1. Introduction
Against the backdrop of global energy crisis and increasingly stringent carbon emission reduction requirements, the industrial sector, as the largest energy consumer and carbon emitter, bears an important responsibility in achieving energy conservation and carbon neutrality. Industrial production processes (such as smelting, chemical reaction, combustion, and material processing) inevitably generate a large amount of waste heat, which is usually discharged into the environment in the form of high-temperature flue gas, waste water, waste steam, and high-temperature solid materials, resulting in massive energy waste and environmental thermal pollution. According to statistics, the total amount of industrial waste heat in major industrial countries accounts for 30% to 40% of their total industrial energy consumption, and the recoverable proportion of this waste heat is about 60% to 70%, indicating enormous recovery potential.
Industrial waste heat recovery technology refers to the technical process of collecting, transferring, storing, and reusing the waste heat generated in industrial production, converting the low-grade or medium-high grade waste heat into usable energy (such as heat, electricity, or cold energy) to replace traditional fossil energy consumption. Compared with other energy-saving technologies, waste heat recovery has the advantages of high energy utilization efficiency, low investment return cycle, and significant carbon reduction effect—it is estimated that every 100 million kWh of waste heat recovered can reduce coal consumption by about 30,000 tons and carbon dioxide emissions by about 80,000 tons, which is an important breakthrough for industrial enterprises to achieve energy conservation targets and reduce operating costs.
However, the practical application of industrial waste heat recovery technology still faces many challenges: the diversity and dispersion of waste heat sources, the low grade of most waste heat (below 300℃), the mismatch between waste heat supply and demand in time and space, the high initial investment of recovery systems, and the lack of systematic integration with existing production processes. To solve these problems, it is necessary to clarify the key technical paths of waste heat recovery, design scientific and reasonable system solutions, and promote the integration of waste heat recovery technology with industrial production processes, so as to maximize the recovery and utilization efficiency of industrial waste heat.
This paper focuses on the core of industrial waste heat recovery technology, systematically elaborates on the classification and characteristics of industrial waste heat, analyzes the key technical paths and their application scenarios, proposes systematic solutions for waste heat recovery systems, and discusses the future development trends, aiming to provide professional technical support for industrial enterprises to promote waste heat recovery and achieve energy conservation and carbon reduction.
2. Classification and Characteristics of Industrial Waste Heat
Industrial waste heat is diverse in form, with significant differences in temperature, pressure, and medium, which directly determines the selection of recovery technology and the efficiency of recovery and utilization. According to the form of waste heat, temperature grade, and source, industrial waste heat can be classified into different types, each with distinct characteristics and recovery potential.
2.1 Classification by Waste Heat Form
Industrial waste heat mainly exists in four forms: flue gas waste heat, waste water/waste steam waste heat, high-temperature solid waste heat, and reaction waste heat. Each form has unique characteristics and recovery methods:
- Flue Gas Waste Heat: The most common form of industrial waste heat, generated by combustion processes in boilers, furnaces, and kilns. It accounts for about 40% to 60% of the total industrial waste heat, with a wide temperature range (100℃ to 1200℃). The characteristics of flue gas waste heat include large air volume, high temperature (for medium-high grade waste heat), and the presence of dust, corrosive gases (such as SO₂, NOₓ), which require pre-treatment (dust removal, desulfurization) before recovery. Typical sources include thermal power plant boilers, metallurgical blast furnaces, and petrochemical cracking furnaces.
- Waste Water/Waste Steam Waste Heat: Generated by industrial processes such as cooling, condensation, and distillation, including high-temperature waste water, saturated waste steam, and superheated waste steam. It accounts for about 20% to 30% of the total industrial waste heat, with a temperature range of 50℃ to 300℃. The characteristics of this type of waste heat include high water content, stable temperature, and low corrosiveness (in most cases), making it easy to recover. Typical sources include petrochemical condensation water, steel plant cooling water, and food processing waste water.
- High-Temperature Solid Waste Heat: Generated by high-temperature solid materials in industrial production, such as metallurgical slag, cinder, and high-temperature workpieces. It accounts for about 10% to 15% of the total industrial waste heat, with a temperature range of 200℃ to 1000℃. The characteristics include high temperature, large heat capacity, and slow heat release, requiring special heat exchange equipment for recovery. Typical sources include steel plant blast furnace slag, cement plant clinker, and foundry castings.
