Context
The site had continuous refrigeration loads and simultaneous hot water demand for washing and cleaning. Heat was rejected to ambient while boilers produced 70-80 C water.
Engineering analysis
The key constraint was temperature. Direct recovery covered preheating, while a heat pump lifted part of the recovered heat to the final loop temperature. Buffering stabilized the mismatch between cleaning peaks and refrigeration load.
Business case
The project reduced gas consumption, improved boiler turndown and created a replicable architecture for future process users.
Engineering FAQs
What made the project attractive?
Stable heat source, nearby hot water demand, high operating hours and a loop temperature compatible with heat pump integration.