Turboden claims largest steam-producing heat pump
18th February 2026
ITALY: Turboden SpA, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, has announced the successful start-up of what it claims is the world’s largest steam-producing heat pump.
The CO₂-free steam generation project consists of a large heat pump (LHP) coupled with a mechanical vapour recompression (MVR) capable of generating 12MWth of superheated steam at 3.4bar(a), lifting the temperature up to 150-180°C. The system recovers low-grade waste heat from the industrial process, and upgrades it using CO₂-free electricity.
The system is now fully operational at Delfort, a leading manufacturer of specialty papers, and is over-performing with a COP 10% above the guaranteed value.
According to Turboden, this plant is the largest steam-producing heat pump ever built and demonstrates the concrete potential of CO₂-free heat technologies to replace fossil-fuel-based boilers in demanding industrial applications requiring steam beyond 150°C.
“For the industrial and energy sectors, this project stands as clear evidence that large-scale heat pump technologies are a viable and already available decarbonisation solution, delivering outstanding performance as a high-efficiency alternative to traditional fossil-based systems,” said Turboden MD and CEO Paolo Bertuzzi.
One of the key challenges of the project was to install the heat pump inside an existing room with limited footprint available. Turboden designed the plant to ensure optimal accessibility, maintainability, and performance. This was achieved through a close and collaborative engineering effort between Turboden and Delfort, resulting in a tailor-made plant set-up fully integrated in the paper mill.
In addition, Turboden managed the seamless interaction between the heat pump and the MVR across all operating phases, applying advanced process know-how and sophisticated system integration capabilities.
Founded in 1980, Turboden is a recognised leader in the design, manufacture, and maintenance of proprietary turbomachinery, including Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems for distributed power generation, large heat pumps, and MVR systems. The company was acquired by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 2013 from Pratt & Whitney Power Systems.
