Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBPCompound systems: Validated determination of the system efficiency of combined systems for implementing the ErP Directive
The VASE research project focused on establishing a test environment enabling the assessment of the energy performance of compound systems under realistic load conditions. In the context of the ErP directive (EU Energy-related Products Directive), IBP scientists evaluated systems in terms of their overall energy efficiency and developed simple methods for determining their performance.
Methodology
Work package 1 - Development and preparation of ErP application scenarios
Work package 2 - Design and installation of hydraulic connections and measuring and control technology
Work package 3 - Coupling automation and simulation
Work package 4 - Implementation of selected ErP scenarios and load profiles for evaluation purposes
Work package 5 - Project-related measures
At the specially designed MEGA platform (modular platform for testing energy-efficient building services systems), IBP scientists installed entire plant systems to investigate their overall efficiency under transient load profiles and their performance depending on various influencing factors. In parallel applications, the installed systems were used for both simulation and validation in order to derive and provide a simple calculation tool. Based on a “hardware-in-the-loop” approach the project included a combination of actual measurement set-ups and partial simulations that were coupled to one another in real time.
Measurements of a complete test set-up had going on which were be compared to the simulation data. This experiment included a brine-to-water heat pump, which was linked to a transient heating load simulation, a heat exchanging system and simulated heating circuits with different pressure drops.
In a next step, transient DHW draw profiles had been coupled to the system, as well as a solar simulation (»Hardware-in-the-Loop« coupling).
Spitzenverband der Gebäudetechnik – VdZ (the head organization of German building services providers) was a partner in this research project.
The project received funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi).