IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v17y2024i22p5564-d1515892.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Energy-Saving Effects of the Intermittent Control of Pumps in Ground Source Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems with a Buffer Water Tank

Author

Listed:
  • Toya Tanaka

    (Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Shikoku Electric Power Co., Inc., Takamatsu 760-8573, Japan)

  • Sayaka Kindaichi

    (Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima 739-8527, Japan)

  • Keita Kawasaki

    (Department of Architecture and Structural Engineering, National Institute of Technology (KOSEN), Kure College, Kure 737-8506, Japan)

  • Daisaku Nishina

    (Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima 739-8527, Japan)

Abstract

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems are common air-conditioning systems used in regions with moderate climates that have cooling and heating demands. Unlike typical air-source VRF systems, ground-source VRF systems require heat-source water circulation, and reducing the pumping power remains a significant problem. Herein, the intermittent pump control for circulating heat source water was achieved by installing a buffer water tank between the ground heat exchangers and VRF units. An intermittent control methodology was developed based on the indices of water transport efficiency and incorporated into a system simulation model with 72 boreholes, a cooling capacity of 252 kW, and a buffer water tank of 30 m 3 . Results indicated that intermittent control was achieved at heat load ratios lower than 40% as expected. This intermittent control allowed more efficient water transport with 38% lower pumping power than conventional inverter controls. Although the proposed system equipped more pumps and heat exchangers than conventional systems, it exhibited higher energy efficiencies for most measurement days than the conventional air-conditioning systems. The annual energy consumption was thus reduced by 34% and 8% compared to air-source VRF systems and conventional ground-source VRF systems, respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Toya Tanaka & Sayaka Kindaichi & Keita Kawasaki & Daisaku Nishina, 2024. "Energy-Saving Effects of the Intermittent Control of Pumps in Ground Source Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems with a Buffer Water Tank," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:22:p:5564-:d:1515892
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/22/5564/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/22/5564/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hao Liu & Hongyi Zhang & Saqib Javed, 2020. "Long-Term Performance Measurement and Analysis of a Small-Scale Ground Source Heat Pump System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-30, September.
    2. Byung Chang Kwag & Moncef Krarti, 2018. "Evaluation of Ground-Source Variable Refrigerant Flow System for U.S. Office Buildings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-21, May.
    3. Kindaichi, Sayaka & Nishina, Daisaku, 2018. "Simple index for onsite operation management of ground source heat pump systems in cooling-dominant regions," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 182-194.
    4. Ozyurt, Omer & Ekinci, Dundar Arif, 2011. "Experimental study of vertical ground-source heat pump performance evaluation for cold climate in Turkey," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(4), pages 1257-1265, April.
    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. Nguyen, Hiep V. & Law, Ying Lam E. & Alavy, Masih & Walsh, Philip R. & Leong, Wey H. & Dworkin, Seth B., 2014. "An analysis of the factors affecting hybrid ground-source heat pump installation potential in North America," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 28-38.
    2. Li, Min & Lai, Alvin C.K., 2012. "Heat-source solutions to heat conduction in anisotropic media with application to pile and borehole ground heat exchangers," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 451-458.
    3. Wu, Wei & You, Tian & Wang, Baolong & Shi, Wenxing & Li, Xianting, 2014. "Simulation of a combined heating, cooling and domestic hot water system based on ground source absorption heat pump," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 113-122.
    4. Al-Ameen, Yasameen & Ianakiev, Anton & Evans, Robert, 2018. "Recycling construction and industrial landfill waste material for backfill in horizontal ground heat exchanger systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 556-568.
    5. Bagdanavicius, Audrius & Jenkins, Nick, 2013. "Power requirements of ground source heat pumps in a residential area," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 591-600.
    6. Dusseault, Bernard & Pasquier, Philippe, 2021. "Usage of the net present value-at-risk to design ground-coupled heat pump systems under uncertain scenarios," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 953-971.
    7. Obara, Shin'ya & Kikuchi, Yoshinobu & Ishikawa, Kyosuke & Kawai, Masahito & Kashiwaya, Yoshiaki, 2014. "Operational analysis of a small-capacity cogeneration system with a gas hydrate battery," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 810-828.
    8. Takao Katsura & Yasushi Nakamura & Tomoya Ohara & Ken Kinouchi & Katsunori Nagano, 2024. "Investigation of the Optimal Operation Method of the Heat Recovery Ground Source Heat Pump System Installed in an Actual Building and Evaluation of Energy Saving Effect," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-27, July.
    9. M. M. Mousa & A. M. Bayomy & M. Z. Saghir, 2020. "Experimental and Numerical Study on Energy Piles with Phase Change Materials," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-21, September.
    10. Chen, Xi & Yang, Hongxing, 2012. "Performance analysis of a proposed solar assisted ground coupled heat pump system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 888-896.
    11. Law, Ying Lam E. & Dworkin, Seth B., 2016. "Characterization of the effects of borehole configuration and interference with long term ground temperature modelling of ground source heat pumps," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 1032-1047.
    12. Elisa Moretti & Emanuele Bonamente & Cinzia Buratti & Franco Cotana, 2013. "Development of Innovative Heating and Cooling Systems Using Renewable Energy Sources for Non-Residential Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 6(10), pages 1-16, October.
    13. Ikeda, Shintaro & Choi, Wonjun & Ooka, Ryozo, 2017. "Optimization method for multiple heat source operation including ground source heat pump considering dynamic variation in ground temperature," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 466-478.
    14. Bakirci, Kadir & Ozyurt, Omer & Comakli, Kemal & Comakli, Omer, 2011. "Energy analysis of a solar-ground source heat pump system with vertical closed-loop for heating applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 3224-3232.
    15. Kwon, Ohkyung & Bae, KyungJin & Park, Chasik, 2014. "Cooling characteristics of ground source heat pump with heat exchange methods," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 651-657.
    16. Leandra Vanbaelinghem & Andrea Costantino & Florian Grassauer & Nathan Pelletier, 2024. "Alternative Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) System Considerations for Reducing Energy Use and Emissions in Egg Industries in Temperate and Continental Climates: A Systematic Review o," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-35, June.
    17. Chong, Chiew Shan Anthony & Gan, Guohui & Verhoef, Anne & Garcia, Raquel Gonzalez & Vidale, Pier Luigi, 2013. "Simulation of thermal performance of horizontal slinky-loop heat exchangers for ground source heat pumps," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 603-610.
    18. Liu, Zhijian & Xu, Wei & Zhai, Xue & Qian, Cheng & Chen, Xi, 2017. "Feasibility and performance study of the hybrid ground-source heat pump system for one office building in Chinese heating dominated areas," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 1131-1140.
    19. Hou, Gaoyang & Taherian, Hessam & Song, Ying & Jiang, Wei & Chen, Diyi, 2022. "A systematic review on optimal analysis of horizontal heat exchangers in ground source heat pump systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    20. Han, Chanjuan & Yu, Xiong (Bill), 2016. "Performance of a residential ground source heat pump system in sedimentary rock formation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 89-98.

    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:17:y:2024:i:22:p:5564-:d:1515892. 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.