CLEAN ENERGY n The green transformation is one of BASF’s key strategic cornerstones. In addition to using renewable raw materials and electricity from renewable sources, this transformation also includes testing and developing new technologies that reduce the use of fossil raw materials in energy production, thus enabling the manufacture of chemical products with a reduced carbon footprint. Examples of this transformation at the Ludwigshafen site include the water electrolyser that is currently under construction, and a demonstration plant for electrically heated steam crackers, which has been operating since April. The EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contractor and technology provider for the heat pump project is the thermal separation specialist GIG Karasek. It is collaborating with Piller Blowers & Compressors, which is supplying 11 series-connected blowers as part of the steam compression system. These blowers will serve as the central element of GIG Karasek’s CompriVap heat pump technology. The system will achieve a thermal output of up to 50MWh. CompriVap is based on the MVR (mechanical vapour recompression) principle, and is particularly suitable for streams of lowtemperature waste heat. Process steam is drawn in by an electrically operated compressor, and raised to a higher energy level by increasing the pressure. It can work with heat sources such as warm streams of liquid or vapour, which are often of little practical use, but can still contain significant amounts of energy. Piller has ordered 11 water-cooled highvoltage motors and medium-voltage converters from Innomotics (formerly Siemens’ large drives and motors business) to power its blowers. The motors and converters have been tailored to the needs of the project, with a particular emphasis on a compact design and long-term reliability. The water-cooled systems are also characterised by low noise levels and high efficiency. n Soft-starters help Vienna’s heat pump network to run efficiently One of Europe’s most powerful and environmentally friendly large-scale heat pump systems has been commissioned in Vienna’s Simmering district in Austria. Heating accounts for around 40% of CO2 emissions in Vienna, which is aiming to become climate-neutral by 2040 at the latest. The local Wien Energie utility is operating the heat pump system entirely on renewable energy, using electricity generated by a hydroelectric plant on the Danube, combined with waste heat from a wastewater treatment facility. Once fully operational, the system will help to cut the Austrian capital’s CO2 emissions by up to 300,000 tonnes annually. Even in its initial phase, the heat pump system is already achieving an output of 55MW – enough to supply up to 56,000 Viennese homes with green district heating. Within a few years, the plant will reach its full capacity, doubling its output to 110MW and supplying more than 110,000 homes. To distribute the heat via a district heating network, Wien Energie has built two pumping stations that pump more than 7,500m3 of water per hour through network which, with a total length of more than 1,300km, is one of Europe’s largest. To ensure that the compressors start and stop as efficiently as possible, Wien Energie is using three medium-voltage soft-starters with comprehensive motor and load protection. It has installed the shortcircuit-proof (AFL 40kA, 1s) 500A-capacity softstarters in the heat pump facility. The L-MVE soft-starters, supplied by AuCom, have an optimised interlocking mechanism, a bypass circuit-breaker, and a pressure relief channel. A graphical interface enables quick and easy access to intelligent safety functions. The Viennese heat pump system could eventually supply more than 110,000 homes
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