Reduced Cost Heat Pump Space- and Water-Heating in Cold Climates

Critical technological challenges impact the cost and performance of decarbonized space- and water- heating solutions. This project is a multi-institution effort to develop, model, fabricate, and test different strategies for combi heat pumps (HP) with phase change material thermal energy storage (PCM TES) for multifamily residential buildings in cold climates. Our research group will do modeling, simulation, experimental testing, and validation, to optimize component design and system operation. In addition to this in-house investigation, students will engage with project collaborators conducting market research, lab experiments, and field demonstrations to advance this technology.

Name of research group, project, or lab

RESIST (Re-envisioning Energy System Infrastructure and Storage Technology) Lab

Why join this research group or lab?

Students interested in this project would be the second cohort in this research group, and have the opportunity to continue to shape the lab culture for their peers to come. The goal of this project, and the group collectively, is to apply engineering principles and ecological ethics to develop decarbonized building and district energy systems. Recognizing that the climate crisis disproportionately impacts people with lesser socioeconomic capital, our research portfolio will center energy equity and environmental justice. The other new project in this lab aims to determine how supervisory control algorithms could be used to enhance the demand flexibility of cooling systems at Pitzer College.

Logistics Information:

Engineering

Architecture

Mechanical Engineering

Numerical Modeling

Sustainability

Student ranks applicable

Sophomore

Junior

Student qualifications

This project is best suited for students who have completed E79 (Introduction to Engineering Systems), E80 (Experimental Engineering), and E82 (Chemical and Thermal Processes). Students should be familiar with modeling, experimentation, analysis, synthesis, and design, with an interest in learning new computational tools, conducting experimental testing, and deepening their engineering knowledge. This research will involve modeling mass and energy transfers in mechanical components and systems, validating simulation results with data collected in the laboratory, and analyzing thermodynamic performance alongside other critical techno-economic metrics. Regarding physical qualifications, Prof. Helmns is committed to creating research opportunities that support student needs and invites feedback on how to make the experience more accessible for different folks.

Summer - Full Time

Compensation

Paid Research

Techniques learned

Students can expect to learn more about space conditioning and water heating technology, particularly heat pumps and thermal energy storage. The research methods will include physics-based computational modeling, experimental testing to validate models, and exposure to field testing through collaboration with project partners.

Project start

5/13/2024

Contact Information:

Mentor

Dre Helmns

dhelmns@hmc.edu

Principal Investigator

Name of project director or principal investigator

Dre Helmns

Email address of project director or principal investigator

dhelmns@g.hmc.edu

1 sp. | 12 appl.

Summer - Full Time

Numerical Modeling (+4)