Periodic Reporting for period 1 - I-UPS (Innovative High Temperature Heat Pump for Flexible Industrial Systems)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2024-05-01 do 2025-10-31
I-UPS aims to develop and validate a first-of-a-kind (FOAK), cost effective and reliable high-temperature industrial heat pump fully integrated in a flexible energy system for industrial medium temperature (~400°C) heat decarbonisation. I-UPS validate up to TRL 5 a first-of-a-kind high temperature heat pump (HTHP), based on Stirling cycles and exploiting a non-toxic, inert, zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and zero global warming potential (GWP) fluid, able to deliver decarbonized heat up to 400°C. I-UPS provides also a seamless integration of the developed high temperature heat pump in flexible energy systems including molten salts based thermal energy storage (TES) for on-demand decarbonized industrial heat based on RES electricity.
In doing so, I-UPS addresses key technological challenges to enable:
1. The development of a FOAK, reliable, affordable, modular, and efficient high temperature (~400°C) heat pump with minimal environmental impact associated to the working fluid (inert, 0 GWP and 0 ODP) and to the full life cycle of the equipment, also including its operation in the industrial context and its end-of life management focusing on the exploitation of inherently reusable or recyclable materials and subcomponents.
2. The development of optimized key enabling subcomponents (static and dynamic sealing units, integrated and compact heat exchangers) for efficient high temperature heat pumps to be seamlessly integrated in industrial contexts.
3. The optimization of heat pump operation, also facilitated by advanced dynamic control systems ensuring maximized flexibility, elevated demand response capabilities with quick load ramping, and optimal energy system integration providing flexibility and sector coupling. This targeted development, coupled with the flexible system integration proposed by I-UPS, largely contribute to reduce the strain on the power network and improve its resilience, key challenges in the near future with maximized electrification.
4. The deployment of comprehensive assessment tools and modelling suites to minimize the socioenvironmental impact of the proposed heat pump, and energy system integration, along its full life cycle in line with a cradle-to-grave approach and ensuring maximized circularity; whilst maximizing the techno-economic potential of the proposed solution validating the extensive benefits attainable with respect to commercial solutions.
In doing so, I-UPS addresses key technological challenges to enable:
1. The development of a FOAK, reliable, affordable, modular, and efficient high temperature (~400°C) heat pump with minimal environmental impact associated to the working fluid (inert, 0 GWP and 0 ODP) and to the full life cycle of the equipment, also including its operation in the industrial context and its end-of life management focusing on the exploitation of inherently reusable or recyclable materials and subcomponents.
2. The development of optimized key enabling subcomponents (static and dynamic sealing units, integrated and compact heat exchangers) for efficient high temperature heat pumps to be seamlessly integrated in industrial contexts.
3. The optimization of heat pump operation, also facilitated by advanced dynamic control systems ensuring maximized flexibility, elevated demand response capabilities with quick load ramping, and optimal energy system integration providing flexibility and sector coupling. This targeted development, coupled with the flexible system integration proposed by I-UPS, largely contribute to reduce the strain on the power network and improve its resilience, key challenges in the near future with maximized electrification.
4. The deployment of comprehensive assessment tools and modelling suites to minimize the socioenvironmental impact of the proposed heat pump, and energy system integration, along its full life cycle in line with a cradle-to-grave approach and ensuring maximized circularity; whilst maximizing the techno-economic potential of the proposed solution validating the extensive benefits attainable with respect to commercial solutions.
The main part of the work and achievements are summarized in the points below:
- The heat pump architecture, as developed in T2.1 builds on the existing HoegTemp design, while aimed at meeting the temperature and performance requirements of the I-UPS project.
- Through more than 17 000 hours of operation of three existing previous prototypes, wear and degradation of components have been tracked. Redesigned seals have been implemented in the final HTHP full design (to be executed in T2.4) thus meeting the targets of KPI-7.
- A compact design is identified such that it suits the metal 3D printing manufacturing dimensions. ITs multi-objectives design optimization led to the identification of a specific design able to meet all the related project's KPIs. Preliminary prototypes have been manufactured to test the AM based process.
- The system is expected to have the vast majority (>90%) of its lifetime carbon footprint associated with the operational phase. For this, emissions of about 138 gCO2e/kWh and 3.77 gCO2e/kWh have been calculated for potential installations in average EU grids and RES dominated ones.
- Preliminary outcomes from techno-economic models show attainable LCoH of 50 €/MWh when coupled with grid prices, further reductions are expected when considering on-site RES. The same preliminary results also highlight OPEX reductions up to 60%.
- The heat pump architecture, as developed in T2.1 builds on the existing HoegTemp design, while aimed at meeting the temperature and performance requirements of the I-UPS project.
- Through more than 17 000 hours of operation of three existing previous prototypes, wear and degradation of components have been tracked. Redesigned seals have been implemented in the final HTHP full design (to be executed in T2.4) thus meeting the targets of KPI-7.
- A compact design is identified such that it suits the metal 3D printing manufacturing dimensions. ITs multi-objectives design optimization led to the identification of a specific design able to meet all the related project's KPIs. Preliminary prototypes have been manufactured to test the AM based process.
- The system is expected to have the vast majority (>90%) of its lifetime carbon footprint associated with the operational phase. For this, emissions of about 138 gCO2e/kWh and 3.77 gCO2e/kWh have been calculated for potential installations in average EU grids and RES dominated ones.
- Preliminary outcomes from techno-economic models show attainable LCoH of 50 €/MWh when coupled with grid prices, further reductions are expected when considering on-site RES. The same preliminary results also highlight OPEX reductions up to 60%.
As of M18, the main targets of the project are confirmed and the validation of the FOAK high temperature heat pump delivering heat up to 400C is expected. Additionally, its coupling with a molten salts loop is planned.