Optimised heat pump system

Abstract

A system for space heating or cooling a heated space includes a heat pump including a refrigeration circuit for transferring heat between a heat source and a heat load for heating and cooling operations. A controller controls the heat pump to perform the heating and cooling operations. A user interface receives user inputs, wherein the user inputs include an indication of discomfort based on temperature. The controller creates a profile for a minimum comfortable temperature level and a maximum comfortable temperature level, and the controller controls the heat pump to perform the heating and cooling operations in accordance with the profiles for the minimum and maximum comfortable temperature levels. The controller may generate an optimized heat demand plan in accordance with predictions of outdoor and indoor temperature, cost, and demand. The plan is optimized to cost-effectively maintain the temperature of the heated space within the comfortable temperature range defined by the profiles.

1 . A system for space heating a heated space comprising:
 a heat pump including a refrigeration circuit for transferring heat from a heat source to a heat load for heating operations;   a controller configured to control the heat pump to perform the heating operations; and   a user interface configured to receive user inputs from a user, wherein the user inputs include an indication of discomfort based on temperature within the heated space;   wherein the controller creates a profile for a minimum comfortable temperature level and a maximum comfortable temperature level based on the user inputs, and the controller controls the heat pump to perform the heating operations in accordance with the profiles for the minimum and maximum comfortable temperature levels.   
     
     
         2 . The system for space heating of  claim 1 , wherein the profiles for the minimum and maximum comfortable temperature levels respectively comprise a minimum temperature level and a maximum temperature level set for specified time intervals. 
     
     
         3 . The system for space heating of  claim 2 , wherein the user interface is configured to receive settings from a user that define user temperature preferences based on time, and the controller is configured to generate the profiles for the minimum and maximum comfortable temperature levels based on the user temperature preferences. 
     
     
         4 . The system for space heating of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to receive a user input including an indication of current discomfort based on temperature, and the controller is configured to control the heat pump to perform the heating operations in response to the indication of current discomfort. 
     
     
         5 . The system for space heating of  claim 1 , further comprising an outdoor temperature sensor for measuring an outdoor air temperature, and an indoor temperature sensor for measuring an indoor air temperature of the heated space, and the controller controls the heat pump to perform the heating operations further based on the outdoor and indoor temperatures. 
     
     
         6 . The system for space heating of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to receive information regarding electricity cost of the system, and the controller controls the heat pump to perform the heating operations further based on the electricity cost information. 
     
     
         7 . The system for space heating of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 predict an outdoor temperature profile based on outdoor temperature information measured by the outdoor temperature sensor;   predict passive thermal gains of the heated spaced based on indoor temperature information measured by the indoor temperature sensor;   predict a marginal cost of electricity of the system based on the received electricity cost information;   predict user demand based on the user inputs to the user interface;   generate an optimized heat demand plan in accordance with the predictions, the plan being optimized for maintaining the temperature of the heated space within a comfortable temperature in accordance with the profiles for the minimum and maximum comfortable temperature levels while minimizing electricity cost; and   control the heat pump to perform the heating operations in accordance with the optimized heat demand plan.   
     
     
         8 . The system for space heating of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pump is a dual temperature heat pump in which the refrigeration circuit comprises a major load circuit for performing space heating and cooling of the heated space, and a minor load circuit for performing a secondary heating operation. 
     
     
         9 . The system for space heating of  claim 8 , further comprising a boost heater for supplementing heat output of the heat pump to the major load circuit for space heating. 
     
     
         10 . The system for space heating of  claim 8 , further comprising a hot water tank thermally connected to the minor load circuit, wherein the secondary heating operation includes heating water in the hot water tank. 
     
     
         11 . The system for space heating of  claim 10 , further comprising a pre-heating thermal store arranged to pre-heat water before entering the hot water tank. 
     
     
         12 . The system for space heating of  claim 1 , further comprising a photovoltaic thermal array that act as the heat source. 
     
     
         13 . A method of controlling a system for space heating a heated space comprising the steps of:
 providing a heat pump including a refrigeration circuit for transferring heat from a heat source to a heat load for a heating operation;   controlling the heat pump to perform the heating and cooling operations;   receiving user inputs via a user interface, wherein the user inputs include an indication of discomfort based on temperature;   creating a profile for a minimum comfortable temperature level and a maximum comfortable temperature level based on the user inputs; and   controlling the heat pump to perform the heating operation in accordance with the profiles for the minimum and maximum comfortable temperature levels.   
     
     
         14 . The control method of  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of:
 continuously measuring an outdoor temperature;   continuously measuring an indoor air temperature of the heated space; and   controlling the heat pump to perform the heating operation further based on the outdoor and indoor temperatures.   
     
     
         15 . The control method of  claim 14 , further comprising the steps of:
 receiving information regarding electricity cost of the system; and   controlling the heat pump to perform the heating operation further based on the electricity cost information.   
     
     
         16 . The control method of  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
 predicting an outdoor temperature profile based on the measured outdoor temperature or internet weather data;   predicting passive thermal gains of the heated spaced based on the measured indoor temperature;   predicting a marginal cost of electricity of the system based on the received electricity cost information;   predicting user demand based on the user inputs to the user interface;   generating an optimized heat demand plan in accordance with the predictions, the plan being optimized for maintaining the temperature of the heated space within a comfortable temperature range in accordance with the profiles for the minimum and maximum comfortable temperature levels while minimizing electricity cost; and   controlling the heat pump to perform the heating operation in accordance with the optimized heat demand plan.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program code for use in controlling a heat pump including a refrigeration circuit for transferring heat from a heat source to a heat load for a heating operation, the program code when executed by a computer performing the steps of:
 controlling the heat pump to perform the heating operation;   receiving user inputs via a user interface, wherein the user inputs include an indication of discomfort based on temperature;   creating a profile for a minimum comfortable temperature level and a maximum comfortable temperature level based on the user inputs; and   controlling the heat pump to perform the heating operation in accordance with the profiles for the minimum and maximum comfortable temperature levels.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the program code when executed by the computer further performs the steps of:
 continuously measuring an outdoor temperature;   continuously measuring an indoor air temperature of the heated space; and   controlling the heat pump to perform the heating operation further based on the outdoor and indoor temperatures.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the program code when executed by the computer further performs the steps of:
 receiving information regarding electricity cost of the system; and   controlling the heat pump to perform the heating operation further based on the electricity cost information.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium  claim 19 , wherein the program code when executed by the computer further performs the steps of:
 predicting an outdoor temperature profile based on the measured outdoor temperature;   predicting passive thermal gains of the heated spaced based on the measured indoor temperature;   predicting a marginal cost of electricity of the system based on the received electricity cost information;   predicting user demand based on the user inputs to the user interface;   generating an optimized heat demand plan in accordance with the predictions, the plan being optimized for maintaining the temperature of the heated space within a comfortable temperature range in accordance with the profiles for the minimum and maximum comfortable temperature levels while minimizing electricity cost; and   controlling the heat pump to perform the heating operation in accordance with the optimized heat demand plan.