MVR heat pump offers CO2-free steam generation
26th September 2025
GERMANY: Chemical company BASF has broken ground on a new formic acid plant in Ludwigshafen that will use one of the largest industrial heat pumps for CO2-free steam generation.
The heat pump, with a capacity of up to 50MWth and an 11-stage system with compressors, is currently under construction by German manufacturer GIG Karasek. It will use electricity from renewable sources to produce CO2-free steam.
The CompriVAP heat pump system is based on mechanical vapour recompression (MVR) technology, which is well-suited for low-temperature waste heat streams.
The heat pump will use waste heat produced by cooling processes in one of the two steam crackers at the site. It will cover an area of around 2,000m2 next to the steam cracker and will be connected to the plant via pipe bridges.
The architecture of the heat pump and many of its components have been specially adapted to the technical operating environment, such as its connection to the steam cracker and its integration into a chemical production environment.
When operational, it is expected to reduce the annual greenhouse gas emissions generated at the plant by up to 98%, which equates to a reduction of 100,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.
The heat pump, with its capacity of 60 tonnes of steam per hour (up to 500,000 tonnes of steam per year), is also setting new standards in terms of temperature lift and capacity. Commissioning of the heat pump is scheduled for mid-2027.
In October last year, BASF received funding approval from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy for the implementation of the project. The German government will contribute up to €310m to the project as part of the Carbon Contracts for Difference funding programme.