- Reaction Waste Heat: Generated by exothermic reactions in industrial processes, such as chemical synthesis, fermentation, and oxidation reactions. It accounts for about 5% to 10% of the total industrial waste heat, with a temperature range of 100℃ to 500℃. The characteristics include stable heat release, high heat quality, and close integration with the production process, which can be directly reused in the reaction process. Typical sources include petrochemical hydrogenation reactions, chemical fertilizer synthesis, and pharmaceutical fermentation.
2.2 Classification by Temperature Grade
The temperature grade of waste heat is the key factor determining the recovery technology and utilization value. According to the temperature level, industrial waste heat is divided into high-grade, medium-grade, and low-grade waste heat, with distinct recovery paths and utilization scenarios:
- High-Grade Waste Heat: Temperature ≥ 500℃, mainly including high-temperature flue gas, high-temperature solid materials, and high-temperature reaction waste heat. It has high energy quality and can be directly used for power generation, high-temperature heating, or process heating. Typical sources include metallurgical blast furnace flue gas (800℃ to 1200℃), steel plant converter flue gas (1000℃ to 1300℃), and petrochemical cracking furnace flue gas (600℃ to 900℃).
- Medium-Grade Waste Heat: Temperature between 200℃ and 500℃, including medium-temperature flue gas, waste steam, and high-temperature waste water. It is the most widely distributed type of industrial waste heat, which can be used for power generation (organic Rankine cycle, ORC), process heating, or heat supply. Typical sources include thermal power plant boiler flue gas (300℃ to 450℃), petrochemical condensation steam (250℃ to 400℃), and cement plant kiln flue gas (200℃ to 350℃).
- Low-Grade Waste Heat: Temperature < 200℃, mainly including low-temperature flue gas, low-temperature waste water, and low-temperature reaction waste heat. It has low energy quality and high recovery difficulty, but large total amount, which can be used for low-temperature heating, domestic hot water supply, or driven absorption refrigeration. Typical sources include industrial cooling water (50℃ to 100℃), low-temperature flue gas after heat exchange (100℃ to 200℃), and food processing waste water (60℃ to 120℃).
2.3 Key Characteristics and Recovery Potential
Industrial waste heat has the characteristics of diversity, dispersion, instability, and grade differentiation, which brings both opportunities and challenges to its recovery and utilization. On the one hand, the large total amount and wide distribution of industrial waste heat provide enormous recovery potential—according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the global recoverable industrial waste heat is about 1.5×10¹² kWh per year, which can reduce global carbon dioxide emissions by about 1×10⁹ tons per year. On the other hand, the instability of waste heat (fluctuations in temperature, flow rate) and the mismatch between supply and demand (time and space differences between waste heat generation and utilization) increase the difficulty of system design and operation.
The recovery potential of industrial waste heat varies by industry: the metallurgical industry has the highest waste heat generation (accounting for about 35% of total industrial waste heat), followed by the petrochemical industry (25%), power generation industry (20%), and manufacturing industry (20%). For example, in the steel industry, the waste heat generated by blast furnaces, converters, and rolling mills accounts for about 40% of the total energy consumption of the industry, and the recoverable proportion is about 70%; in the petrochemical industry, the waste heat generated by cracking furnaces, hydrogenation reactors, and distillation towers accounts for about 30% of the total energy consumption, with a recoverable proportion of about 65%.
3. Key Technical Paths of Industrial Waste Heat Recovery
The key to industrial waste heat recovery lies in selecting appropriate technical paths according to the form, temperature grade, and characteristics of waste heat, so as to maximize the recovery efficiency and utilization value. The main technical paths of industrial waste heat recovery include heat exchange technology, power generation technology, heat storage technology, and integrated utilization technology, which are often used in combination in practical applications.
3.1 Heat Exchange Technology: Core Path for Waste Heat Transfer
Heat exchange technology is the most basic and widely used technical path for industrial waste heat recovery, which realizes the transfer of waste heat from high-temperature media to low-temperature media through heat exchangers, so as to reuse the waste heat. The core of this technology is the selection of heat exchangers, which are designed according to the type of waste heat medium, temperature, pressure, and corrosiveness. Common heat exchange technologies and their applications are as follows:
- Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchangers: Suitable for large-scale waste heat recovery scenarios, such as waste water, waste steam, and flue gas waste heat recovery. It has the advantages of high heat transfer efficiency, strong pressure-bearing capacity, and good stability, and is widely used in petrochemical, power generation, and metallurgical industries. For example, in a thermal power plant, shell-and-tube heat exchangers are used to recover the waste heat of boiler flue gas to heat feed water, improving boiler efficiency by 2% to 3%.
