Abstract
The overall research project is aimed at investigating the feasibility and the actually achievable performance of an advanced Power-to-Heat (P2H) and Power-to-Heat-to-Power (P2H2P) Energy System solution. The proposed energy system architecture comprises and intends to optimally integrate different cutting-edge technologies; namely, the key components of the system investigated in the REHP-4TUNE project are: 1) a High-Temperature Heat Pump (HTHP) section fed by renewable electricity, in charge of the P2H conversion step, 2) a thermal user section, suitable for the direct utilization of a fraction of the produced high-temperature heat, and possibly capable to feed the HTHP with waste heat (low-temperature heat source), 3) an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) generator section, in charge of the H2P conversion step of the unused quotas of produced heat. Thus, the REHP-4TUNE Energy System involves fluid machines for heat and power generation and storage, thermally driven components and also their users. This system is conceived to improve the exploitation of non-programmable renewable electricity, in order to reduce the unused “green” overgeneration and, at the same time, to decarbonize industrial thermal users. The proposal objective is to investigate the above-described integrated energy system on the key enabling components - namely the HTHP and the ORC systems - in order to identify possible CHP synergy effects and to assess the overall system feasibility in relevant industrial environments. The ceramic sector is analyzed in particular, being identified as potential application context, since the processes involve different users and temperature levels with high energy demand and associated need for decarbonization. The study, carried out basically via numerical analysis, is intended as a first step towards actual implementation of the idea in a relevant context. Two universities (UNIBO and UNIPI) and a national research institution (CNR) will join their efforts with complementary research expertise (on systems, machines, components, heat transfer and fluid mechanics), implementing their skills via the development of numerical modelling activities supported by previous experimental experience of the research groups on heat pump and ORC lab-scale prototypes. The main expected achievements of the research are: - analysis of potential and most promising application scenarios, in particular into the ceramic production process, in terms of operating thermal users; - identification of components thermodynamic arrangements and generation of guidelines for optimal design and sizing of the involved energy systems; - numerical process simulation based on pilot-scale prototype experimental data, of key enabling components/technologies for the H2P and P2H conversion phases, operated under renewable input; - Assessment of expected overall performance in the selected techno-economic scenarios of the investigated key enabling technologies.
Project details
Unibo Team Leader: Andrea De Pascale
Unibo involved Department/s:
Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale
Coordinator:
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - Università di Bologna(Italy)
Total Eu Contribution: Euro (EUR) 197.003,00
Total Unibo Contribution: Euro (EUR) 70.922,00
Project Duration in months: 24
Start Date:
28/09/2023
End Date:
28/02/2026
