Vicinity Energy is decarbonizing our district energy systems with plans to install industrial-scale heat pump complexes at our central facilities. The first proposed heat pump complex will be installed at our Cambridge, MA facility and enter service in several years.
Industrial-scale heat pump complexes will be installed where Vicinity Energy facilities are located near rivers and already employ water intake systems. They will extract heat from adjacent rivers to generate steam and improve overall efficiency.
The heat pump compressor, powered by electricity from renewable resources compresses natural refrigerant to pressures upwards of 1,000 psig.
The heated refrigerant is conducted to a heat exchanger for low-pressure steam generation.
The low-pressure steam is transferred to a multi-stage steam compressor, increasing pressure to 220 psig, the required pressure for distribution into the district system.
After generating steam, the refrigerant is routed to a feed water pre-heating heat exchanger and is condensed.
The refrigerant is expanded through an expansion valving arrangement, reducing the pressure, gasifying the refrigerant, and reducing its temperature to less than 30°F.
The refrigerant is sent to a heat exchanger to collect energy, heating the refrigerant while cooling the river water. The refrigerant is sent back to the compressor for reuse.
Reach out to our energy experts today to learn if carbon-free eSteam™ is the solution for your building.
Vicinity Energy is the largest provider of district energy solutions in the U.S. We contribute to a cleaner environment by providing highly reliable, sustainable energy solutions.
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