- Fin-and-Tube Heat Exchangers: Suitable for flue gas waste heat recovery, especially low-temperature flue gas. By adding fins on the surface of the heat exchange tube, the heat transfer area is expanded, and the heat transfer efficiency is improved. Common types include spiral finned tubes, serrated finned tubes, and corrugated finned tubes, which are widely used in air-cooled heat exchangers, flue gas waste heat recovery systems. For example, in a steel plant, fin-and-tube heat exchangers are used to recover the waste heat of blast furnace flue gas (200℃ to 350℃) for heating combustion air, reducing fuel consumption by 10% to 15%.
- Heat Pipe Heat Exchangers: Suitable for low-grade waste heat recovery (50℃ to 200℃) and scenarios with large temperature differences. Heat pipes have the advantages of high thermal conductivity, fast heat transfer speed, and good isothermal performance, and can effectively recover low-grade waste heat that is difficult to recover by traditional heat exchangers. Typical applications include low-temperature flue gas waste heat recovery, waste water heat recovery, and domestic hot water supply.
- Regenerative Heat Exchangers: Suitable for high-temperature flue gas waste heat recovery (500℃ to 1200℃), such as metallurgical furnaces and industrial boilers. It uses a regenerator to alternately absorb and release heat, transferring the waste heat of high-temperature flue gas to the cold medium (such as air, gas). The advantages are high heat recovery efficiency (up to 80% to 90%) and strong adaptability to high temperatures, but the structure is complex and the investment cost is high.
3.2 Power Generation Technology: Conversion of Waste Heat to Electrical Energy
Power generation technology is a high-value utilization path for industrial waste heat, which converts the thermal energy of waste heat into electrical energy through thermodynamic cycles, realizing the upgrading of waste heat energy quality. This technology is mainly suitable for medium-high grade waste heat (≥200℃), and the common technical routes include steam Rankine cycle (SRC), organic Rankine cycle (ORC), and Kalina cycle (KC).
- Steam Rankine Cycle (SRC): Suitable for high-grade waste heat (≥500℃), such as high-temperature flue gas, high-temperature waste steam. The principle is to use waste heat to heat water into high-temperature and high-pressure steam, which drives the steam turbine to generate electricity. It has the advantages of mature technology, high power generation efficiency (up to 30% to 40%), and large power generation capacity, and is widely used in thermal power plants, metallurgical plants, and petrochemical plants. For example, a steel plant uses the high-temperature flue gas (800℃ to 1000℃) from a blast furnace to generate steam through a waste heat boiler, driving a steam turbine to generate 50MW of electricity per year, reducing coal consumption by 150,000 tons per year.
- Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC): Suitable for medium-low grade waste heat (100℃ to 400℃), which is the most widely used waste heat power generation technology in recent years. The principle is to use low-boiling organic working fluids (such as R245fa, R134a) to absorb waste heat and evaporate into high-pressure steam, which drives the turbine to generate electricity. It has the advantages of low operating temperature, high adaptability to low-grade waste heat, and small equipment volume, and is suitable for small and medium-sized industrial enterprises. For example, a petrochemical plant uses the waste heat of condensation steam (250℃ to 300℃) to build an ORC waste heat power generation system with a capacity of 10MW, generating 80 million kWh of electricity per year, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 64,000 tons per year.
- Kalina Cycle (KC): Suitable for medium-grade waste heat (200℃ to 500℃), especially waste heat with large temperature differences. It uses a mixture of ammonia and water as the working fluid, which has better thermal performance than single working fluids, and can achieve higher power generation efficiency (15% to 25%) than ORC in some scenarios. However, the system structure is complex, the investment cost is high, and it is mainly used in large-scale industrial waste heat power generation projects.
3.3 Heat Storage Technology: Solution for Supply-Demand Mismatch
The instability of industrial waste heat (fluctuations in temperature and flow rate) and the mismatch between supply and demand (time and space differences) are important bottlenecks restricting the efficient utilization of waste heat. Heat storage technology can store the recovered waste heat when the supply exceeds demand, and release it when the demand exceeds supply, realizing the balance between waste heat supply and demand. Common heat storage technologies are divided into sensible heat storage, latent heat storage, and chemical heat storage:
- Sensible Heat Storage: The most mature and widely used heat storage technology, which stores heat by changing the temperature of the storage medium (such as water, oil, rock, and molten salt). It has the advantages of low cost, simple structure, and high reliability, and is suitable for medium-low grade waste heat storage. For example, in a solar-thermal power plant, molten salt is used to store the waste heat of solar energy and industrial waste heat, which can realize continuous power generation when there is no solar energy or waste heat supply.
