••• 8 ••• Branchennews KI-pipeline for adaptive heat pump operation Foto: Fraunhofer ISE Increasing Efficiency AI-Controlled Heat Pumps Artificial Intelligence (AI) helps heat pumps to operate more efficiently, by avoiding incorrect device settings and optimizing system operation. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE is researching a new generation of smart heat pumps that use artificial neural networks to adapt to environmental conditions and to learn as conditions change. This increases both the energy efficiency and user comfort. Extensive simulations showed promising potential energy savings from 5 to 13 percent in addition to increased comfort. These results have been confirmed by measurements in an initial field test in a real building. In the “AI4HP” project, Fraunhofer ISE, together with the company Stiebel Eltron and the French research partners CEA List (Laboratory for Integration of Systems and Technologies) and LPNC (Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition) as well as the industrial partner EDF R&D, has gathered important findings on new adaptive control methods for heat pumps based on neural networks. They focused on the potential, flexibility and practical suitability of AI controls. Up to now, heat pumps for residential heating purposes have mainly been controlled using static heating curves set once during installation. In most cases, the curves have not been optimized for the building, as this is only achievable through a time-consuming calibration. Furthermore, heating curves do not account for short or long-term changes, such as solar radiation, occupant usage or building renovation and aging. In this project, the specific building behavior patterns, e.g., how it changes with varying solar radiation, is learned by artificial intelligence (AI) which continuously analyzes recorded measured values. “AI methods must become more robust and scalable in order to implement them cost-effectively in a large number of different building types,” says Dr. Lilli Frison, project manager at Fraunhofer ISE. “Furthermore, only reliable and trustworthy methods that guarantee safe operation will be accepted by heat pump manufacturers and their customers,” adds her colleague Simon Gölzhäuser. Field test confirms positive results The new AI heat pump controller was evaluated in extensive simulation tests, in which three buildings, each of a different construction year and refurbishment status, were simulated for the period of one heating season. The questions on self-calibration and the adaptability to new environmental conditions were both answered positively. Depending on the building, the resulting energy savings were shown to be 13 percent on average compared to the standard heating curve. These savings were due, in particular, to an improved matching of the reference room temperature and the setpoint temperature. Further energy savings can be expected if the controller is extended to include the efficiency characteristics of the heat pump. On top of this, an initial field test in a real building confirmed the functionality of the new controller. The one-week test operation showed that both the achievement of the setpoint temperature (average deviation reduced by more than half) and the coefficient of performance (COP) improved significantly with the controller. Compared to the reference period, the AI controller recorded a COP increase of 25%, although this needs to be evaluated in more detail during longer field test series and with different building types. Notable is that the algorithm led to the establishment of stable heating curve parameters after just a few days. Since these parameters are optimized for the specific building, they can be used to increase operation efficiency in systems with conventional heating curves. Despite this great potential, the experience from the field test also showed that a good controller performance requires a high accuracy in the AI building model. The French project partners within the binational project consortium focused on the optimized operation of hot water heat pumps. The intelligent algorithm for operation optimization was tested in a climate chamber as part of a hardware-in-the-loop laboratory test using a real heat pump and a real consumption profile. The results suggest that the AI prediction in combination with optimized heat pump control has the potential to reduce electricity consumption for hot water supply by up to 8 percent. The project was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF). Stiebel Eltron Heat Pump Foto: Fraunhofer ISE Die W rmewende im Fokus Deutschland und Europa stehen vor großen Herausforderungen, um ihre ambitionierten Klimaschutzziele zu erreichen. Bis 2030 sollen die CO₂-Emissionen um 65 % gegenüber 1990 gesenkt werden, bis 2045 soll Klimaneutralität erreicht sein. Der Gebäudesektor spielt dabei eine Schlüsselrolle: Bis 2030 müssen seine Emissionen um 44 % gegenüber 2020 reduziert werden – das entspricht rund 53 Millionen Tonnen CO₂. Damit rückt der Wärmemarkt, der größte Energieverbrauchssektor, ins Zentrum der Transformation. Moderne Heizungssysteme und eine attraktive staatliche Förderung bieten Hausbesitzern eine Vielzahl von Möglichkeiten, einen aktiven Beitrag zur Wärmewende zu leisten – und dabei langfristig zu profitieren. Im Lösungsfeld „Lösungen für die Wärmeerzeugung“ präsentieren die Hersteller auf der ISH in diesem Jahr das vollständige heiztechnische Portfolio und die wichtigsten Trends und Neuheiten in Sachen Heizungstechnik. Neben Technologien für die Wärmeerzeugung zeigen die Hersteller in Frankfurt auch den Status Quo in Sachen effizienter Wärmeverteilung, Wärmeübergabe und Speicherung. Auch digitale Lösungen wie zum Beispiel Energiemanagementsysteme sind Gegenstand der diesjährigen ISH. Impressum MESSEJOURNAL DIE MESSE ISH 2025 Ver lag: EXXPO.DIE MESSE Publishing & Promotion GmbH Bessemerstraße 82 12103 Berlin (Tempelhof) HRB 33518, Amtsgericht Stendal UStId DE365739530 Geschäftsführer: Hans-Peter Stork Telefon: +49 160 5523402 E-Mail: verwaltung@die-messe.de Internet: www.die-messe.de www.exxpo.com Verantwortlich für den Inhalt: Norbert Funke
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