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Journal article
Advances in supervisory control strategies for a heat pump centric HVAC system − a comprehensive review on applications
Applied thermal engineering, v 279(Part F), 128059
Nov 2025
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Abstract
There is an increase in research investigating the development and deployment of supervisory controllers that enable high efficiency electrically driven vapor compression heat pumps operating within grid interactive efficient buildings to provide demand side management. This paper reviews over sixty relevant case studies within this domain that focus on commercial off-the-shelf heat pumps whose primary task is providing space conditioning. The concept of a heat pump-centric heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system is introduced, accompanied by a detailed overview of various kinds of electric heat pumps and building-level thermal energy storage configurations. Additionally, the different types of supervisory controller designs, including rule-based control and model predictive control, are discussed, along with the various methods for communication between a supervisory controller and a downstream heat pump’s local controller. A comparative analysis is conducted in order to categorize the reviewed case studies based on their system design, supervisory control algorithm, and validation methodology. This detailed analysis allows the review to establish current research trends, identify potential gaps, and suggest future directions for the development of this technology. Overall, the authors recommend that more future research be devoted to low-cost practical retrofits that allow for easy integration of active thermal energy storage within heat pump-centric heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system systems that utilize direct expansion heat pumps. We also suggest more research into the development and deployment of supervisory controllers that can properly communicate with commercial off-the-shelf heat pump local controller available control inputs, e.g., zone temperature setpoint. Lastly, more rigorous experimental demonstrations of advanced supervisory control within real and or closed-loop, transient/ quasi-steady state environments are necessary to reduce industry wide skepticism of this technology.
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Details
- Title
- Advances in supervisory control strategies for a heat pump centric HVAC system − a comprehensive review on applications
- Creators
- Caleb J. Calfa - Texas A&M UniversityZheng O’Neill - Texas A&M UniversityZhiyao Yang - Texas A&M UniversityJin Wen - Drexel UniversityVeronica Adetola - Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryXiaobing Liu - Oakridge_National_Laboratory
- Publication Details
- Applied thermal engineering, v 279(Part F), 128059
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 21
- Grant note
- Building Technologies Office at the U.S. Department of Energy through the Emerging Technologies program: DE-EE0009153
The research reported in this paper was partially supported by the Building Technologies Office at the U.S. Department of Energy through the Emerging Technologies program under award number DE-EE0009153. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001567730800044
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-105014730728
- Other Identifier
- 991022086609104721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Energy & Fuels
- Engineering, Mechanical
- Mechanics
- Thermodynamics