After more than a year of design, engineering and preparation, construction of the innovative high-temperature heat pump has officially begun.
The moment has finally arrived. After more than a year of design, engineering, analysis and preparation, construction of our innovative high-temperature heat pump (HTHP) has officially begun. At the Heinen & Hopman production facility in Bunschoten, the first components are being assembled into the system that the consortium has worked towards with such pride.
This HTHP is anything but a conventional heat pump. The system uses ethanol as a natural refrigerant and is based on a unique oil-free compressor concept. It represents an important step towards a sustainable industrial heat supply, upgrading waste heat into usable process heat and steam for industrial applications.
An impressive scale
The photograph clearly shows the installation taking shape. An ordinary Spa water bottle has been placed in front of the large intermediate vessel inside the frame to illustrate the scale of the machine. What already looked large on paper and in 3D models is even more impressive in reality.
Construction is taking place during a period of intense summer heat. While outdoor temperatures rise towards tropical levels, the teams in the production facility continue working with full commitment towards this important milestone.
The next phase
Over the coming months, the focus will be on further assembly, system integration and preparations for testing. This will be followed by an extensive test phase in which we will validate the performance of this unique Dutch innovation.
We would like to thank all the partners, engineers and employees involved for their commitment and expertise. Together, we are bringing a promising technology an important step closer to the market.