A physically-based model for simulating inverter type air conditioners/heat pumps

The engagement in demand response activities is increasingly becoming more attractive for several entities in the power systems sector. In general terms, the main goal of such activities is to change the demand level and patterns by implementing management actions over groups of loads to minimize peak demand or electricity bill, maximize profits or increase the systems reliability, among other objectives. However, in order to avoid potential undesirable impacts it is necessary to anticipate and adequately assess the changes in demand originated by such actions. This assessment requires adequate simulation tools and models with the ability to simulate demand management actions. This work presents a physically-based model that allows reproducing the behavior of an inverter type heat pump. This model can be used to simulate the demand of an individual device or several devices. Besides, it allows simulating and assessing the impacts of implementing demand management actions over this type of end-use loads. The results show that the model can effectively reproduce the demand of this type of equipment, becoming a useful tool for the prior assessment and even the design and selection of demand response actions to be applied over these loads. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.