{"id":817,"date":"2026-06-11T13:42:21","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T13:42:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/?p=817"},"modified":"2026-06-11T13:42:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T13:42:21","slug":"heat-pumps-for-drying-iea-hpt-project-59-concludes-with-final-webinar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/heat-pumps-for-drying-iea-hpt-project-59-concludes-with-final-webinar\/","title":{"rendered":"Heat Pumps for Drying: IEA HPT Project 59 Concludes with Final Webinar"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Drying is one of the most energy-intensive operations across industry, with required temperatures frequently in the range of 100 to 200 degrees Celsius and moist exhaust air routinely discharged as waste. On 10 June 2026, the IEA Heat Pumping Technologies (HPT) Technology Collaboration Programme hosted the final webinar of Project 59, Heat Pumps for Drying, bringing together results, tools, and real-world implementation experience from across the international collaboration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The webinar was opened by Dr. Metkel Yebiyo of the Heat Pump Centre, who welcomed participants and introduced the HPT TCP, a Technology Collaboration Programme within the IEA framework since 1978 that today gathers 20 member countries. Project 59 ran from 2022 to 2025 with participants from Austria, Switzerland, China, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the United States, with the objective of evaluating the potential for energy savings in industrial, commercial, and household drying processes. The key message of the project is clear: heat pumps are relevant for drying. (Download the full presentation here<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The Drying Toolbox: Quantifying the Theoretical Savings Potential<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Verena Sulzgruber of the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) introduced the Drying Toolbox, a freely available online tool developed within the project for analysing heat recovery options in drying processes. Built on a Dymola\/Modelica base model using material and energy balances, the tool allows users to enter their own process parameters and compare efficiency measures, from product coolers and air recirculation to direct heat recovery and full heat pump integration, with results visualised in Sankey diagrams.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Two worked examples illustrated the methodology. For a spray dryer for starch derivate operating at 160 degrees Celsius inlet temperature, a heat pump supplying 125 degrees Celsius achieved a better COP with residual heating still required, while full electrification at 160 degrees Celsius came at the cost of a low COP of around 1.5. For a tower dryer for corn operating at a lower drying temperature of 85 degrees Celsius, the heat pump achieved a COP of around 2.4 and delivered the largest reduction in specific energy consumption among all measures studied. Overall, the analysis showed energy savings of up to 61 percent through heat pump integration, with inherent decarbonisation when powered by green electricity. The toolbox is available at https:\/\/drying-toolbox.ait.ac.at\/<\/a>. (Download the full presentation here<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Heat Pump Assisted Superheated Steam Drying<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Philip Hofmann of Fraunhofer IEG presented work on superheated steam drying (SHSD), a technology particularly attractive for heat pump integration. Unlike hot air drying, where temperature glides on both source and sink sides combine with high temperature lifts to depress COPs, SHSD offers isothermal condensation, no source glide, and lower temperature lifts, resulting in higher achievable COPs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Case studies using mechanical vapour recompression with turbo compressors showed compelling results: drying of beet pulp at 150 degrees Celsius reached a COP of 4.63 with a CO2 reduction of 77.5 percent compared to a gas-fired baseline, while wood chips and paper achieved reductions of 71.8 and 59.2 percent respectively, even at the current EU electricity mix. The presentation also addressed practical challenges, including particle contamination of compressors, which can be managed with cyclone separators or separate evaporators, and confirmed that suitable MVR blowers, turbos, and screw compressors are already available on the market. (Download the full presentation here<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Realized Use Cases Across Industries<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Dr. Cordin Arpagaus of OST Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences gave an overview of realized demonstration cases collected within the project, spanning food, feed, dairy, fish processing, ceramics, paper, and biomass. The ten documented case studies, complemented by additional commercial installations, demonstrate that heat pump assisted drying has moved well beyond the pilot stage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Highlights included the first transcritical industrial high-temperature heat pump (580 kW, R1234ze) delivering 140 degrees Celsius drying air for pulp drying at WEPA Greenfield in France, the GEA AddCool CO2 heat pump at Arla Foods AKAFA in Denmark cutting around 1,500 tonnes of CO2 and 670,000 normal cubic metres of natural gas annually in milk powder production, and the 12.5 MW steam-generating heat pump at the Delfort paper mill in Finland, which delivers 20 tonnes of steam per hour and reduces emissions by more than 19,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Six key takeaways emerged from the cases: food and feed drying are the dominant applications, high-temperature heat pumps can now deliver process steam, natural refrigerants such as CO2 and ammonia are becoming the preferred solution, industrial heat pumps cover almost the entire drying temperature range of 40 to 180 degrees Celsius, large-scale systems are already commercial, and integration of heat recovery is crucial for success. (Download the full presentation here<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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From Idea to Execution<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Closing the technical programme, Michael Poelzl of AIT presented a step-by-step procedure guide for successful heat pump implementation, alongside an analysis of obstacles and incentives for the three key stakeholder groups. Dryer operators face high capital costs, technical risk, and integration complexity, but benefit from green product demand, policy incentives, and increasingly available off-the-shelf solutions. Dryer manufacturers and heat pump manufacturers each face knowledge gaps outside their core domain, making cross-industry knowledge transfer and reference projects essential for market development.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The procedure guide structures the path from intention to implementation planning in seven stages: defining the use case, analysing the existing dryer, surveying the market, conceptual design, techno-economic assessment, layout and integration, and a whole-system review with defined go\/no-go criteria. Practical advice included checking electricity demand and peak loads with the supplier early, and planning around equipment delivery times and production shutdown windows. (Download the full presentation here<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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A Strong Foundation for Continued Work<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The webinar concluded a project that has substantially strengthened the evidence base for heat pumps in drying applications. The work continues within the HPT TCP, notably through Project 68 on Industrial High-Temperature Heat Pumps. The webinar was recorded and can be accessed here<\/a>, and all project results, case study datasheets, and reports can be found at https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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