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Evaluation of the Environmental Sustainability of a Stirling Cycle-Based Heat Pump Using LCA

Author

Listed:
  • Umara Khan

    (Process and Systems Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20500 Turku, Finland)

  • Ron Zevenhoven

    (Process and Systems Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20500 Turku, Finland)

  • Tor-Martin Tveit

    (Olvondo Technology, NO-3080 Holmestrand, Norway)

Abstract

Heat pumps are increasingly seen as efficient and cost-effective heating systems also in industrial applications. They can drastically reduce the carbon footprint of heating by utilizing waste heat and renewable electricity. Recent research on Stirling cycle-based very high temperature heat pumps is motivated by their promising role in addressing global environmental and energy-related challenges. Evaluating the environmental footprint of a heat pump is not easy, and the impacts of Stirling cycle-based heat pumps, with a relatively high temperature lift have received little attention. In this work, the environmental footprint of a Stirling cycle-based very high temperature heat pump is evaluated using a “cradle to grave” LCA approach. The results for 15 years of use (including manufacturing phase, operation phase, and decommissioning) of a 500-kW heat output rate system are compared with those of natural gas- and oil-fired boilers. It is found that, for the Stirling cycle-based HP, the global warming potential after of 15 years of use is nearly −5000 kg CO 2 equivalent. The Stirling cycle-based HP offers an environmental impact reduction of at least 10% up to over 40% in the categories climate change, photochemical ozone formation, and ozone depletion when compared to gas- and oil-fired boilers, respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Umara Khan & Ron Zevenhoven & Tor-Martin Tveit, 2020. "Evaluation of the Environmental Sustainability of a Stirling Cycle-Based Heat Pump Using LCA," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-16, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:17:p:4469-:d:406313
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Agnieszka Jachura & Robert Sekret, 2021. "Life Cycle Assessment of the Use of Phase Change Material in an Evacuated Solar Tube Collector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-18, July.
    2. Werner, Sven, 2022. "Network configurations for implemented low-temperature district heating," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PB).
    3. Zevenhoven, Ron, 2021. "Engineering thermodynamics and sustainability," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    4. Xiaoming Zhou & Maosheng Sang & Minglei Bao & Yi Ding, 2022. "Tracing and Evaluating Life-Cycle Carbon Emissions of Urban Multi-Energy Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-19, April.
    5. Yajuan Wang & Jun’an Zhang & Zhiwei Lu & Jiayu Liu & Bo Liu & Hao Dong, 2022. "Analytical Solution of Heat Transfer Performance of Grid Regenerator in Inverse Stirling Cycle," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-25, September.
    6. Umara Khan & Ron Zevenhoven & Lydia Stougie & Tor-Martin Tveit, 2021. "Prediction of Stirling-Cycle-Based Heat Pump Performance and Environmental Footprint with Exergy Analysis and LCA," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-12, December.

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