Industrial Heat Recovery
Using heat pumps for the sustainable reuse of waste heat
Industrial Heat Recovery
Successful industrial companies around the globe focus on two key elements in their production process: product optimization and cost reduction. Imagine the synergistic benefits if both could be achieved together while reducing carbon footprint. At GEA, we help customers do just that by providing industrial heat pump technology for their facilities.
Why heat pumps?
Around 60 percent of the total cost of processing is typically linked to energy consumption, so that’s where the greatest cost-reduction potential lies. In addition to providing customized industrial refrigeration solutions, GEA optimizes processing-related water and energy resources to prevent waste heat from being lost to the atmosphere. This saves energy for our customers and reduces their carbon footprint.
Our customized heat pumps will:
- Minimize energy consumption
- Reduce operational costs
- Lower CO2 footprint
See how it works
Heat pumps are a significant driver in the reduction of CO2 and NOx emissions, especially now that the electricity grid is being increasingly decarbonized through more use of wind and solar energy. In this way, heat pumps can make an impact on the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals.
What does the heat pump do?
A heat pump prevents waste heat from leaving a refrigeration plant by reusing it, and upgrading it to become useful elsewhere in the production process for functions such as:
- Washing and cleaning water operations
- Heating water for processing purposes such as pasteurization, blanching and drying
Heat pump circuit
Heat pump example
This dairy processing example above illustrates the levels at which sustainable heat may be managed in order to achieve a zero-carbon-emission solution.
Level 1: Reusing energy that flows directly via heat exchangers.
Level 2: Applying a heat pump to elevate the temperature level to a higher value.
Level 3: Harvesting solar heat (directly from solar collectors or indirectly from geothermal heat) and applying it directly in the process after a temperature lift with a heat pump.
Range of heat pumps
GEA offers a comprehensive array of heat pumps for process industries. We provide state-of-the-art technology and customize our solutions to meet customer requirements, spanning from 300 to 10,000 kW. The key component is the proven high-quality, high-efficiency GEA ammonia screw and piston compressors.