Turboden, a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries group company, will provide a large heat pump (LHP) system to a European company in the pulp and paper industry that will feed its process with steam.
LHPs are utility-scale heating plants that allow the transfer of large quantities of heat from a colder source to a higher-temperature heat user, like a district heating network or an industrial process.
The heat upgrade system, based on the integration of a Turboden LHP and a mechanical vapor compressor, will exploit low-grade heat (ranging between 50°F and 68°F [10°C and 20°C]) to produce 12 MWth of superheated steam at 338°F (170°C), which is needed in the paper production process. The Turboden LHP system uses a compressor from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Compressor Corp. (MCO).
“MCO is pleased to provide our compressors to Turboden for the realization of this innovative large heat pump,” said Masahiro Kobayashi, director of MCO. “Thanks to our long experience in the market, we will provide a cutting-edge proven technology in order to achieve outstanding performances with the highest reliability.”
Headquartered in Italy, Turboden designs, manufactures, and maintains organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems. ORC systems can generate electric and thermal power exploiting multiple sources, such as renewables (biomass, geothermal energy, solar energy), traditional fuels, and waste heat from industrial processes, waste incinerators, engines, or gas turbines.
“This project is an important milestone for establishing Turboden leadership in large heat pump solutions for customers with high demand of steam or high-temperature heat in industrial processes,” said Paolo Bertuzzi, managing director and CEO at Turboden.
