Performance evaluation of a radiant floor heating system of a residential building with an air-source heat pump in a hot summer cold winter region

Highly efficient heating systems are crucial for energy saving and carbon emission reduction in residential buildings. However, radiant floor (RF) heating systems for residential buildings coupled with air-source heat pumps (ASHP) in hot-summer and cold-winter (HSCW) regions have not been thoroughly investigated as the frosting and defrosting processes are rarely taken into full consideration. This study presents the performance evaluation of a RF system of an ordinary residential building with an ASHP in a hot-summer and cold-winter region. A detailed model of the ASHP is developed to characterize the overall system performance. The simulation platform of the heating systems is established in TRNSYS. The results reveal that the RF system offers more stable thermal environment when comparing with a fan coil unit (FCU) heating system. Seasonal performance indicates that the RF system consumes 1355 kWh with a COP (coefficient of performance) of 2.62, which is 24.2% higher than the FCU system. The RF system with ASHP emits 35.0% and 24.1% less carbon emission when compared with the FCU system with ASHP and the system with a gas boiler. These advantages highlight its potential as an energy-efficient and low-carbon heating solution for residential buildings in the HSCW region.