Experience of Application of High-Capacity Heat Pump Units in District Heating Systems

The State Program of the Republic of Belarus “Sustainable Energy and Energy Efficiency” for 2026–2030 envisages the maximum possible use of heat pumps in centralized and decentralized heat supply systems. The main factors facilitating the use of Heat Pump Units (HPUs) in conjunction with thermal energy storage technologies are the possibility of utilizing the lowtemperature heat sources, increasing the maneuverability of the power system in conditions of a high proportion of electricity generation from renewable energy sources and nuclear power plants, and reducing emissions of harmful substances. The article discusses the circumstances and technical solutions for integrating high-capacity HPUs into heat supply systems. To date, the share of highcapacity HPUs in the generating capacity structure of District Heating Systems (DHS) remains insignificant in global practice; however, in a number of countries their widespread application in the near future is considered as part of energy decarbonization programs. The authors discuss the technical aspects of integrating HPUs into existing DHS using various sources of low-potential heat, examine the application of different types of working fluids, and analyze the financial costs of project implementation. It is shown that the widespread deployment of HPUs is constrained by high capital costs, the uncertainty of the formation of electricity tariffs and the uncertainty of information about the efficiency of equipment at variable loads. Under these conditions, projects of HPUs implementation in the DHS cannot be regarded as model solutions, they require the use of individual design solutions for each specific case. The results of the analysis of technical solutions of projects implemented to date for the use of high-capacity HPUs in the DHS demonstrate the technical feasibility and economic expediency of using high-capacity HPUs in the territory of the Republic of Belarus in the presence of an economically acceptable source of low-potential heat.

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