their heat emitters (i.e., radiators) are designed for high temperature heat supply using gas boilers. However, most ASHPs available in the market have a relatively low heat production temperature. Secondly, ASHPs are vulnerable to ambient conditions. Their heating capacity and coefficient of performance drop dramatically as the ambient air temperature falls. Furthermore, frost starts to build up at the surface of the outdoor unit when the air temperature drops to around 6 C, so the outdoor units have to be regularly defrosted. Non-technical barriers have also played an important role behind the low uptake of heat pumps. The current UK heat pump market suffers from high capital cost and a low awareness of the product.
This project, based on the PI's pending patent (Application number: 2015531.3), aims to develop a novel flexible, multi-mode air source heat pump (ASHP). This offers energy-free defrosting and is capable of continuous heating during frosting, thus eliminating the backup heater that is required by current ASHPs. We will address the key technical and non-technical challenges through interdisciplinary innovations. Our project is also supported by leading industrial companies with substantial contributions (e.g. the compressor). The developed technology offers energy-free defrosting and can be operated at different modes to benefit from off-peak electricity and/or warm air during the daytime. It will be much more energy-efficient than the current products, and thus could facilitate rapid uptake of air source heat pumps, making an important contribution to the decarbonisation of the domestic heating sector in the UK.
There are a number of technological and non-technological barriers hindering the wide uptake of heat pumps, particularly air source heat pumps in the UK. There is a mismatch between the current ASHP products and the existing infrastructure and property configuration. Over 80% of houses in the UK use gas boilers for space heating, so their heat emitters (i.e., radiators) are designed for high temperature heat supply using gas boilers. However, most ASHPs available in the market have a relatively low heat production temperature. Secondly, ASHPs are vulnerable to ambient conditions. Their heating capacity and coefficient of performance drop dramatically as the ambient air temperature falls. Furthermore, frost starts to build up at the surface of the outdoor unit when the air temperature drops to around 6 C, so the outdoor units have to be regularly defrosted. Non-technical barriers have also played an important role behind the low uptake of heat pumps. The current UK heat pump market suffers from high capital cost and a low awareness of the product.
This project, based on the PI's pending patent (Application number: 2015531.3), aims to develop a novel flexible, multi-mode air source heat pump (ASHP). This offers energy-free defrosting and is capable of continuous heating during frosting, thus eliminating the backup heater that is required by current ASHPs. We will address the key technical and non-technical challenges through interdisciplinary innovations. Our project is also supported by leading industrial companies with substantial contributions (e.g. the compressor). The developed technology offers energy-free defrosting and can be operated at different modes to benefit from off-peak electricity and/or warm air during the daytime. It will be much more energy-efficient than the current products, and thus could facilitate rapid uptake of air source heat pumps, making an important contribution to the decarbonisation of the domestic heating sector in the UK.
Organisations
Publications
Li W
(2023)
Heat transfer enhancement of tubes in various shapes potentially applied to CO2 heat exchangers in refrigeration systems: Review and assessment
in International Journal of Thermofluids
Li W
(2022)
Heat transfer of supercritical carbon dioxide in a tube-in-tube heat exchanger-a CFD study
in The Journal of Supercritical Fluids
Li W
(2022)
Heat transfer enhancement of twisted tape inserts in supercritical carbon dioxide flow conditions based on CFD and vortex kinematics
in Thermal Science and Engineering Progress
Description | An Adsorption-Compression Cold Thermal Energy Storage System (ACCESS) |
Amount | £1,022,621 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/W027593/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2023 |
End | 08/2025 |
Description | Industrial Doctorate |
Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 217 |
Organisation | Energy Technology Partnership (ETP) |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2023 |
End | 09/2027 |
Description | Industurial doctorate |
Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 210 |
Organisation | Energy Technology Partnership (ETP) |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2023 |
End | 02/2027 |
Description | PhD studenship |
Amount | £45,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Scottish Power Ltd |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2023 |
End | 03/2027 |
Description | PhD studentship |
Amount | £45,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2023 |
End | 09/2027 |
Description | Transport Scotland Industry Engagement Fund |
Amount | £9,366 (GBP) |
Organisation | Scottish Enterprise |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2022 |
End | 03/2023 |
Title | A HEAT PUMP SYSTEM |
Description | A heat pump system for controlling the internal temperature of a building. The system comprises a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion device and a second heat exchanger which are fluidly coupled together by a flow of refrigerant to define a refrigerant circuit, and a thermal energy storage means which is thermally couplable to the refrigerant circuit to exchange thermal energy with the refrigerant. The heat pump system is configured to be operable in a normal heating mode and in a defrosting mode. In the normal heating mode, thermal energy is transferred from the second heat exchanger into the refrigerant and transferred from the refrigerant by the first heat exchanger to heat the building. In the defrosting mode thermal energy is transferred from the thermal energy storage means into the refrigerant and transferred from the refrigerant by the first heat exchanger to heat the building and by the second heat exchanger to defrost the second heat exchanger. The heat pump system comprises a switching assembly which is configured to switch between the normal heating and defrosting modes, and wherein the switching assembly is configured, when operating the heat pump system in the defrosting mode, to direct refrigerant exiting the first heat exchanger to flow through the second heat exchanger to cause residual heat in the refrigerant to defrost the second heat exchanger. |
IP Reference | WO2022069581 |
Protection | Patent / Patent application |
Year Protection Granted | 2022 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | A list of companies showed interests in the IP, and maintain dialogue with us. |
Description | Guest on the Science Show - Jambo Radio |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Guest at The Science Show of Jambo Radio. Talk about heating technologies, heat pumps, heat decarbonisation. Challenges and Opportunities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmkfDM-H9nU |
Description | Interview by Physics World of Institute of Physics |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interviewed by the journalist to talk about may invention of flexible heat pump and more widely heat decarbonisation. Home, green home: scientific solutions for cutting carbon and (maybe) saving money 13 Oct 2022 Margaret Harris |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://physicsworld.com/a/home-green-home-scientific-solutions-for-cutting-carbon-and-maybe-saving-... |
Description | Interviewed by Knowable Magazine of Annual Reviews |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interviewed by a journalist to talk about my invention of flexible heat pumps, and heat decarbonisation more widely. How heat pumps of the 1800s are becoming the technology of the future Innovative thinking has done away with problems that long dogged the electric devices - and both scientists and environmentalists are excited about the possibilities By Chris Baraniuk 01.11.2023 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://knowablemagazine.org/article/technology/2023/heat-pumps-becoming-technology-future |