Advanced Mechanical Heat Pump Technologies for Industrial Applications

The Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Industrial Programs (OIP), is responsible for the development of methods, systems, and processes that are more energy efficient and/or will displace scarce fuels with more abundant fuels. To this end, advanced chemical and mechanical heat pump technologies are being developed for industrial application. Determining which technologies are appropriate for particular industrial applications and then developing those technologies is a stepped process which takes into account the relative potential economic and thermodynamic advantages and applicability of a proposed technology. Currently, five advanced mechanical heat pump technologies are at various stages of this stepped development strategy including: (a) a waste heat-powered steam-compression system, (b) a high-temperature reverse Rankine cycle heat pump with methanol working fluid, (c) a Brayton cycle solvent recovery system, (d) magnetic cycle heat pumps, and (e) Stirling cycle heat pumps. This paper discusses these five advanced mechanical heat pump systems and how the development strategy allows efficient progression from concept to technology transfer to the private sector