Research Projects

The project network »QUEEN-HP« combines method development for acoustic analysis and evaluation of heat pumps and their components with solution developments in technology projects with new components in heat pumps, new forms of sound attenuation and innovative energy-efficient and future-proof equipment modifications. | Duration: 01/2023 - 12/2026

The Working Group on Renewable Energy Statistics (AGEE-Stat) has been commissioned by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) to investigate and provide key data on renewable energy which is needed on a national and international level. It is led by the central office at the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), which also provides scientific and organizational support. Fraunhofer ISE is responsible for offering scientific support in the areas of photovoltaics and heat pumps (environmental heat/ shallow geothermal energy) within the project. | Duration: 04/2019 - 06/2022

Heat pumps are an effective solution for reducing energy consumption and the environmental impact of buildings, and for introducing renewable energy into the heat supply. However, the actual efficiency of heat pumps in practice does not always meet expectations. In addition to high occurring heat losses, the energy efficiency is reduced by an inappropriate system design, by misparameterization of the heat pump control and by undetected operating deficits. Therefore, the subject of the "AI4HP" project is the development of a new generation of "intelligent heat pumps", which adaptively adjust to changing boundary conditions with the help of artificial neural networks and thus increase energy efficiency while maintaining user comfort. | Duration: 09/2021 - 08/2024

The construction sector is one of the most relevant areas when it comes to saving energy and reducing emissions. In this industry, large international companies coexist with SMEs, which account for 92 percent of the market. Although they represent 9 percent of the GDP of the European Union, digitalization in this sector exists only to a limited extent. In this context, the EU-funded project BIM4REN aims at the development and demonstration of user-friendly Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools and services in the field of building refurbishment and renewal. The project brings together 23 stakeholders from research institutes, universities, and small and large industrial companies in the construction sector. | Duration: 10/ 2018 - 09/2022

Project in the Business Area: Climate-Neutral Heat and Buildings Topics: Heat Pumps Duration: 12/2019 - 12/2024

This project aims to resolve current uncertainties regarding costs, system selection and actual efficiency when installing hybrid heat pumps in existing buildings. Methodologically, this is achieved by developing a complexity-reduced system concept in combination with a modular certification system. This includes partial integration, prefabrication of the system components and a simplified certification methodology, which should lead to a reduction in initial costs. | Duration: 07/2023 - 06/2026

The potential of heat pumps plays a key role in the decarbonisation of the building stock. However, existing buildings are still predominantly supplied with heat from fossil fuels and the energy from heat pumps is underutilised. There is now a wide range of system solutions for existing buildings, especially for apartment blocks, which have different structural and energy requirements. This means that different heat sources and heat generators can be integrated and various hydraulic and spatial integrations can be realised. In order for heat pumps to be increasingly established in existing buildings, systematic solutions are required for the processes of planning, implementation, operation and system operation. | Duration: 10/2020 - 09/2024

In the HEAVEN sub-project of the LowEx-Bestand project network, heat sources for heat pumps in multi-family houses in urban environments with few usable surrounding areas were addressed. The combined use of outdoor air and ground heat sources was developed and investigated. Decentralized domestic ventilation systems, which can play a key role in the refurbishment of apartment buildings, were also investigated. Demand-controlled regulation in particular promises considerable energy saving potential. The control of these devices was therefore optimized and an evaluation method developed. The demands on the appliances in terms of their compactness, heat recovery and noise levels are constantly increasing, and the technical properties of a coaxial heat exchanger address these. | Duration: 01/2018 - 12/2023

Drying processes are part of many production processes in the agricultural and food sector. Conventional drying processes usually work with a heated air flow. The drying effect can be optimized by using heat pumps and sorption technology. This results in a number of beneficial effects. On the one hand, the reduction of the process temperature enables drying that preserves vitamins and increases product quality in terms of bite resistance and color, and on the other hand, a more energy-efficient drying process. The thermal energy can be obtained from solar collectors, waste heat or a solar-powered heat pump, for example. The energy efficiency of the drying process is to be optimized to such an extent that the electrical energy for the heat pump and the fan in the dryer can be generated via a coupled photovoltaic system. | Duration: 11/2022 - 10/2024

Currently, more than half of German households are heated by gas and oil boilers. In addition to a dramatic dependence on fossil fuels, this accounts for over 50% of the energy consumption of the entire heating supply. Thanks to their efficiency, electric heat pumps (HPs) are significantly more climate-friendly and, when operated with electricity from renewable energy sources, can make a significant contribution to decarbonizing the heat supply and moving away from fossil fuels. In addition, the use of environmentally friendly refrigerants such as propane (R290) or butane (R600) is increasingly being enforced by law. Due to the high flammability of these refrigerants, permanent, technical tightness is becoming the focus of current heat pump developments. | Duration: 08/2023 - 07/2027