- Latent Heat Storage: Stores heat by using the phase change of the storage medium (phase change materials, PCMs) at a certain temperature, which has the advantages of high heat storage density and constant temperature during heat release. It is suitable for low-grade waste heat storage (50℃ to 200℃), such as low-temperature waste water, low-temperature flue gas. Common phase change materials include paraffin, fatty acids, and salt hydrates. For example, a food processing plant uses paraffin-based phase change materials to store the waste heat of processing waste water (60℃ to 80℃), which is used for heating production workshops and domestic hot water supply.
- Chemical Heat Storage: Stores heat through reversible chemical reactions, which has the advantages of ultra-high heat storage density and long-term storage capacity, but the technology is immature, the cost is high, and it is still in the experimental and pilot stage. It is suitable for high-grade waste heat storage and long-distance transportation of waste heat.
3.4 Integrated Utilization Technology: Maximizing Waste Heat Value
Industrial waste heat has diverse forms and grades, and a single recovery technology is difficult to maximize its utilization value. Integrated utilization technology combines multiple recovery technologies (heat exchange, power generation, heat storage) and integrates them with the industrial production process, realizing the cascade utilization of waste heat (high-grade waste heat for power generation, medium-grade waste heat for process heating, low-grade waste heat for heating and refrigeration). This technology is the development direction of industrial waste heat recovery, which can improve the overall recovery efficiency and economic benefits.
Typical integrated utilization modes include: 1) High-grade waste heat → power generation → medium-grade waste heat from power generation → process heating → low-grade waste heat → heating/refrigeration; 2) Waste heat recovery + heat storage + distributed energy supply, realizing the integrated supply of heat, electricity, and cold. For example, a large petrochemical enterprise adopts an integrated waste heat recovery system: the high-temperature flue gas (600℃ to 800℃) from cracking furnaces is used for steam power generation, the medium-temperature waste heat (250℃ to 350℃) from power generation is used for process distillation, and the low-temperature waste heat (100℃ to 200℃) is used for heating workshops and domestic hot water supply, with an overall waste heat recovery efficiency of over 75% and annual energy savings of 200,000 tons of standard coal.
4. Systematic Solutions for Industrial Waste Heat Recovery Systems
The efficient recovery and utilization of industrial waste heat cannot rely solely on a single technology, but requires a systematic solution covering system design, equipment selection, process integration, intelligent operation, and policy support. The systematic solution should be tailored to the characteristics of the enterprise's production process, waste heat sources, and utilization needs, ensuring the technical feasibility, economic rationality, and long-term stability of the system.
4.1 System Design: Based on Waste Heat Source Investigation and Demand Analysis
The first step in building an industrial waste heat recovery system is to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the waste heat sources and analyze the utilization needs, laying the foundation for system design. The key links include:
- Waste Heat Source Investigation: Conduct on-site testing and statistics of the waste heat sources in the enterprise, including the form, temperature, flow rate, pressure, composition, and stability of waste heat, and evaluate the recoverable potential and quality of each waste heat source. For example, for a steel plant, it is necessary to test the temperature, flow rate, and dust content of blast furnace flue gas, converter flue gas, and rolling mill waste water, and calculate the recoverable heat of each waste heat source.
- Utilization Demand Analysis: Clarify the enterprise's energy demand, including process heating, power supply, heating, refrigeration, and domestic hot water supply, and determine the temperature, pressure, and quantity of energy required. According to the demand, match the waste heat grade with the energy demand, realizing the cascade utilization of waste heat.
- System Scheme Design: Based on the waste heat source investigation and demand analysis, design the overall scheme of the waste heat recovery system, including the selection of recovery technology, the layout of equipment, the flow of medium, and the integration with the existing production process. The design should follow the principles of energy cascade utilization, high recovery efficiency, and low investment cost.
