A comprehensive review of thermal potential and heat utilization for water source heat pump systems

[Display omitted] •Thermal potential estimation of water source and their energy systems are reviewed.•Practical potential mainly depends on the geographical and temporal potential.•Pumping-well system requires high installation costs but can use high temperature.•Critical parameters for improving performance of entire system were investigated. In recent years, the utilization of a water source heat pump system (WSHP) has been proposed in South Korea as a solution to reduce energy consumption of buildings. To practically utilize the thermal energy of a water source, it is necessary to estimate the thermal potential of water sources and apply suitable energy conversion systems. However, there are extremely limited studies that conduct in-depth analyses to estimate the thermal potential of water sources and the energy conversion systems of water source heat pumps. In this context, this paper focuses on the review of the main issues in thermal potential estimation and energy conversion systems of water source heat pump systems. The estimation of thermal potential was reviewed in terms of theoretical, geographical, environmental, technical, and temporal potentials. The components constituting the system were investigated by dividing into heat pumps, water intake systems, and air handling units. In addition, the critical parameters for improving the performance of the entire system, such as building type, water source, and water intake distance, were investigated. It is expected that this study will be a valuable supplement to enable the thermal energy utilization of water sources to meet the growing energy demands.