Session: 12-02: Process Heat for Industrial Decarbonization

Paper Number: 169550

169550 - Technoeconomic Analysis of Transcritical Co2 Compressor/expander Heat Pump for Industrial Decarbonization 

Abstract: 

Heat accounts for nearly half of final energy consumption worldwide while corresponding to 38% of energy-related CO2 emissions. Heat is often overlooked in the discussion of renewable energy, and this shows in the fact that only 13% of heat was generated with modern renewables in 2022 [1]. Diving deeper, the industrial sector corresponds to a third of global energy consumption and CO2 emissions [2]. Global heat-related CO2 emissions are expected to total 86 Gt, which is one-fifth of the globe’s remaining carbon budget for a 50% likelihood of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C [3]. Renewable heat sources are plentiful, with renewable electricity and bioenergy making nearly 99% of the energy consumption. Other forms of renewable heat include solar thermal, direct geothermal, and renewable district heat. Thus, the problem facing the industrial heat green revolution is becoming less technological, but more focused on how to deploy renewable heat sources quickly while maintaining financial attractiveness.

Therefore, this presentation highlights the work of a technoeconomic analysis of a high temperature heat pump using a transcritical CO2 cycle with expansion. CO2 is a natural refrigerant with a relatively low global warming potential of one and an ozone depletion potential of zero. Natural refrigerants are necessary in the high temperature heat pump sector because of the impending F-gas regulation which requires F-gas use to decline to below the baseline by 2036 [4].

This work is done through the COMHPTES project, funded by the European Union and The Clean Energy Transition Partnership (CETP). The objective of this project is to derisk a CO2 high temperature heat pump for industrial applications via an experimental campaign to validate this technology to a TRL 5. An initial technoeconomic analysis is done to verify the benefits of a compressor/expander CO2 heat pump for industrial case studies. This has helped align this novel technology with industries which require high temperature heat in the range of 150 – 315 °C.

Additionally, a brief overview of the testing rig development, methodology, and expected results will be presented. Aided by the technoeconomic analysis, an experimental campaign has been developed to validate the compressor/expander heat pump to deliver on-demand heat for a number of industrial use cases. This presentation will highlight the testing rig design process and the methodology for validation.  

Industrial heat decarbonization remains a large area of research and more should be done to improve the deployment of technologies facilitating the green revolution. This work and the work of others at the KTH Division of Heat and Power in Stockholm is fundamental to building the knowledge and impetus to speed the deployment of green heating technologies.

Sources

[1]          “Heat – Renewables 2023 – Analysis,” IEA. Accessed: Feb. 28, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.iea.org/reports/renewables-2023/heat

[2]          IRENA, “Industry,” Industry. Accessed: Feb. 28, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.irena.org/Energy-Transition/Technology/Industry

[3]          IPCC, “AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023 — IPCC,” AR6. Accessed: Mar. 24, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-cycle/

[4]          Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on fluorinated greenhouse gases and repealing Regulation (EC) No 842/2006  Text with EEA relevance, vol. 150. 2014. Accessed: Mar. 24, 2025. [Online]. Available: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2014/517/oj/eng

Presenting Author: Zanil Narsing KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Presenting Author Biography: My name is Zanil Narsing and I am a PhD student at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. My research revolves around how we can decarbonize heating loads from some of the world’s largest industrial sectors and emitters of greenhouse gases. Together with my consortium members in the COMHPTES project, funded by the CETPartnership (https://cetpartnership.eu/), I will be bringing a novel CO2 industrial heat pump up to TRL 5 through dynamic numerical modelling and an experimental campaign hosted at the KTH heat and power laboratory. The overarching goals of this project is to increase the marketability of industrial heat pumps through academic de-risking and validate CO2 (R744) as a refrigerant for high and medium temperature industrial applications.

Previously, I was the Strategy and Partnerships Associate at Naked Energy Ltd in London, UK. My focus was on the international growth of their C&I solar thermal solution through engaging delivery and installation partners. I have also worked in the aerospace industry in the United States, where I was a mechanical design engineer for space and ground-based military communication equipment.

My passion has always been to push the boundaries of technology and to be part of the climate solution. As a PhD student at KTH, I can do my part for both.


Thank you,
Zanil Narsing
Mechanical Engineer | Energy Engineer | Researcher