Chemical: 110°C heating from 45°C cooling-water return
Illustrative cascade / two-stage concept for a solvent recovery heater, displacing LP steam.
Engineering data
- Case type
- Illustrative engineering example
- Data status
- illustrative
- Industry
- Chemical
- Source temperature
- 42–48°C
- Sink temperature
- 105–110°C
- Temperature lift
- ≈ 57 K
- Heating or cooling duty
- 1200 kW
- Architecture
- Two-stage or cascade VCHP
- Result status
- Illustrative continuous steam displacement on >6000 h/y duty
- Key risk
- Large lift / discharge temperature; oil rating; steam-header backup integration
- Existing system
- LP steam heater on process duty
- Refrigerant
- R515B / cascade candidate
- COP
- 2–2.4
- Annual savings
- Illustrative steam-cost displacement dominant on >6000 h/y
- Estimated payback
- Illustrative 4–7 years (steam price driven)
Project background
A specialty chemical line used LP steam for a 105–110°C heater while rejecting heat to cooling towers at ~45°C.
Source / inputs
Source: cooling-water return 42–48°C. Sink: process oil / water 110°C. Duty: ~1.2 MW. Lift ~65 K.
Heat pump solution
Two-stage or cascade VCHP with intercooler; high-side oil rated for discharge temperature. Integration with existing steam header for backup.
COP & savings
Illustrative system COP 2.0–2.4; steam displacement dominant on continuous duty.
Investment / ROI notes
Capex higher than single-stage; ROI driven by steam price and operating hours >6000 h/y.