State-of-the-Art Methodologies for Self-Fault Detection, Diagnosis and Evaluation (FDDE) in Residential Heat Pumps

The European Union’s 2050 targets for decarbonization and electrification are promoting the widespread integration of heat pumps for space heating, cooling, and domestic hot water in buildings. However, their energy and environmental performance can be significantly compromised by soft faults, such...

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Main Authors: Francesco Pelella, Adelso Flaviano Passarelli, Belén Llopis-Mengual, Luca Viscito, Emilio Navarro-Peris, Alfonso William Mauro
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Energies
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/13/3286
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author Francesco Pelella
Adelso Flaviano Passarelli
Belén Llopis-Mengual
Luca Viscito
Emilio Navarro-Peris
Alfonso William Mauro
author_facet Francesco Pelella
Adelso Flaviano Passarelli
Belén Llopis-Mengual
Luca Viscito
Emilio Navarro-Peris
Alfonso William Mauro
author_sort Francesco Pelella
collection DOAJ
description The European Union’s 2050 targets for decarbonization and electrification are promoting the widespread integration of heat pumps for space heating, cooling, and domestic hot water in buildings. However, their energy and environmental performance can be significantly compromised by soft faults, such as refrigerant leakage or heat exchanger fouling, which may reduce system efficiency by up to 25%, even with maintenance intervals every two years. As a result, the implementation of self-fault detection, diagnosis, and evaluation (FDDE) tools based on operational data has become increasingly important. The complexity and added value of these tools grow as they progress from simple fault detection to quantitative fault evaluation, enabling more accurate and timely maintenance strategies. Direct fault measurements are often unfeasible due to spatial, economic, or intrusiveness constraints, thus requiring indirect methods based on low-cost and accessible measurements. In such cases, overlapping fault symptoms may create diagnostic ambiguities. Moreover, the accuracy of FDDE approaches depends on the type and number of sensors deployed, which must be balanced against cost considerations. This paper provides a comprehensive review of current FDDE methodologies for heat pumps, drawing insights from the academic literature, patent databases, and commercial products. Finally, the role of artificial intelligence in enhancing fault evaluation capabilities is discussed, along with emerging challenges and future research directions.
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spelling doaj-art-c951e1920aac453eb6dc1d0e2007606f2025-08-20T03:17:07ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-06-011813328610.3390/en18133286State-of-the-Art Methodologies for Self-Fault Detection, Diagnosis and Evaluation (FDDE) in Residential Heat PumpsFrancesco Pelella0Adelso Flaviano Passarelli1Belén Llopis-Mengual2Luca Viscito3Emilio Navarro-Peris4Alfonso William Mauro5Department of Industrial Engineering, Università degli Studi di Napoli–Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Università degli Studi di Napoli–Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, ItalyInstituto Universitario de Investigación de Ingeniería Energética (IUIIE), Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Università degli Studi di Napoli–Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, ItalyInstituto Universitario de Investigación de Ingeniería Energética (IUIIE), Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Università degli Studi di Napoli–Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, ItalyThe European Union’s 2050 targets for decarbonization and electrification are promoting the widespread integration of heat pumps for space heating, cooling, and domestic hot water in buildings. However, their energy and environmental performance can be significantly compromised by soft faults, such as refrigerant leakage or heat exchanger fouling, which may reduce system efficiency by up to 25%, even with maintenance intervals every two years. As a result, the implementation of self-fault detection, diagnosis, and evaluation (FDDE) tools based on operational data has become increasingly important. The complexity and added value of these tools grow as they progress from simple fault detection to quantitative fault evaluation, enabling more accurate and timely maintenance strategies. Direct fault measurements are often unfeasible due to spatial, economic, or intrusiveness constraints, thus requiring indirect methods based on low-cost and accessible measurements. In such cases, overlapping fault symptoms may create diagnostic ambiguities. Moreover, the accuracy of FDDE approaches depends on the type and number of sensors deployed, which must be balanced against cost considerations. This paper provides a comprehensive review of current FDDE methodologies for heat pumps, drawing insights from the academic literature, patent databases, and commercial products. Finally, the role of artificial intelligence in enhancing fault evaluation capabilities is discussed, along with emerging challenges and future research directions.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/13/3286heat pumpsfault detection and diagnosisfault evaluationstate-of-the-art reviewpatents
spellingShingle Francesco Pelella
Adelso Flaviano Passarelli
Belén Llopis-Mengual
Luca Viscito
Emilio Navarro-Peris
Alfonso William Mauro
State-of-the-Art Methodologies for Self-Fault Detection, Diagnosis and Evaluation (FDDE) in Residential Heat Pumps
Energies
heat pumps
fault detection and diagnosis
fault evaluation
state-of-the-art review
patents
title State-of-the-Art Methodologies for Self-Fault Detection, Diagnosis and Evaluation (FDDE) in Residential Heat Pumps
title_full State-of-the-Art Methodologies for Self-Fault Detection, Diagnosis and Evaluation (FDDE) in Residential Heat Pumps
title_fullStr State-of-the-Art Methodologies for Self-Fault Detection, Diagnosis and Evaluation (FDDE) in Residential Heat Pumps
title_full_unstemmed State-of-the-Art Methodologies for Self-Fault Detection, Diagnosis and Evaluation (FDDE) in Residential Heat Pumps
title_short State-of-the-Art Methodologies for Self-Fault Detection, Diagnosis and Evaluation (FDDE) in Residential Heat Pumps
title_sort state of the art methodologies for self fault detection diagnosis and evaluation fdde in residential heat pumps
topic heat pumps
fault detection and diagnosis
fault evaluation
state-of-the-art review
patents
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/13/3286
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