Heat Pumps Today

www.acrjournal.uk/heat-pumps 23 C A S E S T U D Y i-FH INDUSTRIAL FREE HEATING: Chiller & Water to Water Heat Pump Applications There is energy that is lost in most buildings as a result of heat produced by chillers used for cooling manufacturing processes and facilities. This heat can be recovered, harnessed and used to heat other processes. ICS Cool Energy’s i-FH (industrial free heating) solutions can be used to achieve this. The broad range of energy-efficient ICS Cool Energy heating solutions cover any need, whether it is: ° Heating or cooling (heat pumps) ° Heating while cooling (chillers with heat recovery) ° Heating while cooling or heating (heat pumps with heat recovery) ° Any combination above (multi-pipe units) of 5 or more, which means the heating capacity is at least 5 times the electrical power consumption. Since this kind of system provides cooling too, the avoided power consumption of a traditional chiller adds to the overall saving. Considering that cooling and heating is provided by the same power source, a new e ciency metric called Total Energy E ciency Ratio (TER) has been introduced. A SCOP of 5 leads to a TER of 9, which means 1 unit of power input delivers 4 units of cooling and 5 units of heating. Heat recovery solution can further increase energy e ciency of heat pumps. Recovering the heat rejected through a condenser we can use it for another purpose. Partial heat recovery, for example, allows the recovery of energy from the compressor’s discharge. Hybrid solutions and energy gains With new generation, low global warming potential HFO refrigerants, it’s possible to achieve temperatures up to 120 degrees Celsius with water-sourced heat pump systems. Having said that, the stretch of these temperatures reduces the thermal capacity of these heat pumps, which aects the level of investment. To optimize first costs and annual energy e ciency, for applications that require low or medium temperature heat, it is possible to go hybrid and partially electrify the heat demand, which allows for flexible switching between consumption of electricity and fossil fuels. Conventional means of heating, when only applied to stretch heating temperatures at the extreme winter days, is very limited compared to the annual energy consumption. Hybrid solutions deliver renewable energy and help reduce the energy intensity tremendously. Total system approach, customization and reliability No doubt, in process and critical applications, the ability to rely on the process cooling and heating system working e ciently with limited or no downtime is paramount. A number of factors can be considered when thinking about the reliability of the system. This includes the reputation of the manufacturer, the product testing the manufacturer undertakes on every unit, the quality controls in place during production and the location of their after-sales service departments. It’s advisable to work with partners that not only oer a wide range of the latest energy-e cient products in stock and ready for delivery, but that can also tailor solutions to meet the exact customers’ requirements. Experience has taught us that every customer is unique. Vertical industry application, geographical location, high or low ambient temperatures or extreme water temperatures can necessitate tailored solutions. The partner’s expertise to conduct comprehensive technical site surveys will ensure that you get the right solution for your application. Ideally, the partner can also oer to take on the responsibility of delivering, installing and commissioning, and then takes care of all the maintenance and compliance on the customer’s behalf – providing you with a complete end to end, hassle-free solution. Considering the Total Cost of Ownership Traditionally, when looking at the total cost of ownership (TCO) it comprises all costs associated with the cooling and heating system. This includes the purchase cost of the system (design, development and installation), running costs (maintenance and repair costs and time) plus recycling costs or resale value at the end of its lifecycle. Even though the initial purchase price of one system may be higher than another, the better system leads to a lower TCO over the course of its lifecycle because it is more reliable or easier to maintain. For this reason, it is important to look beyond the initial cost to see the bigger picture. On the other hand, manufacturers looking to upgrade their systems, but trying to avoid capital investments, can benefit from new, enhanced and flexible long-term exchange programmes. This form of subscription oering gives manufacturers access to the latest process heating and cooling equipment with the flexibility of an operating expense. Packages can include a complete process temperature control solution including equipment, preventive and 24/7 emergency maintenance, replacements, and upgrades. Customers receive the right temperature control solutions for their process needs with the flexibility to adapt their capacity according to changing seasonal and operational requirements. The flexibility of this business model can be a significant ingredient to the decision process and making a step into a more sustainable heating. Conclusion Over the last few years, innovations in process cooling and heating systems have led to innovative designs that can oer significant benefits compared to the systems that they are designed to replace. Energy e ciency, reliability, sustainability, options for customization and TCO all play a role in finding the right process heating solution that best fits your process needs. With technologies available at our fingertips to massively increase the e ciency of processes or buildings, we should not waste time to second-guess the opportunities we have.