Experimental Performance Evaluation of a Solar-Assisted Heat Pump Driven by PV/T Panels in Real Ambient Conditions

This work summarizes the results of an experimental campaign carried out to access the performance of a solar-assisted heat pump combining a water-to-water heat pump and hybrid photovoltaic thermal panels. This concept improves the performance of the heat pump, due to water temperature higher than the ambient one, and the electrical efficiencies of the PV/T modules, thanks to cooling effect. The experimental campaign was conducted in an outdoor laboratory in real ambient conditions to evaluate the performance of the whole system demonstrating also the system robustness and reliability. Results show a high coefficient of performance, higher than the one of a standard air-source heat pump in the majority of the experimentations, with values up to 5 with a condenser inlet temperature equal to 30 °C. From the solar panels point of view, very high efficiencies are achieved when the coolant fluid temperature is near the ambient temperature.