Successful Factory Assembly Tests for novel Steam Turbo Compressors

As part of the EU-project DryFiciency, SINTEF is developing and testing a novel compressor type together with ROTREX: a so-called turbo compressor. The challenge was to design a gearbox which results in a rotational speed of up to 80.000 rpm for an impeller size of 15 cm and at the same time seal the compressor room from the drive unit. This week the factory assembly tests were finalized successfully and the design is approved for a heat pump application and other steam compression processes.

„The main component in an open loop heat pump system is the compression device“ Michael Bantle (Senior Research Scientist at SINTEF Energy Research, Department of Thermal Energy), recently published a blog article about their work on turbo compressors in the #SINTEFblog. Read more about the full story here.

Wienerberger has integrated the DryF closed loop high temperature heat pump demonstrator in a brick drying system at their production site in Uttendorf, Upper Austria.

The heating capacity of the heat pump demonstrator is 400 kW, with a heat supply temperatures range from 110 to 160°C. The heat pump on site will replace a natural gas burner and shall lead to end energy savings of up to 84% and reductions in CO2 emissions of about 80%.