Analysis methodology

 

The analysis was carried out by searching the selected databases for the number of references on specific topics.

 

The information was used to assess the scope of the databases and compile our Search tips. ›››
However, the main limitation of this method is that it is difficult to say whether the database is also relevant for conventional technology.

 

Selection of the databases
The databases were selected in three ways, i.e.:

• Recommended by IEA Heat Pump Centre member countries

• By analysing the energy and engineering databases offered by STN International. Databases with over 1,000 entries containing the keywords 'heat pump' are included. The databases APILIT and CEABA were added as they are extremely relevant for industrial heat pumps

• Recommended by the IEA Heat Pump Centre

Keywords for comparison
The following text strings were sought in the title or abstract. Wildcards (denoted with *) were used where the search engine allowed. Where search engines specified confidence percentages, only the best entries were regarded as relevant.

 

General	heat pump*
Technology	heat pump* combined with:	electric* driven engine driven gas fired thermal storage
	absorption heat pump*
	adsorption heat pump*
	mechanical vapo(u)r recompression
	thermal vapo(u)r recompression
	heat transformer
Heat source	heat pump* combined with:	ground source (geothermal for US) water source air source waste heat
Application	heat pump* combined with:	residen* (= residential or residence) commercial building* industr* (= industrial or industry)
Specific project types	heat pump* combined with:	pilot plant* demonstration project*
Emerging technologies	heat pump* combined with:	thermo electric thermo acoustic electromagnetic electro osmosis

 

Limitations
This method of analysing databases has certain limitations:

• Conventional technology is often not specified in the title or abstract. This is certainly why few electric heat pumps and air-source heat pumps were found. Without detailed assessment of heat pump references, this cannot be avoided.

• The application categories are broadly defined. For commercial buildings in particular, the type of building should be specified in more detail (e.g. a supermarket), which may result in more references than the general topic.

• MVR and TVR could not be used as keywords as they are also used in other specialist fields (medical, physics).

• This method is less suitable for search engines that specify confidence percentages (from high to low) for their search results. The relationship between the number of references and the presence of all keywords is less absolute for such search engines.

 

 

Last updated: 1 March 2004

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