Evaluation of the Environmental Sustainability of a Stirling Cycle-Based Heat Pump Using LCA

Umara Khan, Ron Zevenhoven and Tor-Martin Tveit
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Umara Khan: Process and Systems Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20500 Turku, Finland
Ron Zevenhoven: Process and Systems Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20500 Turku, Finland
Tor-Martin Tveit: Olvondo Technology, NO-3080 Holmestrand, Norway

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 17, 1-16

Abstract: Heat pumps are increasingly seen as efficient and cost-effective heating systems also in industrial applications. They can drastically reduce the carbon footprint of heating by utilizing waste heat and renewable electricity. Recent research on Stirling cycle-based very high temperature heat pumps is motivated by their promising role in addressing global environmental and energy-related challenges. Evaluating the environmental footprint of a heat pump is not easy, and the impacts of Stirling cycle-based heat pumps, with a relatively high temperature lift have received little attention. In this work, the environmental footprint of a Stirling cycle-based very high temperature heat pump is evaluated using a “cradle to grave” LCA approach. The results for 15 years of use (including manufacturing phase, operation phase, and decommissioning) of a 500-kW heat output rate system are compared with those of natural gas- and oil-fired boilers. It is found that, for the Stirling cycle-based HP, the global warming potential after of 15 years of use is nearly −5000 kg CO 2 equivalent. The Stirling cycle-based HP offers an environmental impact reduction of at least 10% up to over 40% in the categories climate change, photochemical ozone formation, and ozone depletion when compared to gas- and oil-fired boilers, respectively.

Keywords: stirling cycle-based heat pump; gas/oil-fired boilers; life cycle assessment; SimaPro; eco-indicator 99 (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 (7)

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