Annual energy performance simulation of ground source heat pump in a solar greenhouse

Abstract

The use of ground source heat pumps (GSHP) in solar greenhouses had the potential to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. However, because of the imbalance in cooling and heating applications, there would be an imbalance of heat in the subsoil. A numerical model of GSHP in a tomato growing solar greenhouse was created based on EnergyPlus. Annual energy performance simulations were performed with borehole free cooling, ground source heat pump cooling and heating operation modes. Thermal balance of the subsoil was achieved by adjusting the operating strategies of the three modes. Simulation results showed that the average COP of heating and COP of cooling of GSHP were 4.66 and 5.35 respectively.

Keywords

• Solar greenhouse
• Ground source heat pump (GSHP)
• Borehole free cooling
• EnergyPlus
• Soil thermal balance