Energy saving and economic analysis of a novel PV/T coupled multi-source heat pump heating system with phase change storage: A case study in cold zone in China

To improve the application of renewable energy in the heating zone, as well as to address the limitations of air and water source heat pump. The study presents a PV/T (photovoltaic/thermal) coupled air–water source heat pump system integrated with phase change energy storage. A theoretical analytical model and TRNSYS simulation model of the system were developed to evaluate the thermal performance, energy efficiency and economics of the system. The performance of phase change energy storage was compared with that of water storage, and the effect of different phase change materials on the system characteristics. The results show that the coupled system achieves a seasonal performance factor of 2.3, a 56 % reduction in energy consumption, and a 27.7 % reduction in operating costs compared to a conventional gas boiler system. Comparative analysis with the water storage system showed that the system equipped with phase change materials performed well in terms of energy consumption, operating costs and heating stability. In addition, the density of the phase change material has a biased effect on the overall performance of the system. This paper can provide a reference value for the study of renewable energy heating systems in cold zone.