Analysis of the implementation of a heat pump unit into the Yakutsk combined heat and power plant (CHP) scheme

Abstract

The article considers the potential for fuel and energy savings through the integration of heat pump units (HPUs) into the existing thermal power generation scheme of the Yakutsk combined heat and power plant (CHP). Currently, one of the promising energies saving technologies is heat pump units (HPU). The Yakutsk CHP, with a total thermal output capacity of 450 Gcal/h, currently relies on five hot water boilers: two KVGM-100 units, two PTVM-100 units, and one PTVM-50 unit. According to the United Cycle (UC) program, a thermal scheme simulation was conducted to assess the impact of incorporating HPUs. The study examined two operational modes: (1) with HPU operation and (2) without HPU operation. Heat load calculations were performed for both modes, analyzing boiler operation and HPUs’ performance. The results demonstrate that integrating HPUs into the thermal scheme leads to a reduction in boiler plant. When preheating return mains water at 10°C, the HPUs achieve a thermal load of 55.6 Gcal/h, representing 12.3% of the total heat generation capacity. The article determined that by employing HPUs for boiler unloading, fuel consumption can be reduced by 12.4%. These findings highlight the effectiveness of integrating HPUs into the Yakutsk CHP scheme, presenting a viable approach to improving fuel efficiency and reducing operational costs