Integration of a latent heat storage in the refrigeration cycle of an air source heat pump for energy-efficient heating, cooling and DHW operations

A key solution to the buildings sector's fossil fuel challenges lies in renewables and efficient technologies. This study proposes a novel concept aimed at enhancing the coefficient of performance (COP) of air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) for both heating and domestic hot water (DHW) generation. Herein, the integration of a refrigerant-PCM-water heat exchanger (RPW-HEX) into the refrigeration circuit is crucial. The RPW-HEX serves a dual purpose, acting as a desuperheater/storage for DHW during winter and as a condenser/storage during summer. Comprehensive simulations are carried out to assess the performance of the entire system. The findings reveal promising results maintaining thermal comfort for occupants with reduced ASHP operation during DHW demand.