Research on Different Domestic Energy Consumption Patterns Based on Heat Pump and Their Exergy Analysis

In Chinese market, many homes use heat pump systems for heating and cooling. Domestic hot water is usually provided by a domestic water heater making use of electricity, natural gas or solar energy, which is known for its great energy costs. These systems consume much energy and increase the total cost of the required domestic energy. A new system combining heat pump with water heater is proposed in this paper, and it is named domestic energy system. The system can realize the provision of space heating, cooling and domestic hot water throughout the year. Based on the different types of heat pumps and water heaters, domestic energy consumption patterns are divided into five categories: heat pump and gas-fired water heater system, heat pump and solar water heater system, heat pump and electricity water heater system, heat pump and heat pump water heater system, and domestic energy system. This study describes and compares all of the above-mentioned systems including energy and exergy analysis. Results showed that the domestic energy system can save energy and provide good economy.