CharacSorb – Optimized sorption heat pump for efficiency increase of district heating networks

Sorption heat pumps can provide cooling based on renewable district heat or waste heat, thus expanding the scope of district heating networks (DHN) and making better use of existing renewable heat sources. On the other hand, sorption heat pumps in district heat transfer stations can also provide heat while significantly reducing the return flow of the district heating network compared to a station with ordinary heat exchanger. This increases the efficiency of district heating supply. However, commercially available sorption machines are not designed for DHN. Therefore, new sorption materials, ideally suited to the temperatures and applications in district heating networks, are being developed and incorporated in a heat & mass exchanger designed for reversible adsorption heat pumps.