Financial Analysis of the Use of Two Horizontal Drain Water Heat Recovery Units

Kamil Pochwat, Sabina Kordana-Obuch, Mariusz Starzec and Beata Piotrowska
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Kamil Pochwat: Department of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rzeszow University of Technology, al. Powstańców Warszawy 12, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
Sabina Kordana-Obuch: Department of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rzeszow University of Technology, al. Powstańców Warszawy 12, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
Mariusz Starzec: Department of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rzeszow University of Technology, al. Powstańców Warszawy 12, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
Beata Piotrowska: Department of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rzeszow University of Technology, al. Powstańców Warszawy 12, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 16, 1-18

Abstract: The growing interest in the use of unconventional energy sources is a stimulus for the development of dedicated devices and technologies. Drain water heat recovery (DWHR) units can be an example of such devices. They allow the recovery of part of the heat energy deposited in grey water. This paper describes the results of research on the assessment of the financial profitability of the use of two horizontal heat exchanger solutions, taking into account the actual distribution of cold water temperature during the operating year in the plumbing and two operating regimes of the premises as the residential and service facilities. The analysis showed that the use of a horizontal heat exchanger with increased efficiency in a dwelling in a 15-year life cycle allowed for achieving more than twice as much savings (reaching up to EUR 1427) compared to a classic horizontal heat exchanger. At the same time, it was shown that the installation of this type of equipment was more profitable the greater the water consumption of the premises. The article also notes the impact of cold water temperature in the installation on the results of the analysis. It was featured that taking temperature on the basis of installation design recommendations led to significant distortions in the financial analysis. On the other hand, comparing the method of averaging the cold water temperature (daily, monthly and yearly), it was determined that averaging the temperature over the annual cycle was an acceptable simplification of the model. The research results presented in the paper have a practical aspect and may constitute guidelines for designers and potential investors. In addition, they can be an incentive to continue research on heat exchangers by other scientific centers, which on a global scale will increase the universality of their use.

Keywords: drain water heat recovery (DWHR) unit; net present value (NPV); waste heat recovery; financial analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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