Design and Development of a Gas-Engine-Driven Heat Pump

Authors

Isaac Y. Mahderekal, Team Consulting LLCFollow
Robert G. Gaylord, Team Consulting, LLC
Tommis Young, Team Consulting LLC
Kevin E. Hinderliter, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Ed Vineyard, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

2009

Publication Title

2008 Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Energy Sustainability

Publisher

ASME

First page number:

609

Last page number:

617

Abstract

Improved air-conditioning technology has the greatest potential impact on the electric industry compared to any other technology that uses electricity particularly during summer peak electric demand. Gas engine-driven units can provide overall peak load reduction and electric grid relief for summer peak demand. Peak-load conditions can lead to high electricity prices, power quality problems, and grid system inefficiencies, and even failures. Improved air-conditioning technology thus has the greatest potential impact on the electric grid compared to other technologies that use electricity. Thermally-activated systems, such as natural gas engine-driven heat pumps, can provide overall peak load reduction and electric grid relief for summer peak demand. This paper describes the development of an innovative 10 refrigeration ton (RT) natural gas engine-driven heat pump (GHP) for commercial application. The unit was tested at various Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) heating and cooling conditions in a psychrometric chamber at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The gas COP at 47°F rating condition exceeded the goal of 1.6 at both high and intermediate engine speeds. The gas COP in cooling mode also exceeded the goal of 1.2 at 95°F rating condition. In this study, principles of operation, unit performance and benefits are discussed.

Keywords

Air conditioning; Design; Energy consumption; Engines; Heat pumps; Natural gas; Peak load

Disciplines

Electro-Mechanical Systems | Heat Transfer, Combustion | Mechanical Engineering

Language

English

Comments

ASME 2008 2nd International Conference on Energy Sustainability collocated with the Heat Transfer, Fluids Engineering, and 3rd Energy Nanotechnology Conferences, Jacksonville, Florida, USA, August 10–14, 2008

Permissions

Use Find in Your Library, contact the author, or interlibrary loan to garner a copy of the item. Publisher policy does not allow archiving the final published version. If a post-print (author's peer-reviewed manuscript) is allowed and available, or publisher policy changes, the item will be deposited.

Repository Citation

Mahderekal, I. Y., Gaylord, R. G., Young, T., Hinderliter, K. E., Vineyard, E. (2009). Design and Development of a Gas-Engine-Driven Heat Pump. 2008 Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Energy Sustainability 609-617. ASME.