Waste Heat Utilisation

Every refrigeration machine is a heat pump. This can be described using the example of a refrigerator. If warm beer is placed in the refrigerator at +4°C, heat is transferred from the beer to the cool interior of the refrigerator. The refrigerant circuit extracts the heat energy from the beer. This ‘beer energy’ is then brought to a higher temperature level, e.g. +30°C, by the compressor, which is driven by electrical energy. The ‘beer energy’ together with the electrical energy from the compression is then released to the kitchen as waste heat. As a rule, the ‘beer energy’ is many times greater than the electricity input. The total amount of energy is available at a higher temperature level and therefore makes the ‘beer energy’ usable. The ratio of ‘usable heat’ and ‘electricity’ is the coefficient of performance (COP). With a COP of 5, 1 kWh of electrical energy can raise 5 kWh of heat to a usable level. With electric heating, a maximum ratio of 1 is possible. This means that heat pumps can very efficiently raise heat to a usable level. In our approach, we attach particular importance to working with your company's own data. We analyze the required temperature levels and carry out a detailed potential analysis to determine the optimum solution in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability. This process includes the development of various concepts with comprehensive profitability calculations. Cost developments such as CO2 taxes are also taken into account, as are funding opportunities for heat pumps and concepts for CO2 savings.