Investigation of the vibro-acoustic signature of a heat pump through an experimental transfer path analysis

With the increasing interest on heat pumps due to their energy efficiency and environmentally favorable characteristics, concerns regarding their operational noise and vibration levels are becoming paramount, particularly in residential applications where occupant comfort is a priority. A heat pump consists of significantly distinct components regarding their physical properties, contributing to a complex dynamic system with respect to noise and vibration. To better understand its vibro-acoustic signature, this work presents an experimental transfer path analysis (TPA) of an outdoor unit of a heat pump system for residential applications. In this study, the main noise sources and the predominant vibration and noise paths are identified. Predictions of the total and partial responses at the receiver side is determined in order to quantify the contribution of each individual path. For the determination of the operational internal forces, the inversion matrix method is adopted. The findings of this study can contribute to the development of effective design guidelines and engineering solutions for minimizing the acoustic and vibrational footprint of residential heat pumps.