Smart Pumps: Reimagining Heat Pumps for a Circular Future

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As part of our ongoing efforts within IEA HPT Project 65 to explore and promote circularity, durability, and material efficiency in domestic heat pumps, on March 17 we hosted a deep-dive session, where Dr. Agathoklis Krimpenis presented the progress of the Smart Pumps project, an ambitious Horizon Europe funded research project that is redefining heat pump design, manufacturing, and smart control.

Smart Pumps five objectives

The primary objective of the Smart Pumps project is to develop advanced heat pumps that are highly efficient, environmentally friendly, reliable, and safe. To do this, the project consortium, which includes the Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU), Danfoss, the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), Deep Blue, Aethon and Aimen, focuses on five main objectives:

  1. Redesigning heat pump components for improved thermodynamic performance.
  2. Minimizing environmental footprints through Life Cycle Assessments (LCA).
  3. Embedding smart capabilities and machine learning directly into components.
  4. Standardizing digital manufacturing and testing in heat pumps production.
  5. Identifying training paths on digital manufacturing of smart heat pumps.

Key Innovations and Findings

The project has yielded highly promising results across three core areas: Advanced Design, Testing Protocols and Smart Connectivity, and Advanced Manufacturing.

Advanced Design

By breaking the boundaries of traditional manufacturing, the project has redesigned critical thermal components using Additive/Hybrid Manufacturing (DfAM):

  • Gyroid-form heat exchanger that allows a 20-30% higher volumetric heat flux than baseline plate heat exchangers.
  • Internal Heat Exchanger (IHX) redesigned with a complex internal helical structure that increases piping length within the same condensed volume.
  • Consolidated sensor-integrated collector-distributor system, a compact and integrated system enabling superior safety diagnostic capabilities, and easier maintenance.

These parts form the basis for new heat pump models that achieve enhanced efficiency and
reducing waste at the source.

Testing Protocols and Smart Connectivity

Circularity goes beyond material choices: smart monitoring and maintenance can also help extend a heat pump lifetime.

  • Ultrasonic Refrigerant Sensor, a non-intrusive sensor utilizing ultrasonic and AI models that allow the measurement of flow rates and vapor quality with near-perfect accuracy.
  • Smart Pumps Digital Dashboard enables real-time monitoring of the compressor status and speed, remote controlling and valve management for maintenance and efficiency optimization.

Advanced Manufacturing

Traditional copper is highly reflective and difficult to use in additive laser manufacturing. To overcome this, the team characterized metal powders that ensure structural integrity of the 3D printed heat pump components. By using these high-quality powders containing recycled materials, the components are sustainable-by-design from day one and can be fully recycled again at the end of their lifecycle.

Q&A Highlights

During the Q&A, a critical question was raised: Is additive/hybrid manufacturing too expensive compared to traditional extrusion?

Dr. Krimpenis provided an insightful response:

  • Unlocking Impossible Geometries: Complex geometries like gyroid heat exchangers simply cannot be made using traditional manufacturing. The performance and space-saving benefits justify the method.
  • True Circularity: Utilizing more than 80% recycled metal powders represents a massive leap forward for environmental footprint reduction.
  • The Tech Horizon: Additive manufacturing costs historically cut in half every 5 to 10 years. While it may seem premium today, it represents the standard manufacturing pathway of the next decade.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Smart Pumps for contributing to the Deep-Dive session and for sharing valuable perspectives on the links between smart pumping solutions and circularity in heat pump systems. The discussion highlighted several areas of alignment with IEA HPT Project 65, particularly around resource efficiency, component lifetime, system optimisation and the practical implementation of more circular design and operation strategies.