Norwegian manufacturer Enerin has announced that it will supply a 1.2MW (341TR) high-temperature heat pump using helium (R704) to pharmaceutical company Roche Switzerland that will produce steam for the chemical production process at its Basel/Kaiseraugst facility.
The HoegTemp heat pump, a V12 model, will be installed during the first half of 2026 and will produce steam year-round at a pressure of 6bar (87psi) with a delivery temperature of 171°C (340°F). It will use waste heat between 30–40°C (86–104°F) from a cooling circuit as a heat source during the summer and river water at 2–4°C (36–39°F) in the winter. The heat pump will also provide cooling.
The temperature lift from 2 to 171°C will occur in a one-step process, according to the company. This is enabled by the HoegTemp heat pump’s design, which uses a Stirling system. Helium is repeatedly compressed and expanded in a closed loop via double-acting pistons, with the gas never changing state.
Ramping up installations: Enerin installed its first HoegTemp high-temperature heat pump in 2023 at a biogas facility near Stavanger, Norway. That unit has a capacity of 400kW (113.7TR) and produces 200°C (392°F) steam.
- In 2024 Enerin installed a 400kW HoegTemp heat pump at a GE Healthcare medical manufacturing site in Lindesnes, Norway, to produce 140°C (284°F) steam.
- In February the company installed the first of two HoegTemp units at a seafood processing plant in Måloy, Norway. The two heat pumps will total 1.6MW (455TR) and will make steam at 150–250°C (302–482°F).
System specs: The HoegTemp high-temperature heat pump can lift heat from sources as low as −30°C (−22°F) to 250°C (482°F), according to the manufacturer. In addition to steam, hot water and thermal oil can also be supplied.
- The heat pump can be stopped immediately and increase its output from 40–100% in seconds and from 0–100% in minutes, per Enerin.
Coming to America: NaturalRefrigerants.com spoke with Trond-Atle Asphjell, COO of Enerin, during the Empire Technology Prize’s award ceremony, held in New York City on September 19. Enerin was a finalist in the competition, which was designed to advance building technologies for low-carbon heating system retrofits and save energy and costs in tall commercial and multifamily buildings in New York State.
- Asphjell said Enerin is in the process of obtaining UL certification for the HoegTemp high-temperature heat pump.
- He added that the company is talking with Columbia University about a potential installation.
Quotable: “The implementation of Enerin’s HoegTemp high-temperature heat pump at the Roche Basel & Kaiseraugst site demonstrates a strong commitment to decarbonization and aligns perfectly with the goal of achieving net-zero CO2 emissions in the energy supply,” said Pascal Ruf, Head of Site Infrastructure Engineering at F. Hoffmann-La Roche, in a LinkedIn post.
