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Join us for an insightful webinar that explores innovative solutions to harness waste heat and drive the circular economy in various sectors. This event will showcase real-world examples and cutting-edge technologies that are transforming waste heat from a byproduct into a valuable resource, helping industries and cities reduce energy consumption, cut emissions, and boost sustainability.
Learn more about the work being carried out surrounding the project's demonstration sites:
Demo Site 1 - Weissenborn, Germany
Industry in which it’s applied: Pulp and Paper
Technology Involved: Vapour Compression heat pump with piston compressors
Partners involved: Fraunhofer (Knowledge Provider and performance assessment), Sustainable Process Heat (Technology provider) and Felix Schoeller (Demo Site Owner)
Delivery and installation of the vapour compression heat pump with piston compressors in Weissenborn demosite
Progress
For the demo site in WeiĂźenborn, the focus has been on finalizing the on-site integration of the HTHP by SPH. Therefore, system construction works, such as the delivery of components, installation of external circuits and necessary cabling, as well as the hydraulic and control integration into the paper production process, were finalized in recent months. Following the construction and container integration of the heat pump by SPH, the container solution was successfully delivered to WeiĂźenborn, thus allowing the finalization of further installation works. Initial preparations for the data acquisition system, which will enable Fraunhofer to conduct performance evaluations as part of the monitoring process, have been completed.
Next steps
The next steps will focus on the approval procedures for the HTHP system, including preparation of the necessary documentation related to system setup, safety aspects, and operational control. Additionally, commissioning works for the HTHP will begin shortly thereafter, along with the successful initialization of system monitoring.
Demo Site 3 - Guarcino, Italy
Industry in which it’s applied: Pulp and Paper Technologies involved: Absorption Heat Transformer (AHT)
Partners involved: Tecnalia (System design and performance assessment), Technische Universtät Berlin (Technology and Operation optimisation), BSNOVA (Technology Provider), Cartiere di Guarcino (Demo Site Owner) and BONO ENERGIA (system integrator and engineering)
As can be observed in the scheme below, the AHT works at three different temperature levels:
The driving heat, in this case, waste heat from the cooling system of a cogeneration plant providing heat to the paper mill (90 ÂşC), is introduced in the evaporator and generator at a temperature level T1.
The useful effect, the heat upgrade, occurs in the absorber due to the exothermic nature of the water absorption by the saline solution, and the driving heat is upgraded to a temperature level of T2.
Finally, the condenser dissipates part of the driving heat at a temperature level T0, which is used to pre-heat process water.
The upgraded heat circuit provides hot water and is connected to a Steam Generation Module (SGM). It comprises a flash tank (FT), where low-pressure steam is produced at 3.3 bar(a), and a thermocompressor (TC), where medium-pressure steam is generated by mixing the low-pressure steam from the FT with high-pressure steam from the plant at 14.5 bar(a). The resulting medium-pressure steam, to be used at the plant, is at 6.5 bar(a).
The system will provide 347 kW of upgraded heat at 141.5 ÂşC in the absorber of the AHT, producing 540 kg/h of steam in the flash tank. The AHT has been designed in collaboration between TU BERLIN and TECNALIA, and manufacturing is currently underway by BS NOVA. Planning and engineering of the complete system are ongoing by BONO ENERGIA, which will be responsible for full system integration, expected by spring 2025.
Latest News
Highlights from ISHPC 2024
The 17th International Sorption Heat Pump Conference (ISHPC 2024) took place in Beijing, China, from September 1-4, 2024. Our partners from TU Berlin, Politecnico di Milano, and Tecnalia were in attendance, including Prof. Felix Ziegler, who delivered a keynote on common design assumptions and mistakes in modeling sorption heat pumps and heat transformers.
The conference facilitated valuable discussions among experts and stakeholders, fostering collaboration to advance sorption heat pump technology.
Replication Studies on the Integration of HUTs in the industry
UPV has completed more than 10 case studies regarding the economic and technical feasibility of integrating High-Temperature Heat Pumps (HTHPs) in different industrial sectors and district heating networks. In general, the results are promising, especially for the HTHPs, which can recover waste heat in the range of 60-80 °C and produce steam up to 150 °C. The main advantage of integrating HTHPs is the CO2 emissions savings compared with gas boilers (GB). The detailed results of these case studies will be summarized at the end of the project in D5.2: Replication studies.
This is an example of the economic and environmental analysis of integrating a High-Temperature Heat Pump (HTHP) in a district heating case producing hot water at 110 °C, compared with the currently used technology of a gas boiler (GB) combined with combined heat and power (CHP).
There is no deficit in either case; in other words, both scenarios fully meet the desired heat requirement.
2nd China Heat Pump Conference (CHPC2024)
The 2nd China Heat Pump Conference (CHPC 2024) was held on August 27-30, 2024, in Shenzhen, China, and covered essential information on the latest technologies, market applications, policy interpretations, and standards related to heat pumps.
Cordin Arpagaus (OST) presented an invited keynote lecture at the 2024 China Heat Pump Conference on High-Temperature Heat Pumps, with a special focus on the market, state of the art, and application potentials.
Spirax Group plc Invests €4 Million in SPH Sustainable Process Heat GmbH to Pioneer High-Temperature Heat Pump Technology
Spirax Group plc has announced a strategic investment of €4 million in SPH Sustainable Process Heat GmbH, a German start-up specializing in high-temperature heat pumps (HTHPs). The investment, made in return for an initial 12% stake in SPH, was revealed in Spirax’s half-year report on 8 August. The agreement includes an option for Spirax to increase its stake if SPH meets specific technical milestones. This could also lead to a commercial agreement to add HTHPs to Spirax’s portfolio for electrified steam generation.
Tim Hamacher and Andreas MĂĽck, Managing Directors of SPH, expressed their enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, "This collaboration will accelerate the commercialization of our innovative solutions, empowering industries to transition towards more sustainable, electrified steam generation for high-temperature applications."
With Spirax Group’s global expertise in steam and thermal energy solutions, this partnership aims to revolutionize industrial process heating with environmentally sustainable alternatives.
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