Toward optimal designs of domestic air-to-water heat pumps

Electric air-to-water heat pumps are key in the global shift towards decarbonising heat. A plethora of design options for this technology exist, with performance and cost characteristics that are correlated. This gives rise to a critical question: Should manufacturers prioritise higher-performance, higher-cost heat pumps to potentially reduce wider energy infrastructure costs but increase upfront expenses for end-users? Or should they focus on more affordable, yet lower-performance alternatives? In this webinar, we will explore how we tackled this research question within the Integrated Development of Low-carbon Energy Systems (IDLES) project. Specifically, we will discuss the results of our recently launched article titled "Toward optimal designs of domestic air-to-water heat pumps for a net-zero carbon energy system in the UK" published in the open-access journal, Cell Reports Sustainability. Our discussion aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the implications of different heat pump designs on national decarbonisation pathways.
Biography:
Professor Christos N. Markides is Professor of Clean Energy Technologies and Head of the Clean Energy Process (CEP) Laboratory in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London. He also leads the Department’s Energy Research Theme, and the cross-faculty Energy Infrastructure Network. His current research interests focus primarily on the application of fundamental principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat and mass transfer to innovative renewable energy technologies, high-performance components, devices and systems for energy (heat, power, cooling) recovery, conversion, integration and storage, with an emphasis on the efficient and cost-effective utilisation of low-temperature (solar or waste) heat.
Dr. Andreas V. Olympios is a postdoctoral research fellow at the PHAETHON Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence at the University of Cyprus. He holds a PhD degree obtained from the Clean Energy Processes (CEP) Laboratory, Imperial College London. His current research interests encompass the design and operational optimisation of heating and cooling technologies, building thermal systems, energy system modelling, combined heat and power, and large-scale energy storage.