IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v16y2023i10p4010-d1143597.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessing the Potential of Heat Pumps to Reduce the Radiator Size on Small Satellites

Author

Listed:
  • Nick S. Bennett

    (Centre for Advanced Manufacturing, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia)

  • Brian Lim

    (Dandelions, Botany Road, Alexandria, Sydney, NSW 2015, Australia)

Abstract

Future small satellites will demand high-performance on-board electronics, requiring sophisticated approaches to heat rejection beyond simply increasing the radiator surface area. An interesting alternative approach is to increase the surface temperature of the radiator, using a heat pump. In this study, calculations were carried out to compute the theoretical radiator size reduction potential enacted by having a heat pump as part of a satellite’s thermal management system. The practical likelihood of a ‘typical’ vapor compression cycle (VCC) heat pump satisfying theoretical requirements was considered. In agreement with theoretical calculations, employing a ‘typical’ VCC heat pump could either increase or decrease the required radiator surface area. The choice of heat pump and its design is therefore crucial. A heat pump with a large temperature lift is essential for satellite radiator cooling applications, with the coefficient of performance (COP) being less important. Even with a low COP, such as 2.4, a ‘typical’ heat pump providing a large temperature lift, close to 60 °C, could reduce the satellite’s radiator surface area by a factor close to 1.4. This is a significant potential reduction. The decision on whether to pursue this approach compared to alternatives, such as deployable radiators, should consider the relative complexity, cost, weight, size, reliability, etc., of the two options. The focus of this study is VCC heat pumps; however, the results provide performance targets for less mature heat pump technologies, e.g., caloric devices, which could ultimately be applied in space.

