Upheat-B2I

Introduction

Overall, the competitiveness of energy-intensive industries in light of decarbonisation and energy resilience can be strongly boosted by technological innovation in sustainable heating technologies. UPHEAT-B2I aims to be a next step in the area of industrial high temperature heat pumps (HP), capable of supplying process heat up to 200°C or slightly above based on a zeotropic mixture of water-ammonia that may be tuned to the respective heat carrier used (e.g., thermal oil, steam). The maximum temperature lift aimed at is set at 100°C. With its combination of high-temperature capability, predictive control, batch responsiveness, and electrification readiness, the UPHEAT HP has strong potential to become a new standard for sustainable industrial heating. The project’s focus on scalability, integration, and control will directly support its path to industrial adoption and commercialization. By proving its strengths under these challenging conditions, the UPHEAT HP demonstrates potential for broader use.

Goal

The consortium aims to demonstrate the industrial high temperature heat pump concept devised and prototyped (proof-of-concept) during the UPHEAT-INES 1.0 & 2.0 early innovations projects (ESI) under relevant industrial conditions for medium-temperature heat supply (up to at least 200°C) in industrial chemical batch processes with optimal system integration considering storage and grid flexibility for a variety of industrial use cases. Furthermore, the project targets to define the design changes when upscaling the heat pump from its current 80 kWth thermal capacity to the megawatt scale. This step requires addressing significant engineering challenges, including the simplification of the current auxiliary refrigerant subsystems.

Approach

To achieve this, an industrial prototype will be tailored to the harsh and demanding working conditions starting from the proof-of-concept with a focus on increased efficiency and longevity, accurate temperature and capacity tracking, a profound stress-test evaluation, emulation and benchmarking with industrial boundary conditions including knowledge on upscaling of the technology from 80 kWth to MWth-scale. The project will investigate and optimize the thermal and control behaviour of the system by developing an on-board control strategy with a new redesigned compressor tested in a 200-hour stress campaign. The design will include material upgrades, refined cooling injection strategies, and integration of advanced sensors for vibration and long-term performance and durability monitoring.

Expected impact and valorization

The project contributes directly to the Moonshot KPI of delivering at least three TRL 6 sustainable energy technologies by 2030. Aligned with the Moonshot innovation program and Path 4 objectives, this project directly supports Flemish climate goals by enabling significant CO₂ reductions (up to 4.3 Mtonnes CO₂/year in Flanders). Post-project, the enhanced and smartly integrated industrial heat pump technology can be upscaled, ready for implementation in industrial settings, leveraging site-specific waste heat streams to decarbonize thermal processes. UPHEAT-B2I wants to be the nucleus for adoption of this technology by early adopters.