A paper factory in France is drying its paper pulp using its own waste energy. How? By replacing gas with a heat pump which blasts 140°C heat in order to dry the pulp that makes the paper.
In France, industry represents 20% – or one-fifth of greenhouse gas emissions. To help it decarbonise a consortium led by EFD R&D and Dalkia developed a high temperature heat pump in its research centre which can replace fossil fuels.
Known as TRANSPAC, it takes 70°C waste heat from the dryer and converts it into 140°C heat, which is enough to dry the paper pulp. Producing four times the heat energy that it uses in electricity, it shows just how energy efficient heat pumps are.
The first pilot project using TRANSPAC was at paper factory Wepa Greenfield in Château-Thierry in France, where it was successfully installed.
With financial support from the French government, the project has now been successfully in operation for a year and a half. The research consortium was made up of EDF R&D, Armines, Dalkia and its Dalkia Froid Solutions branch, and paper company Wepa Greenfield.
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