Heat Pumps

SP has extensive experience of technical evaluation of heat pumps: it was, in fact, the first laboratory in Europe accredited for testing heat pumps. We test and review various types of heat pumps, both in the field and in the laboratory. With our long experience of technical evaluation, a substantial fund of key data is available concerning the performance of different types of heat pumps, providing a valuable basis for evaluation of technology procurement competitions, certification, etc. This material can also be used in studies of different systems and life-cycle analyses.
Testing and resources

The laboratory is equipped to perform tests of essentially any heat pump system. Several climate chambers are available, of different sizes and temperature ranges: the largest chamber is able to house a complete truck. SP is an active participant in standardisation work, both nationally and internationally, with extensive knowledge of current and future requirements for technical evaluation.

We perform test for such parties as heat pump manufacturers, selling agents, the Swedish Energy Agency Testlab. We test:

Certified products

For more information on P-marking heat pumps, click here. For more information on the EHPA Quality Label for heat pumps, click here.

Air-to-air heat pumps

For information on heat pumps that have been tested, and for which the results have been published, see Råd & Rön (available only in Swedish) and Swedish Energy Agency under “See also” in the right margin. As SP tests more heat pumps, the list of them will be continuously updated.

Research and development

SP is operating, or has operated, a number of research project in the heat pump field. A current project is concerned with overall energy optimisation of heat pumps and refrigerating equipment. Another project is investigating problems associated with frosting and defrosting of evaporators exposed to air.

Publications

"Calculation methods for SPF for heat pump systems for comparison, system choice and dimensioning"(SP Report 2010:49)

"Nästa generations värmepumpssystem i bostäder och lokaler" (SP Work Report 2009:12 ) 

Haglund Stignor, C., 2009. Laminar-flow Liquid-to-air Heat Exchangers – Energy-efficient Display Cabinet Applications (Doctoral Thesis). Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University
Download report

Karlsson, F., 2007. Capacity Control of Residential Heat Pump Heating Systems (Doctoral Thesis). Chalmers University of Technology Download report

Air-to-air heat pumps evaluated for Nordic circumstances”, 2006, Cold Climate HVAC, Moscow, Russia

Årsmätning på fem bergvärmeanläggningar i Sjuhärad, 2005

Enkät- och fältundersökning av bergvärmepumpar, 2005

Energy saving potential of capacity controlled brine-to-water heat pumps, 2003, 21st International Congress of Refrigeration, Washington, USA

SP AR 2001:2 "Fältmässiga mätmetoder för kylmaskiner och värmepumpar - Förstudie"

SP Report 2000:2 "Luftkylare med påfrysning och avfrostning"

SP Report 1996:29 "Frosting and defrosting of air coils - results from laboratory testing"

SP Report 1996:02 "Frosting and defrosting of air coils - a literature survey"

SP Report 1990:19 "Laboratory testing of heat pumps - experience 1984-1986"

SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, Box 857, SE-501 15 Borås Phone +46 10-516 50 00, E-mail info@sp.se