Low temperature heat recovery for industrial use by heat pumps

Introduction

The CIRQLAR project will enable the recovery of low-temperature waste heat at around 100°C and its upgrading to 150°C by using heat pumps. Newly developed concepts and technologies will be integrated into a unique waste heat recovery solution that will abate 100% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during its first ten years of operation, compared to the reference scenario. This new unit will be integrated into the real production environment of A Coruña Refinery in Spain and will be the first step in an ambitious plan to replicate the concept in other refineries and other intensive-energy industries.

Project Overview

The CIRQLAR project will be the first of its kind in Europe and will be used to pave the way for other similar facilities. The project will produce up to 4 megawatts (MW) of usable heat in the form of steam, through the recovery of 3 MW of low-temperature waste heat from a symbiotic production ecosystem.

Energy Efficiency and Emission Reduction

The project will reduce the energy consumption of the processing unit by 24%, increasing its energy efficiency and flexibility, while also reducing the GHG emissions associated with heat production. The system will use industrial heat pumps and the available waste heat to electrify the process. The electrification will reduce natural gas combustion and therefore abate 0.059 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent of GHG emissions.

Overcoming Barriers

CIRQLAR will overcome the main barriers to uptake that have been faced by low-temperature heat recovery technology, such as:

1. Optimisation of the thermodynamic cycle
2. Reliability of the machines working in severe conditions
3. Integration into an energy network

This will be driven by the technologies’ main advantages: emission reduction potential compared to existing options, efficiency of heat recovery, and the expanded operability and flexibility of the system.

Technological Innovations

CIRQLAR is a first-of-a-kind technological concept that combines a set of innovative strategies and key integrated enabling technologies. These innovations and technologies will be developed and deployed at an industrial scale to exploit the Heat Circularity concept in a cost-efficient and technologically viable manner.

Advancements in Energy Efficiency

The development of each technological component will advance the current state-of-the-art, increasing the energy efficiency in the project site, whilst also allowing CIRQLAR to contribute to the fight against climate change.

Broader Applications

The project will exploit a concept that could potentially apply to any energy-intensive industry. This will allow key industrial sectors to offer their products and services in a more efficient and sustainable way to consumers while reducing their external energy cost dependence.

Impact on the EU Industry

CIRQLAR will reinforce the EU industry value chain of waste heat recovery and heat pumps, providing a cost-competitive technology to the market. It will deliver more sustainable processes with lower emissions, which will respond to today's environmental challenges, while also reducing consumption and dependence on natural gas throughout the EU.