Researchers have tested high-temperature heat pumps at 320 degrees Fahrenheit and showed that the technology can provide industrial steam and hot water while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

The study was carried out by scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE (Fraunhofer ISE) in Germany. The team developed a new lab test rig to examine heat pumps capable of supplying process steam and pressurized hot water at high temperatures.

The work aims to tackle industrial decarbonization, a major challenge for factories that still rely on fossil fuels to provide big amounts of heat. Ursula Wittstadt, PhD, senior engineer, and FernWP project manager at the institute, revealed that high-temperature heat pumps could provide an alternative.

She then stressed the technology’s potential. “With our test rig, we can measure these interactions and thereby create a foundation for the further development of components and complete systems,” Wittstadt explained.

The new test rig was designed under the FernWP research project. It explores how heat pumps could replace coal for district and industrial heating. The researchers can use the facility to measure heat pump performance at temperatures of up to 320 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius).

They can also examine how the systems respond to changing heat sources, loads, as well as operating modes. “For industrial applications, the maximum achievable temperature alone is not the decisive factor,” Wittstadt elaborated.

As per Wittstadt, a high-temperature heat pump must also reliably and efficiently produce process steam or pressurized hot water as operating conditions change.

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