Air source heat pump for district heating with HC: Case study by Frascold

Frascold's presentation concerns the case study that was carried out in collaboration with a Danish company specializing in heat pumps, which – using the energy of the air – heats entire neighbourhoods. The CX screw compressor optimizes the system and guarantees its efficiency.

The growing need to have the minimum impact on the environment has triggered the electrification of heating process. A revolutionary technology of heat pumps, which use hydrocarbons as the working fluid. These heat pumps make it possible to use waste heat from industrial processes – which otherwise would be thrown back into the environment – as a heat source, and by exploiting a district heating network they supply heat to entire neighbourhoods. This infrastructure provides the heat generated in a single plant to the individual users. By exploiting economies of scale and technology, a system of this type allows a lower specific cost and higher efficiencies. In addition to the low heating costs, the large and powerful heat pumps reduce CO₂ emissions thanks to the use of low GWP refrigerants, mainly HC, which decrease the direct CO₂ emissions in comparison to standard gas heating system.

The benefits of district heating are many: high energy efficiency, low maintenance costs and greater safety. The emphasis on safety is a must and simplified by ATEX Zone 2 certified Frascold screw compressors, which also allow the construction of large systems while respecting safety requirements.

This system therefore combines the advantages of waste heat recovery, the use of heat pumps with natural refrigerants and exploiting the district heating network allows us to meet the requests that would otherwise be satisfied by heating oil or methane heat generators, giving a decisive impulse to de-carbonization in the heating sector.