This task is divided in work packages born from the difficulty in comparison of the newly developed machines. Not all systems existing in the market are able to be tested with the published norms created some years ago for great capacity sorption chillers producing 7 °C water with the classical temperature levels in the generator and condenser, not only because of the sizes but also for the different technologies that are going to be taking into account, absorption cycles, adsorption and ejectors.

Nominal Coefficients of Performance (COP’s) of this new machines are being measured at different temperature levels depending on their final use. This means, that results are not directly comparable among them, due to the diversity of nature of values. Therefore, a new way to compare them based on the apparatus and the complete system performance is needed.

As the COP’s of the machines themselves are being calculated, also the efficiencies of the facilities should be determined due to the number of pumps and different equipments needed.

Furthermore, a parametrical study with the different energy supplies that can be used must be done, which may range from solar thermal plants to district heating and waste heat sources etc.

District heating systems can be connected to TDHP (i) in winter time to heat with an incremented performance and (ii) in summer time to cool — keeping more stable the heat demands from the point of view of the production. As can be seen in the figure3, presented in the 2nd workshop meeting (Zurich, 20th May,08) during the months of July and August, the heat demands decreases to a 15% of the nominal one, creating a yearly overall inefficiency in the design of the system and the distribution of that heat. With an existing demand to produce cold in these summer months, the differences between summer and winter will decrease.

Collaborating with the Task38, the use of solar energy as the energy vector which drives, or helps to drive, the TDHP is being studied. In this case, solar radiation will be used during the winter as low level input for the heat pump, highly increasing the efficiency of the collectors, although the amount of radiation in certain climates will not be so much. Previous calculations in [6] have been done in order to explain this.

Depending on the final distribution systems (i. e. Fan coils, radiant ceilings and floors, etc) will be need as an output of this task a new methodology to label and recommendations for test procedures where it will be taking into account the different temperatures for heating and cooling, COP’s, energy consumptions, CO2 production, exergies, etc.