Heat exchanger technologies to boost renewable energy use in European homes
With EU funding, the RENEWX (Development and demonstration of compact, multi-source heat exchanger technologies for renewable energy applications) project developed and demonstrated novel heat exchanger technology and manufacturing methods enabling increased market penetration of European air-source type heat pump systems. The solution enhances the efficiency and reduces the size of the heat exchanger or evaporator, while integrating secondary or tertiary energy sources. Project partners devised a process to improve the heat transfer coefficient by up to 18 %. They achieved a reduction of 7 %-11 % in energy consumption compared to the reference system for operation with solar heat, and 15 %-17 % for operation with low temperature waste heat (20 degrees Celsius). An online interactive portal was set up to provide information on heat exchanger design for the project team and their members. More efficient air-based heat pump systems with enhanced design and combined with alternative energy sources should boost return on investment and decrease payback periods. Reducing the footprint of air-based heat pump systems will also enable potential integration into buildings. Thanks to RENEWX, SMEs in the heat pump manufacture, solar thermal system manufacture, design and installation sectors stand to benefit from alternative designs and manufacturing paths that will assist them in expanding their product range while effectively competing with foreign market players. It will also contribute to meeting Europe's ambitious emission reduction targets and decreasing its citizens' excessive reliance on imported energy.
Keywords
Heat exchanger technologies, RENEWX, renewable energy applications, air-based heat pump systems
