20 – 40 % more ther­mal en­er­gy from the same amount of bio­mass

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More ther­mal en­er­gy from bio­mass: a step for­ward in en­er­gy ef­fi­ci­en­cy

Biomass heating systems are popular and have been in use for decades. Mature technologies enable high levels of efficiency. However, the efficiency potential is still far from exhausted.

StepsAhead, supplier of absorption heat pumps, and Schmid energy solutions have the common goal of further developing local and district heating networks beyond the current state of the art. The two companies decided to pool their expertise and sealed the deal in February 2024.

Ac­tive flue gas con­den­sa­ti­on with ab­sorp­ti­on heat pump for bio­mass hea­ting plants – 20 – 40 % more ther­mal en­er­gy from the same amount of bio­mass

Wood-fired heating plants equipped with a flue gas condensation system can reduce their fuel consumption by using the condensation heat in flue gas .

The use of Schmid’s newly developed “Revolution adaptive” combustion control system is a major advantage here. It automatically regulates combustion and thus ensures a constantly low residual oxygen content in the flue gas. This increases the efficiency of the combustion process, raises the dew point temperature and thus allows an increase in heat recovery in the flue gas condensation system as well as a higher level of efficiency.

A further increase in heat recovery and therefore efficiency is made possible by the use of an absorption heat pump. This lowers the temperature of the flue gas condensation system below the return temperature of the heating network. The great advantage of an absorption heat pump is that it requires only a fraction of the electricity of a compression heat pump. The absorption heat pump uses hot water (≥ 105 °C) from the flow of the biomass boiler as a drive.

 

The spe­cial high­light of the new­ly de­ve­lo­ped so­lu­ti­ons from Schmid and Step­sAhead

The absorption heat pump can be powered by a simple hot water boiler with a flow temperature of just 105 °C. This is a considerable simplification, as previously it was only possible to use it in combination with a hot water boiler (approx. 150 °C flow temperature) that required testing and monitoring. The consistent optimization of the Schmid firing system and the absorption heat pump is paying off.

 

Video: Advantages of an absorption heat pump

Re­tro­fit­ting exis­ting hea­ting plants

Wood-fired heating plants that are already equipped with a flue gas condensation system can be retrofitted and benefit from the use of the new “Revolution adaptive” combustion control system and an absorption heat pump.

 

Func­tio­n­al princip­le of ac­tive flue gas con­den­sa­ti­on with ab­sorp­ti­on heat pump – Ef­fec­tive and ef­fi­ci­ent

For flue gas condensation, the flue gas must be cooled below its dew point temperature. Depending on the fuel moisture and residual oxygen content in the flue gas , this temperature is approx. 45 – 60 °C. The further the flue gas can be cooled in the flue gas condensation system, the more condensation heat can be recovered.

In practice, the heat network return is often used to cool the flue gas condensation system. Its temperature is often in the range of 55 – 60 °C and therefore close to or above the dew point temperature. Under these conditions, the water vapor in the flue gas cannot be condensed, or only insufficiently, and the flue gas condensation system is limited in its performance or not functional at all.

The absorption heat pump is part of the active flue gas condensation system downstream of the boiler. This also consists of the flue gas condensation system with economizer (ECO). The absorption heat pump provides the flue gas condensation system with sufficient cold cooling water.

The low-temperature heat obtained from the flue gas is raised in temperature by the absorption heat pump and coupled into the network return together with the drive heat.

 

Video: Functional principle of an absorption heat pump

Coope­ra­ti­on with several ad­van­ta­ges

The collaboration between StepsAhead and Schmid energy solutions has made it possible to standardize concepts that were previously developed on a project-specific basis. As the engineering effort is significantly reduced, systems with absorption heat pumps can be implemented more quickly and are also economically viable for heating plants with an output of approx. 1,000 kW or more.

Schmid energy solutions and StepsAhead are two innovative companies that take an unbiased view of energy technology and pursue future-oriented paths that make economic and ecological sense.

 

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About Step­sAhead

The company StepsAhead was founded in 2016 by Michael Barnick and Harald Blazek. StepsAhead supplies absorption heat pumps and develops individually optimized solutions for heating plants, power plants and industrial systems. StepsAhead solutions are optimized for customer benefit. The focus is on the overall system.

StepsAhead

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