Abstract
The use of Stirling-cycle-based heat pumps in high-temperature applications and waste heat recovery at an industrial scale is of increasing interest due to the promising role in producing thermal energy with zero CO2 emissions. This paper analyzes one such technology as developed by Olvondo Technology and installed at the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca in Sweden. In this application, the heat pump used roughly equal amounts of waste heat and electricity and generated 500 kW of steam at 10 bar. To develop and widen the use of a high-performance high-temperature heat pump that is both economically and environmentally viable and attractive, various analysis tools such as exergy analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA) can be combined. The total cumulative exergy loss (TCExL) method used in this study determines total exergy losses caused throughout the life cycle of the heat pump. Moreover, an LCA study using SimaPro was conducted, which provides insight into the different emissions and the overall environmental footprint resulting from the construction, operation (for example, 1, 8, and 15 years), and decommissioning phases of the heat pump. The combined results were compared with those of a fossil fuel oil boiler (OB), a bio-oil boiler (BOB), a natural gas-fired boiler (NGB), and a biogas boiler (BGB).
Highlights
The need for sustainable energy solutions has never been more important than today [1]
The heating systems studied in this study were an Stirling-cycle-based heat pump (SC HP), a fossil fuel oil-based boiler (OB), a bio-oil boiler (BOB), a natural-gas-fired boiler (NGB), and a biogas boiler (BGB)
Tal impacts associated with the SC HP, the fossil fuel OB, the BOB, the natural‐gas‐fired boiler (NGB), and the BGB
Summary
The need for sustainable energy solutions has never been more important than today [1]. Our current energy infrastructure and use patterns are unsustainable. The change in the climate we face today is most likely largely because of emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Fossil fuel combustion in the energy (heat, fuel, and electricity) industry is responsible for about two-thirds of global emissions of GHGS, primarily CO2 emissions. The still increasing use of fossil fuels has an impact on the environment, and on human wellbeing. Changes should be introduced in the energy market to alleviate the climate crisis. It is essential to move towards sustainable technologies that supply energy carriers where and when needed, causing minimal environmental damage
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