The Potential of Vapor Compression Heat Pumps Supplying Process Heat between 100 and 200 °C in the Chemical Industry

Elias Vieren (), Toon Demeester, Wim Beyne, Chiara Magni, Hamed Abedini, Cordin Arpagaus, Stefan Bertsch, Alessia Arteconi, Michel De Paepe and Steven Lecompte
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Elias Vieren: Department of Electromechanical, Systems and Metal Engineering, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000 Gent, Belgium
Toon Demeester: Department of Electromechanical, Systems and Metal Engineering, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000 Gent, Belgium
Wim Beyne: Department of Electromechanical, Systems and Metal Engineering, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000 Gent, Belgium
Chiara Magni: Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Hamed Abedini: Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Cordin Arpagaus: Institute for Energy Systems, OST Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, Werdenbergstrasse 4, 9471 Buchs, Switzerland
Stefan Bertsch: Institute for Energy Systems, OST Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, Werdenbergstrasse 4, 9471 Buchs, Switzerland
Alessia Arteconi: Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Michel De Paepe: Department of Electromechanical, Systems and Metal Engineering, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000 Gent, Belgium
Steven Lecompte: Department of Electromechanical, Systems and Metal Engineering, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000 Gent, Belgium

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 18, 1-28

Abstract: The supply of process heat in the chemical industry is dominated by fossil fuel combustion. Heat with temperatures up to 200 °C could, however, be supplied by vapor compression heat pumps (VCHPs), allowing for efficient electrification. However, there are still several barriers that need to be overcome before they can be widely implemented. In this work VCHPs are thermodynamically compared to heat-driven heat pumps and heat transformers, exploiting the potential of VCHPs. Moreover, steam production, distillation and drying are found to be of primary interest within the chemical industry, and potential integration points are presented and discussed for these applications. Finally, a financial analysis is performed based on a steam production and a superheated steam drying case study. The analysis calculates the levelized cost of heat (LCOH) of a VCHP, heat transformer, natural gas boiler and electric boiler. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis of the LCOH to the annual operating hours, carbon pricing and waste heat availability is presented. Generally, when no emissions trading scheme (ETS) is applied, both the VCHP and a combination of a heat transformer with auxiliary natural gas boiler appeared as the most optimal solutions, depending on the energy prices. Due to the limited utilization of waste heat by the heat transformer, an auxiliary natural gas or electric boiler is essential to fully meet the required heating load. When an ETS is being applied the VCHP generally appeared to be most financially attractive technology for both the case studies.

Keywords: industrial heat pumps; high-temperature heat pump; chemical industry; economics; electrification (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: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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