Performance Optimization of an Integrated Full-Capacity Domestic Hot Water Supply System for Hotel Applications
Lanyue Liu1, Chunzhi Zhang1,*, Zhongyi Yu2
1 School of Urban Construction, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430065, China
2 CITIC Architectural Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd., Wuhan, 430014, China
* Corresponding Author: Chunzhi Zhang. Email: 
Energy Engineering https://doi.org/10.32604/ee.2025.071463
Received 06 August 2025; Accepted 04 November 2025; Published online 19 March 2026
Abstract
This study develops an optimized integrated system for full-capacity hot water supply in hotels by combining solar thermal energy and air-source heat pumps. Using a hotel in Wuhan as a case study, a four-season × four-occupancy multidimensional working-condition matrix was established. Dynamic simulation and multi-objective optimization were performed on TRNSYS-TRNOPT, with the cost-benefit ratio (CBR) as the core evaluation metric. Key parameters—including collector area, tilt and azimuth angles, heat pump capacity, and storage tank volume—were jointly optimized. Model calibration against measured data yielded a deviation of less than 8%. The results demonstrate that the optimized system can achieve 60.8% energy savings and reduce annual carbon emissions by 132.8 t. The best-performing case (Case 1-1) achieved a payback period of 4.1 years, presenting a feasible pathway for decarbonizing buildings with high hot water demand. This research confirms the technical and economic viability of solar–heat pump systems for hotel applications, providing strong support for the achievement of China’s “Dual Carbon” targets in public buildings.
Keywords
Domestic hot water; solar energy; air-source heat pump (ASHP); full-load supply; performance optimization; TRNSYS simulation
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