High temperature industrial heat pumps: how to integrate in my system
Every kilowatt of waste heat is an opportunity to cut emissions, lower costs, and build a resilient future. High temperature industrial heat pumps unlock that opportunity by upgrading low-grade waste heat into process-ready thermal energy. In this article, we’ll explore how to plan, design and integrate industrial heat pump into an existing system.
High temperature industrial heat pumps
| Typical range | Notes | |
Max temperature produced
|
62ºC - 120ºC / 143.6ºF - 248ºF
|
Some bespoke systems reach >200 °C with dual-stage cycles
|
COP (coefficient of performance)
|
3.0–6.0 |
|
Heat source inlet
|
30–80 °C
|
Compressor oil cooler loops, exhaust gases, etc.
|
Heat sink outlet
|
80–120 °C
|
Process water, thermal oil, or steam generation
|
Why integrate an industrial heat pump?
All-electric operation
By running purely on electricity, they replace fossil-fuel boilers for lower carbon footprints and mesh seamlessly with renewables.
Decarbonise heat processes
Waste heat from exhaust gases or cooling loops is recovered and boosted, slashing CO₂ emissions and creating a circular on-site energy flow.
Up to 120 °C output
Advanced refrigerants and compressors deliver hot water or thermal oil at temperatures up to 120 °C, enough for sterilization, drying and distillation.
Built for reliability
From semi-hermetic compressors to Victaulic quick-couplings, every component is chosen for uptime, ease of service and long life.
What is the highest temperature a heat pump can produce?
State-of-the-art industrial high temperature heat pump systems, leveraging advanced low GWP refrigerants like HFO's and natural refrigerant and multi-stage compression, 120-200°C is commercially available, but in some cases, can push discharge temperatures beyond 200 °C.
Integrating an industrial heat pump: four phases
Integrating into an existing plant requires careful planning, customization, and collaboration. Follow this roadmap for a smooth heat pump integration into your system.
1. Assessment and planning
Evaluate heating needs
Quantify temperature and capacity requirements for steam headers, thermal-oil loops or hot water systems.
Identify waste heat sources
Pinpoint streams like compressor coolers, flue gases or cooling water (–7 °C to 85 °C inlet) for optimal recovery.
Select heat pump technology
Choose between water-source, air-source or bespoke units and pick a refrigerant that aligns with environmental goals.
Define integration strategy
Decide on a pilot run, hybrid configuration (heat pump plus burner backup) or a full retrofit based on risk and ROI.
2. System Design and Optimization
Customization
Work with suppliers to tailor skid layout, heat-exchanger sizing and control logic to your plant’s footprint and process needs.
Component selection
Specify brazed-plate exchangers, variable-speed drives and sub-coolers to maximize performance and minimize refrigerant charge.
Simulation and modeling
Use pinch analysis and dynamic process data to fine-tune temperature approaches and annual energy flows before installation.
3. Implementation and Collaboration
Collaboration
Engage specialists, in-house engineers and external consultants early to align mechanical, electrical and control requirements.
Installation
Certified technicians handle the mechanical hook-up, connecting suction lines to waste-heat sources and discharging them into water or oil headers, plus electrical and control integration.
Commissioning and support
We perform vacuum and leak tests, refrigerant charge and control tuning. Our global Remote Monitoring & Service plan keeps your EH series running at peak performance
4. Key Considerations
Temperature requirements
Higher discharge temperatures (above 100 °C) can reduce efficiency, so balance process needs against COP targets.
Refrigerant choice
Natural options like ammonia or CO₂ and low-GWP blends offer sustainability and futureproofing.
Control systems
Smart controllers with Modbus RTU/TCP, Profibus, BACnet or Profinet interfaces support seamless DCS/PLC integration and remote troubleshooting.
Payback time
Calculate ROI using electricity costs, carbon pricing and projected energy savings—many projects see payback in 2–4 years.
Industries we serve
Food & Beverage: Convert fryer and dryer waste heat into pasteurization heat.
Chemicals: Power distillation and drying processes.
Pulp & Paper: Recover dryer exhaust to reheat condensate or generate steam.
Metals: Achieve pickling and annealing temperatures, up to 120 °C.
