Hybrid Steam Generation for Industry Using Linear Fresnel Solar Collectors and High Temperature Heat Pump
Abstract
Although the ongoing energy transition is dominated by renewable electricity production, most of industrial energy consumption remains in form of heat, mostly provided by fossil fuel combustion. Relevant industrial sectors as food and beverage, textile, chemical, pulp and paper, among others, present large heat consumption in the low and medium temperature range. Steam is used as heat transfer fluid in a large variety of processes. Concentrating solar thermal technologies are suitable renewable heat sources able to replace fossil fuel and are recently receiving increasing attention and market share. Besides, electricity-driven Heat Pump are able to provide heat using either renewable or grid electricity whenever waste or unused low-grade heat is available. Although commercial industrial Heat Pumps are limited to low temperature applications, recent developments are bringing High Temperature Heat Pumps to market, able to provide heat above 150 °C up to 280 °C. In this study Linear Fresnel Solar Collectors and High Temperature Heat Pumps are considered as heat sources for steam generation for industrial process. Energetic and economic analysis is performed for different locations under various design constraints.