4.2 Equipment Selection: Matching Waste Heat Characteristics and System Requirements
The selection of waste heat recovery equipment is directly related to the recovery efficiency and operation stability of the system. The key principles of equipment selection are: matching the type and grade of waste heat, meeting the energy demand, and ensuring economic rationality. Common equipment selection guidelines are as follows:
- Heat Exchangers: For high-temperature flue gas (≥500℃), select regenerative heat exchangers or high-temperature shell-and-tube heat exchangers; for medium-temperature flue gas (200℃ to 500℃), select fin-and-tube heat exchangers; for low-temperature waste water (50℃ to 200℃), select heat pipe heat exchangers or plate heat exchangers; for corrosive waste heat media, select corrosion-resistant materials (such as stainless steel, Hastelloy) for heat exchangers.
- Power Generation Equipment: For high-grade waste heat (≥500℃), select steam turbine power generation units; for medium-low grade waste heat (100℃ to 400℃), select ORC power generation units; for small-scale waste heat sources (≤5MW), select small ORC units with compact structure and low investment.
- Heat Storage Equipment: For medium-low grade waste heat storage, select sensible heat storage equipment (such as water tanks, molten salt storage tanks) for large-scale storage, and latent heat storage equipment (phase change material storage tanks) for small-scale, constant-temperature storage; for long-term storage, consider chemical heat storage equipment (pilot stage).
4.3 Process Integration: Integrating with Industrial Production Systems
The industrial waste heat recovery system cannot be an independent system; it must be closely integrated with the enterprise's existing production process to avoid affecting the normal production and maximize the recovery efficiency. The key points of process integration include:
- Integration with Production Process: Embed the waste heat recovery equipment into the production process, such as installing heat exchangers in the flue gas pipeline of boilers and furnaces, recovering the waste heat of waste water before it is discharged, and using the recovered waste heat directly in the production process (such as process heating, material drying), reducing the loss of waste heat during transportation.
- Energy Cascade Utilization: According to the temperature grade of waste heat, realize cascade utilization: high-grade waste heat is used for power generation, medium-grade waste heat is used for process heating, and low-grade waste heat is used for heating and refrigeration, ensuring that each grade of waste heat is used in the most suitable scenario, maximizing the energy utilization value.
- Waste Heat Reuse in the Same Industry Chain: For industrial parks or enterprises with related industrial chains, realize the inter-enterprise reuse of waste heat. For example, the high-temperature waste heat generated by a steel plant is supplied to a nearby chemical plant for process heating, and the low-temperature waste heat of the chemical plant is supplied to a residential area for heating, forming a circular energy utilization system.
4.4 Intelligent Operation and Maintenance: Ensuring System Stability and Efficiency
The industrial waste heat recovery system has complex equipment and variable operating conditions, requiring intelligent operation and maintenance to ensure long-term stable operation and high recovery efficiency. The key measures include:
- Intelligent Monitoring System: Install sensors and monitoring equipment on the waste heat recovery equipment to real-time monitor the temperature, pressure, flow rate, and heat transfer efficiency of the system, and alarm in time when abnormalities occur (such as equipment failure, heat transfer efficiency decline).
- Automatic Control System: Adopt automatic control technology to adjust the operating parameters of the system according to the changes of waste heat sources and energy demand, such as adjusting the flow rate of the heat exchange medium, the load of the power generation unit, and the heat storage and release of the heat storage equipment, ensuring the optimal operation of the system.
- Regular Maintenance and Optimization: Formulate a regular maintenance plan for the waste heat recovery equipment, including cleaning heat exchangers (removing dust, scale), inspecting turbines and pumps, and replacing worn parts. At the same time, optimize the system operation parameters according to the changes of production process and waste heat sources, improving the recovery efficiency and economic benefits.
4.5 Typical Engineering Cases
To illustrate the application effect of the systematic solution for industrial waste heat recovery, two typical engineering cases are listed below:
- Case 1: Steel Plant Integrated Waste Heat Recovery System: A large steel plant has waste heat sources including blast furnace flue gas (800℃ to 1000℃), converter flue gas (1000℃ to 1300℃), and rolling mill waste water (80℃ to 120℃). The systematic solution adopted includes: 1) Using regenerative heat exchangers to recover blast furnace and converter flue gas waste heat to generate steam, driving a 100MW steam turbine to generate electricity; 2) Using shell-and-tube heat exchangers to recover the waste heat of power generation exhaust steam for process heating (steel rolling, annealing); 3) Using heat pipe heat exchangers to recover rolling mill waste water heat for heating workshops and domestic hot water supply; 4) Installing a molten salt heat storage system to store excess waste heat for peak shaving. After the system is put into operation, the annual waste heat recovery capacity is 1.2×10¹¹ kWh, annual power generation is 800 million kWh, annual energy savings are 300,000 tons of standard coal, and annual carbon dioxide emission reduction is 800,000 tons.
