Modeling Heat Pumps using oemof.solph and TESPy

Abstract

The implementation and operation of heat pumps are considered one of the major key elements for the decarbonization of the heat sector. Modeling these for energy system analysis, which usually applies linear or mixed integer programming, has thus become a well-known task in various temporal and spatial model scopes. Even in a linear program, the model can integrate a varying COP as a function of ambient and heating temperature curves by pre-calculating the Carnot COP and assuming an efficiency factor. To account for more detail in the model, for example, minimum part load or part load variable COP, a mixed integer formulation is required. However, this implementation also requires more technical information on the heat pumps' performance at varying conditions. Such data can be retrieved from literature sources or databases, e.g. hp lib which provides a good overview of general performance parameters for heat pump models of many manufacturers. However, using these sources falls short in case the part load performance or temperature ranges should be assessed, which are out of the industry standard scope, for example in novel research applications. Using a dedicated thermodynamic simulation to generate input data for an energy system model can fill this gap.