Suggested Citation

  • Nick S. Bennett & Brian Lim, 2023. "Assessing the Potential of Heat Pumps to Reduce the Radiator Size on Small Satellites," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-11, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:10:p:4010-:d:1143597
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/10/4010/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/10/4010/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mohanraj, M. & Belyayev, Ye. & Jayaraj, S. & Kaltayev, A., 2018. "Research and developments on solar assisted compression heat pump systems – A comprehensive review (Part-B: Applications)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 124-155.
    2. Moreno-Rodríguez, A. & González-Gil, A. & Izquierdo, M. & Garcia-Hernando, N., 2012. "Theoretical model and experimental validation of a direct-expansion solar assisted heat pump for domestic hot water applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 704-715.
    3. Meggers, Forrest & Ritter, Volker & Goffin, Philippe & Baetschmann, Marc & Leibundgut, Hansjürg, 2012. "Low exergy building systems implementation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 48-55.
    4. Izquierdo, M. & de Agustín-Camacho, P., 2015. "Solar heating by radiant floor: Experimental results and emission reduction obtained with a micro photovoltaic–heat pump system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 297-307.
    5. Mohanraj, M. & Belyayev, Ye. & Jayaraj, S. & Kaltayev, A., 2018. "Research and developments on solar assisted compression heat pump systems – A comprehensive review (Part A: Modeling and modifications)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 90-123.
    6. Li, Y.W. & Wang, R.Z. & Wu, J.Y. & Xu, Y.X., 2007. "Experimental performance analysis and optimization of a direct expansion solar-assisted heat pump water heater," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 32(8), pages 1361-1374.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cai, Jingyong & Li, Zhouhang & Ji, Jie & Zhou, Fan, 2019. "Performance analysis of a novel air source hybrid solar assisted heat pump," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 1133-1145.
    2. Jorge E. De León-Ruiz & Ignacio Carvajal-Mariscal & Antonin Ponsich, 2019. "Feasibility Analysis and Performance Evaluation and Optimization of a DXSAHP Water Heater Based on the Thermal Capacity of the System: A Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-38, October.
    3. Badiei, A. & Golizadeh Akhlaghi, Y. & Zhao, X. & Shittu, S. & Xiao, X. & Li, J. & Fan, Y. & Li, G., 2020. "A chronological review of advances in solar assisted heat pump technology in 21st century," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    4. Jia, Teng & Dai, Enqian & Dai, Yanjun, 2019. "Thermodynamic analysis and optimization of a balanced-type single-stage NH3-H2O absorption-resorption heat pump cycle for residential heating application," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 120-134.
    5. Herrando, M. & Coca-Ortegón, A. & Guedea, I. & Fueyo, N., 2023. "Experimental validation of a solar system based on hybrid photovoltaic-thermal collectors and a reversible heat pump for the energy provision in non-residential buildings," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    6. Mohanraj, M. & Belyayev, Ye. & Jayaraj, S. & Kaltayev, A., 2018. "Research and developments on solar assisted compression heat pump systems – A comprehensive review (Part-B: Applications)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 124-155.
    7. Jia, Teng & Dai, Yanjun, 2018. "Development of a novel unbalanced ammonia-water absorption-resorption heat pump cycle for space heating," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 251-265.
    8. Pomianowski, M.Z. & Johra, H. & Marszal-Pomianowska, A. & Zhang, C., 2020. "Sustainable and energy-efficient domestic hot water systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    9. Ruoping, Yan & Xiaohui, Yu & Fuwei, Lu & Huajun, Wang, 2020. "Study of operation performance for a solar photovoltaic system assisted cooling by ground heat exchangers in arid climate, China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 102-110.
    10. Lee, Seung Joo & Shon, Byung Hoon & Jung, Chung Woo & Kang, Yong Tae, 2018. "A novel type solar assisted heat pump using a low GWP refrigerant (R-1233zd(E)) with the flexible solar collector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 386-396.
    11. Schlosser, F. & Jesper, M. & Vogelsang, J. & Walmsley, T.G. & Arpagaus, C. & Hesselbach, J., 2020. "Large-scale heat pumps: Applications, performance, economic feasibility and industrial integration," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    12. Ji, Qiang & Han, Zongwei & Li, Xiuming & Yang, Lingyan, 2022. "Energy and economic evaluation of the air source hybrid heating system driven by off-peak electric thermal storage in cold regions," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 69-85.
    13. Lu, Shixiang & Zhang, Jili & Liang, Ruobing & Zhou, Chao, 2020. "Refrigeration characteristics of a hybrid heat dissipation photovoltaic-thermal heat pump under various ambient conditions on summer night," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 2524-2534.
    14. Joshua M. Pearce & Nelson Sommerfeldt, 2021. "Economics of Grid-Tied Solar Photovoltaic Systems Coupled to Heat Pumps: The Case of Northern Climates of the U.S. and Canada," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-17, February.
    15. Jia, Teng & Dou, Pengbo & Chu, Peng & Dai, Yanjun, 2020. "Proposal and performance analysis of a novel solar-assisted resorption-subcooled compression hybrid heat pump system for space heating in cold climate condition," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 1136-1150.
    16. Li, Fenglei & Chang, Zhao & Li, Xinchang & Tian, Qi, 2018. "Energy and exergy analyses of a solar-driven ejector-cascade heat pump cycle," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(PB), pages 419-431.
    17. Nahavandinezhad, Mohammad & Zahedi, Alireza, 2022. "Conceptual design of solar/geothermal hybrid system focusing on technical, economic and environmental parameters," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 1110-1125.
    18. Tzinnis, Efstratios & Baldini, Luca, 2021. "Combining sorption storage and electric heat pumps to foster integration of solar in buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    19. Wang, Zhangyuan & Guo, Peng & Zhang, Haijing & Yang, Wansheng & Mei, Sheng, 2017. "Comprehensive review on the development of SAHP for domestic hot water," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 871-881.
    20. Shi, Guo-Hua & Aye, Lu & Li, Dan & Du, Xian-Jun, 2019. "Recent advances in direct expansion solar assisted heat pump systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 349-366.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:10:p:4010-:d:1143597. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.