Performance Evaluation of a Building Integrated Photovoltaic/Thermal System Combined with Air-to-Water Heat Pump

This study presents a research of envelope systems entailing elements that use and control incident solar energy to deliver renewable thermal or electric energy to the systems providing heating, ventilation and air conditioning to buildings. A simulation model of an office building was developed in the simulation program TRNSYS. A photovoltaic / thermal system was integrated into the building´s southern facade to generate electricity and to increase the temperature of the air flowing through the channel behind the photovoltaic modules. Subsequently, the electricity generated was used to power the heat pump and the warm air was used as the primary fluid for the heat pump to generate thermal energy for space heating in the winter. The useful energy gain and power production increased with increasing length of the photovoltaic modules and the air flow rate through the channel in the periods, when there was enough solar radiation impinging on the facade. In January to April, the benefits of the photovoltaic / thermal system were minor because of the low levels of low solar radiation and insufficient efficiency of the system components.