Sperimentazione numerica delle dinamiche di funzionamento di sistemi polivalenti

Nowadays, to face the negative consequences of climate change, an energy transition towards a low-carbon society is happening, which must involve all sectors. Focusing on the building sector, which is one of the most energy-consuming, the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system will play a fundamental role in the attempt of reducing consumptions and emissions. To achieve the ambitious targets set by the European Union in terms of higher energy efficiency and lower environmental impact in the building sector, more efficient and sustainable technologies should be used to provide air conditioning services. In this context, the polyvalent heat pump can be considered one of the most interesting solutions. What distinguishes this technology from the traditional reversible heat pump is the capability to provide space heating and space cooling simultaneously but also independently. Therefore, a stronger reduction of fuel consumption and GHG emissions can be achieved, with respect to other alternative technologies. Since these efficient solutions are still little exploited, few efforts have been dedicated to them in literature. This paper aims to fill this gap, firstly providing a description of the polyvalent heat pump technology, highlighting its main differences and strengths with respect to traditional heat pumps. Then, the paper will explore a simplified approach used to model the operation of these complex units and to assess their performances.