Flex HPWH
Category: Mechanical/Materials
Developers: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Product Description:The Embedded Phase Change Material Thermal Storage Heat Pump Water Heater enhances efficiency, grid interaction and reliability in water heating. The Flex HPWH is an advanced water heating solution that integrates embedded Phase Change Material (PCM) thermal energy storage to significantly enhance hot water delivery performance and enable grid-friendly load shifting. By combining innovative stratified tank design and buoyant PCM capsules, this system addresses both user comfort and utility peak load challenges. By integrating phase change material into HPWHs, it enables latent heat storage to improve First-Hour Rating, reduce compressor cycling and extend system life. The system supports load shifting and demand response by storing energy during off-peak hours and releasing it during peak demand, lowering operational costs and easing utility peak loads. Advanced materials—aluminum, copper, and carbon nano-rod fins—overcome PCM thermal conductivity limitations, enhancing heat transfer performance. It ensures reliable hot water supply in cold climates and reduces carbon emissions by improving energy efficiency and reducing fossil fuel dependence. With broad applicability across residential, commercial and industrial sectors, this technology could enable grid-interactive and net-zero energy-ready water heating.
Developers: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Product Description:The Embedded Phase Change Material Thermal Storage Heat Pump Water Heater enhances efficiency, grid interaction and reliability in water heating. The Flex HPWH is an advanced water heating solution that integrates embedded Phase Change Material (PCM) thermal energy storage to significantly enhance hot water delivery performance and enable grid-friendly load shifting. By combining innovative stratified tank design and buoyant PCM capsules, this system addresses both user comfort and utility peak load challenges. By integrating phase change material into HPWHs, it enables latent heat storage to improve First-Hour Rating, reduce compressor cycling and extend system life. The system supports load shifting and demand response by storing energy during off-peak hours and releasing it during peak demand, lowering operational costs and easing utility peak loads. Advanced materials—aluminum, copper, and carbon nano-rod fins—overcome PCM thermal conductivity limitations, enhancing heat transfer performance. It ensures reliable hot water supply in cold climates and reduces carbon emissions by improving energy efficiency and reducing fossil fuel dependence. With broad applicability across residential, commercial and industrial sectors, this technology could enable grid-interactive and net-zero energy-ready water heating.
