Performance evaluation of a compact air-to-air heat pump

This paper investigates the performance of a compact air-to-air heat pump for residential heating of small office rooms. In order to evaluate the performance analysis, an experimental set-up is constructed. This experimental apparatus consists of an electrically driven compressor, two heat exchangers, four-way valve, capillary tube, two fans and associated measuring and controlling equipment. It is designed for heating small places in winter and cooling in summer. In this work, the unit is installed in an office room with a floor area of 20 m² at Istanbul Technical University, Mechanical Engineering Faculty Building in Istanbul (40°58′N) and tested in the heating mode. Experimental results are obtained for the complete heating season, October through May. The coefficient of performance and heating capacity of the system are measured and presented as a function of outdoor-air temperature.