【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Engineering Equipment】China’s first heat network return water recycling-based heat pump combined heating project was put into operation in Beijing from 2990 to 2026

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Let’s give praise and support to the achievements made in China’s chemical engineering technology and equipment; your participation in discussions is the greatest encouragement. **********************【Ten Years of Progress in Chemical Engineering Equipment】A continuously updated summary post is available; feel free to join the discussions: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html ***************** Recently, Xinhua News Agency reported on \"China’s first project for recovering waste heat from reclaimed water for use in heating systems has been put into operation in Beijing.\" The report focused on the first project carried out by a wastewater management company that combines source heat pumps with traditional heating systems – namely, the project at Huaneng Beijing Thermal Power Plant, where reclaimed water from the heating system is used to power source heat pumps. This project innovatively uses the reclaimed water discharged from the Beipai Gaobeidian Reclaimed Water Plant as a heat source; through efficient heat pump technology, the waste heat is extracted and directly supplied to Beijing’s municipal heating network. By turning waste into a valuable resource, it significantly reduces carbon emissions and dependence on natural gas, offering a replicable and scalable new approach for clean heating in cities. It is understood that this project, which utilizes renewable water source heat pump technology for the heating network supply enhancement, marks the first time that reclaimed water discharged from the Gaobeidian Reclaimed Water Plant has been used as a heat source. Through 3 heat pump units with a capacity of 10.47 megawatts each, the residual heat in the reclaimed water is extracted, raising the temperature of the water returning to the heating network from 50°C to 57°C. This heated water is then supplied directly into the municipal heating return pipeline network via 2 DN1000 dedicated pipelines. Wastewater/reused water source heat pump technology is an efficient and energy-saving technique that utilizes wastewater/reused water as the heat source and cold source. It extracts or releases heat from water through a heat pump cycle system to provide heating, cooling, and hot water for buildings, and is one of the important forms of renewable energy utilization. The breakthrough of this technology lies in the implementation of a system integration that combines \"medium-to-high temperature heat pumps with heat distribution networks,\" enabling the heating temperature provided by heat pumps to be increased from the conventional 45°C to the range of 57°C–65°C. This approach overcomes the energy efficiency limitations of equipment operating under high-temperature conditions. Additionally, it introduces a novel technique for integrating reclaimed water systems with thermal systems, filling a gap in the industry and representing a significant advancement in domestic heating technology. Experts point out that the completion of this project not only enhances the stability and sustainability of Beijing’s heating system, but also lays the foundation for the large-scale utilization of waste heat from reclaimed water. It is estimated that if all the waste heat from recycled water in Beijing is utilized, it could meet about 10% of the heating needs in the city’s central area, covering a heating area of 50 to 60 million square meters. The project operator states that through technological empowerment and management optimization, it aims to activate dormant resources and enhance green efficiency. “During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Beipai Energy Company plans to expand its capacity by 1.2 million GJ, further promoting the \"reclaimed water + clean heating\" model in more areas.