pv magazine
Summary
Scientists from the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) have developed a ground-source heat pump powered by solar thermal for low-temperature district heating.
District heating is a type of heat network that usually uses natural gas to power a centralized heat production facility, or energy center. The heat is distributed through a pipe network that connects the energy center with different buildings, creating a heat network which is commonly defined as “central heating for cities.”
The researchers configured a network of heating pipes for three buildings of the KITC located in lsan, South Korea. The network uses a 310 kW ground-source heat pump as a heating source, paired with solar thermal collectors and a 10 kW fuel-cell system ran by natural gas. Two 994 square meter solar thermal arrays were installed in the parking lot and rooftop of one of the buildings, according to a KICT statement. The heat trading system also includes two hot water storage tanks with capacities of 40 m3 and 10 m3.
“When there is enough sunlight, hot water for heating is supplied by solar heat to the secondary pipe of district heating through a heat exchanger,” KICT explains in its statement. “When there is insufficient sunlight, hot water can be supplied through the heat pump system and the fuel-cell system.” The solution can be controlled both manually and automatically at the integrated control center, according to KICT.
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