Six departments: Actively promote the application of heat pumps in the industrial field
Recently, the "Action Plan for Promoting High-Quality Development of the Heat Pump Industry" released by six departments including the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology proposed that by 2030, the production and manufacturing capabilities as well as technological research and development capabilities of heat pumps should be continuously enhanced, the energy efficiency level of key heat pump products should increase by more than 20%, and breakthroughs should be made in core technologies such as high-power high-temperature heat pumps, high-efficiency compressors, and new refrigerants. The application area of heat pumps in buildings and the installed capacity of heat pump units have continued to grow.
A heat pump is a highly efficient energy conversion device that converts low-grade thermal energy into high-grade thermal energy by consuming a small amount of electricity. It can effectively meet the heating demands of production and daily life and improve energy utilization efficiency.
The action plan requires the active promotion of applications in the industrial field. Encourage enterprises and industrial parks with the necessary conditions to use heat pump devices to recover waste heat resources such as industrial wastewater and waste gas for the preparation of high-temperature steam. In line with the characteristics of various industries, the application scenarios of heat pumps should be expanded. They can be used for heating in distillation, refining, decomposition, polymerization and other processes in the petrochemical industry, high-temperature heating in dyeing, printing, setting and other links in the textile printing and dyeing industry, heating in baking, roasting, steaming and other processing links in the food processing industry, heating and drying of pulp and pharmaceutical materials in the papermaking and pharmaceutical industries, and baking of ceramic products in the building materials industry.
The action plan proposes to guide heat pump manufacturers to accelerate the elimination of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) refrigerants and limit the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Increase the independent research and development efforts on new low-temperature-potential (GWP) refrigerants such as natural working fluids and hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) and their application technologies, and improve the matching degree between new refrigerants and heat pump systems. Strictly control the leakage and discharge of refrigerants during the production, manufacturing and use of heat pumps. Actively promote the recycling, reuse and harmless treatment of refrigerants.
The action plan emphasizes that all regions are encouraged to introduce supportive policies for the heat pump industry in light of their actual conditions and actively promote the construction of heat pump projects.