Transformation of heating systems in industry

• Comprehensive inventory and pinch analyses, including recording of all (waste) heat flows
• Potential analyses of renewable heat sources and heat storage technologies
  • Environmental heat such as air and water
  • Solar thermal energy
  • Near-surface and deep geothermal energy
  • Mine water and post-mining land use
• Technology assessment and component selection
• Economic feasibility analyses
• Site development and new construction of geothermal and heat pump systems
• Development of transformation concepts: catalogs of measures and transformation planning schedules

We support you in concept development, detailed planning, implementation support, and integration of:

• Heating and cooling networks,
• large heat pumps,
• near-surface geothermal energy,
• deep geothermal energy,
• integration of mine water resources, and
• heat storage.

We can also assist you in assuming building owner responsibilities and carrying out approval procedures.

• Design of control and monitoring concepts for the efficient use of renewable energies
• Dynamic simulation and operational optimization of energy systems and components with a focus on heat and hydrogen systems
• Validation of design optimization in virtual operation
• Development and testing of energy management systems in virtual operation with in-house DySONiC software
• Individually tailored operational management concepts (cost minimization, self-sufficiency maximization, etc.)
• Dynamic modeling of customer systems (geothermal storage, heat pumps, etc.)
• Digital twin as a forecasting or assistance system
• Development of intelligent control algorithms and AI-based operating strategies

• Thermodynamic simulation, from the component level (e.g., compressors) to heating and cooling cycles (e.g., heat pumps) to entire energy systems such as chemical parks
• Fluid simulation of relevant components such as heat exchangers
• Investigation of components such as steam compressors in our test benches
• Investigation of novel refrigerants and refrigerant mixtures to increase the efficiency of heat pumps
• Development of methods and hardware for waste heat utilization and storage
• Screening of current developments in the field of sustainable heat generation
• Optimization of production processes through the use of energy-efficient technologies
• Development of concepts for integrating renewable energies into existing production facilities.
• Improvement of machines, drives, and heating systems to reduce energy consumption

• First test bench (FoEr):
  • Measurement of performance data for large heat pumps (up to 1 MW heating capacity)
  • Flow temperatures up to 90 °C
  • Accessible to manufacturers and developers
  • Realistic laboratory conditions for measuring and validating improvement measures
  • Objective: Improvement of efficiency and economic viability
  • Integrated into the cooling system of the Cottbus combined heat and power plant
• Second test bench (FernWP):
  • Endurance test on a 500 kW large heat pump
  • Model for future multi-megawatt heat pump for district heating supply in Cottbus
  • Testing of the technology and development of an operating concept
  • Testing option for units with up to 1 MW heating capacity and flow temperatures up to 150 °C
  • Planned tests after project completion: Dynamic medium-pressure optimization of cascaded large heat pumps; Grid-friendly operation of large heat pumps