- Case 2: Petrochemical Plant ORC Waste Heat Power Generation System: A petrochemical plant generates a large amount of medium-temperature waste heat (250℃ to 350℃) from condensation steam and flue gas. The systematic solution adopted includes: 1) Building a 20MW ORC waste heat power generation system, using R245fa as the working fluid to recover the medium-temperature waste heat for power generation; 2) Integrating the ORC system with the existing process, using the waste heat after power generation for distillation and heating; 3) Installing an intelligent monitoring and control system to adjust the system load according to the fluctuation of waste heat. After the system is put into operation, the annual power generation is 160 million kWh, annual energy savings are 50,000 tons of standard coal, and annual carbon dioxide emission reduction is 130,000 tons, with an investment return cycle of 3.5 years.
5. Challenges and Future Development Trends
5.1 Key Challenges in Practical Application
Although industrial waste heat recovery technology has significant energy-saving and carbon-reduction effects, its large-scale application still faces many challenges:
- Low Grade and Dispersion of Waste Heat: Most industrial waste heat is low-grade (below 200℃), with low energy quality and high recovery difficulty; at the same time, waste heat sources are scattered in different production links, increasing the cost of collection and transportation.
- High Initial Investment and Long Return Cycle: The initial investment of waste heat recovery systems (especially power generation systems) is high, and the investment return cycle is usually 3 to 5 years, which reduces the enthusiasm of enterprises to invest.
- Mismatch Between Supply and Demand: The instability of waste heat sources (fluctuations in temperature and flow rate) and the mismatch between waste heat supply and energy demand in time and space lead to low utilization efficiency of the recovery system.
- Lack of Systematic Policy Support: The current policy support for industrial waste heat recovery is not systematic, including insufficient financial subsidies, imperfect carbon emission trading mechanisms, and lack of mandatory energy-saving standards, which restrict the promotion and application of waste heat recovery technology.
- Technical Bottlenecks of Low-Grade Waste Heat Recovery: The recovery efficiency of low-grade waste heat (below 150℃) is low, and there is a lack of mature and low-cost recovery technologies, which limits the recovery and utilization of low-grade waste heat.
5.2 Future Development Trends
With the continuous advancement of energy conservation and carbon reduction goals and the development of science and technology, industrial waste heat recovery technology will develop towards high efficiency, intelligence, integration, and low cost, and the following trends will become increasingly prominent:
- High-Efficiency Low-Grade Waste Heat Recovery Technology: Develop new heat exchange materials (such as high thermal conductivity composites, corrosion-resistant materials) and heat transfer technologies (such as micro-channel heat exchangers, enhanced heat transfer technology), improving the recovery efficiency of low-grade waste heat (below 200℃) and reducing recovery costs.
- Intelligent and Digital Waste Heat Recovery Systems: Integrate artificial intelligence, big data, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies into waste heat recovery systems, realizing intelligent monitoring, automatic control, and predictive maintenance of the system. For example, using AI algorithms to predict the changes of waste heat sources and adjust the system operation parameters in advance, improving the system efficiency and stability.
- Integration with Renewable Energy: Integrate industrial waste heat recovery systems with renewable energy (such as solar energy, wind energy) to form a hybrid energy system. For example, using solar energy to supplement low-grade waste heat, improving the stability and utilization efficiency of the system; using waste heat power generation to complement wind power and solar power, solving the problem of renewable energy volatility.
- Development of Advanced Heat Storage Technology: Promote the industrial application of latent heat storage and chemical heat storage technologies, improve the heat storage density and storage time, and solve the problem of supply-demand mismatch of waste heat. For example, developing high-performance phase change materials and low-cost chemical heat storage systems, realizing large-scale and long-term storage of waste heat.
- Policy and Market Driven Development: With the improvement of carbon emission reduction policies and the maturity of the carbon trading market, enterprises will have more incentives to invest in waste heat recovery projects. At the same time, the government will increase policy support, such as providing financial subsidies, tax incentives, and formulating mandatory energy-saving standards, promoting the large-scale application of waste heat recovery technology.
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