Photovoltaic thermal heat pumps are a comprehensive utilization technology that combines photovoltaic-driven heat pumps and solar thermal collectors

which have the characteristics of a tri-generation (heating

cooling

and electricity) to meet a building’s diversified and distributed energy demand. In this study

the refrigeration performance of a PVT heat pump system in summer was tested

with an emphasis on the long-wave radiative cooling and convective cooling between the PVT unit and the ambient under the refrigeration mode. The system composition

working principle

and performance evaluation method were introduced and analyzed in detail. The refrigeration performance was tested under ambient conditions. The experimental results showed that the PVT heat pump system met the building’s cooling demand in summer

and it demonstrated the benefits of considerable refrigeration performance

simplicity

and long-term stability. Under clear weather conditions at night in summer

the average COPc of the system was 2.9 (producing chilled water) and 2.3 (producing ice). In overcast conditions in summer daytime

the average COPc of the system was 2.37 (producing chilled water) and the refrigeration performance of the system at night was approximately 20% higher than that in the daytime.