JOA Air Solutions Launches Steam-Producing Heat Pump System for Industrial Drying at Philip Morris International's Bologna facility

This energy efficient system directly produces steam for industrial drying processes using a two-stage high-temperature heat pump. That not only recovers energy but also water from the exhaust. The result is a tightly engineered system that would be capable of supplying over half of the heat required for PMI's dryers, entirely from recovered energy. This energy efficient system directly produces steam for industrial drying processes using a two-stage high-temperature heat pump. That not only...

Italy, 04/12/2025 (informazione.news - comunicati stampa - servizi)

This energy efficient system directly produces steam for industrial drying processes using a two-stage high-temperature heat pump. That not only recovers energy but also water from the exhaust. The result is a tightly engineered system that would be capable of supplying over half of the heat required for PMI's dryers, entirely from recovered energy.

"This is the type of innovative technology that could support manufacturers from various industries with climate transitions, sustainability goals and lead towards more energy efficiency initiatives," according to Tukker.

The system upgrades residual heat from 36 °C in two stages: First to 80°C, then to 139°C at 3.5 bar absolute pressure. The steam is directly used in drying operations, the most energy-intensive steps in manufacturing. Despite the unusually large temperature lift, the system maintains high efficiency, achieving a coefficient of performance (CoP) up to 2.5.

"At PMI we believe in leveraging innovation to address challenges and seeking solutions through strategic collaboration. This project is a great example of collaboration to deliver on a challenge that not only accelerates our path to Net-Zero, but the industry as a whole," said  Arjun Arya, Manager, Environmental Sustainability. "The results clearly show how much potential there is in applying heat pump technology at this scale to thermally reuse the energy in an efficient manner."

The heat pump itself is supplied by German Heat Pump Supplier SPH. They are one of the few capable of reliably operating at high output temperatures. SPH's systems are designed specifically for manufacturers seeking to decarbonize without compromising performance.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2838513/JOA_Air_Solutions_Heat_Pump.jpg

 

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