Optimized multi-chamber test bench for various testing options for heat pumps and air conditioning units

Today, heat pump systems are available in a wide variety of design variants and expansion stages. There are very simple systems through to highly complex structures in which a heat pump, air heating and ventilation system with heat and humidity recovery are combined in one device. This also increases the requirements for corresponding test bench devices, which should be suitable for a wide variety of device types.

Today we are introducing our 3-chamber test bench, which represents the outside area, installation room and living room. By individually air conditioning each of the three chambers and monitoring the respective interactions, very complex systems can be tested in this setup. Due to the flow monitoring with an auxiliary fan between the living room and the installation room chamber, the test bench can also be used for testing simple ventilation systems and is therefore a real all-rounder.
The test chamber representing the outside area, which is the most difficult to condition, and the test chamber representing the living room work according to the proven closed-loop design. The air is directed through a flow straightener at the beginning and the end of the chamber. The temperature control (cooling, heating) and humidity conditioning take place outside of the chamber.
In addition, it is possible to adjust and vary the air flow in the circuit according to the standard conditions. The result of this concept is a very good, homogeneous temperature, and humidity distribution. A redundant heat exchanger enables endurance tests at low temperatures without any problems.
The test bench has also been optimized regarding humidity conditioning at very low temperatures. The available humidity range can be used optimally for tests of ventilation systems with humidity regulation.

The future integration of acoustic measurements in the 3-chamber test bench can be mentioned as an outlook. In addition, the test bench can be supplemented with CO2 and VOC (volatile organic compounds) sensors so that demand-driven ventilation systems can also be optimally tested.