From pv magazine Germany
Netherlands-based Triple Solar has unveiled a residential PVT heat pump system that uses waste heat from PV modules as the heat source.
Triple Solar’s Heat Pump 5.0 does not require an outdoor unit. Jannik Fleiter, product manager at Triple Solar, said the PVT heat pump is designed for single-family homes and as a gas heating replacement in terraced and multi-family buildings where space, regulations, or aesthetics limit conventional heat pumps.
The compact system consists of two modules installed in a building’s boiler room. It measures 100 cm x 38 cm x 65 cm, weighs 55 kg, and has a reported noise level of 42 decibels (dB(A)). The system uses propane (R290) as its refrigerant.
The heat pump extracts waste heat from the roof’s photovoltaic (PV) modules but only works with the manufacturer’s sandwich modules. These generate electricity on the front and feature a heat exchanger on the back to absorb ambient heat. The company claims this setup improves efficiency by 20% compared to conventional air-to-water heat pumps.
Slovenian manufacturer Bisol supplied the tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) PV modules, which have a module efficiency of 22%, for the system’s front panel.
The heat pump delivers 1.2 kW to 5 kW of heating output and reaches a maximum flow temperature of 70 C. The compressor output is fully modulable for greater efficiency and better solar power utilization, the company said. An electric heating element absorbs between 1 kW and 6 kW of power.
At a flow temperature of 55 C in a moderate climate, the system has an annual coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.83. With underfloor heating, which requires only 35 C, the COP rises to 4.74. The brine inlet temperature ranges from minus 20 C to 50 C.
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