Heat pump for steam?

John Ewing

Has anyone out there encountered a heat pump suitable for "firing" a residential single pipe steam system? The goal would be to retain the existing steam system, with all its charms and virtues, while utilizing a primary heat source whose temperature is lower than the steam system requires.

Heat pumps of various kinds are used in industry for steam generation, and in principle a purpose-designed heat pump could be used for residential steam as well. I suspect, however, that the market for such a product would be quite limited.

By the way, I'm aware that this is an "off the wall" question (so to speak). But you never know unless you ask!

Thanks,

John Ewing

Brad White_158

Never heard of

such a thing in industry or otherwise. I am all ears.

I just cannot imagine refrigerant hot gas efficiently created at high enough temperatures to sustain water boiling unless in a vacuum. In which case I would run low temperature water. If it were to exists I could see two or three stage compressors...yikes.

I wonder what would happen if the evaporated/condensed fluid was not water but something with a much lower boiling point like, oh, acetone? Aside from explosion hazards and smelling like a nail salon, how would that work (he ruminated way to late for his failing brain).

This could be interesting if there is anything to this.

Perry_2

Nope...

I searched high and low for 2 years and could not find anyone to do a groundloop heat pump just for a 140 F water without going to custom equipment (most heating system heat pumps are limited to 120 F max - beyond that the efficiency losses are not considered reasonable).

I am aware that their are indeed some commercial systems that are used to generate steam. The ones I am familiar with are working from a 150 F + (or so) waste heat stream and do not use ordinary residential type refrigerents. Your normal HVAC vendor would not even know where to begin with that stuff.

Perry