When the Ecowec® hybrid exchanger is integrated with a heat pump, it captures and recycles the energy lost in wastewater or processes back into the building or industrial processes, reducing the need for purchasing new energy. The heat pump enhances heat recovery and broadens its applications by raising the recycled energy to the desired temperature.
With the Ecowec hybrid exchanger, wastewater heat can be stored in a water storage tank. Energy costs for buildings and processes are reduced significantly when most of the building and/or domestic water heating is replaced by the waste heat from wastewater.
By elevating the recovered wastewater heat to the desired temperature with a heat pump, the energy rating of the property improves, simplifying the process of obtaining building permits. This also reduces operational energy costs and carbon dioxide emissions.
Using the Ecowec hybrid exchanger, buildings and industrial processes can even become energy-positive by recycling wastewater heat back into beneficial use.
By connecting the Ecowec hybrid exchanger to a heat pump, wastewater heat can be recovered 3-5 times more effectively than with a passive heat recovery system. The temperature of the Ecowec hybrid exchanger can be lowered close to 0°C or even below it. This allows for efficient heat recovery from low-temperature wastewater, especially when the temperature difference between wastewater and the heat recovery fluid increases. Recycling and utilizing the heat contained in wastewater becomes easier, offering further opportunities for energy cost savings.
With a heat pump, the recovered wastewater heat can be elevated to the desired temperature. The heat pump can produce water warmer than the wastewater itself, making it usable for heating, domestic water, or even industrial processes exceeding 100°C. This improves the building’s energy rating, and operational energy costs and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced.
With the Ecowec hybrid exchanger, wastewater heat can also be stored in a water storage tank, allowing the waste heat to replace the peak power requirement of the primary heating system in winter and almost entirely in summer.
The connection of the Ecowec hybrid exchanger to the heat pump is illustrated in the provided diagram. The heat pump’s collection fluid circulates through the hybrid exchanger, transferring the heat energy contained in the wastewater for reuse in heating. This innovative system is patented.