Refrigeration
Industrial Heat Pumps
Industrial heat pumps are reshaping how industrial facilities approach process heating — recovering waste heat from process streams, cooling water and exhaust sources and upgrading it to temperatures suitable for pasteurisation, drying, hot water generation and district heating. With natural refrigerants including ammonia, CO₂, propane, butane and pentane, output temperatures from 60°C to over 150°C are achievable.
NEXT Lubricants supports industrial heat pump applications with compressor lubricants across all main natural refrigerants and output temperature ranges.
Compression process
Industrial Heat Pumps — Process, Applications & Compressor Role
Industrial heat pumps extract heat from a low-temperature source — process wastewater, cooling water return, exhaust air or ambient sources — and deliver it at a higher temperature for industrial use. Rather than generating heat, they move it — achieving heat output at 60°C to over 150°C depending on the refrigerant and system configuration. In industrial applications, natural refrigerants including ammonia, CO₂, propane, butane and pentane are the established choices, valued for their thermodynamic performance, zero or near-zero global warming potential and long-term regulatory stability.
The compressor drives the temperature lift — raising refrigerant vapour to the condensing pressure required to deliver heat at the output temperature the process demands. The greater the temperature lift between heat source and delivery temperature, the higher the compression ratio and the more demanding the operating conditions. Heat pump compressors operate at higher condensing temperatures than equivalent refrigeration applications, resulting in elevated discharge temperatures — particularly in high-temperature configurations where output exceeds 100°C.
Process Heat & Hot Water Generation
Industrial heat pumps supply process heat and hot water in food processing, dairy, brewery and chemical manufacturing — recovering heat from process cooling streams, wastewater and condenser systems that would otherwise be rejected to the environment.
Industrial Electrification & Decarbonisation
Heat pumps replace or supplement gas-fired boilers in industrial facilities where electrification of process heat forms part of a wider carbon reduction strategy — particularly in food, chemical and paper manufacturing where large volumes of low-grade waste heat are available.
District Heating Supply
Large-scale industrial heat pumps supply district heating networks, recovering heat from rivers, seawater, wastewater treatment or industrial waste streams and delivering it at temperatures suitable for residential and commercial heat distribution.
High-Temperature Industrial Processes
Pentane and ammonia heat pumps deliver output temperatures above 120°C for industrial drying, chemical process heating and paper and pulp applications where high-temperature process heat is required and low-grade waste heat is available as a source.
Refrigerants
Natural Refrigerants in Industrial Heat Pumps
Industrial heat pump systems use natural refrigerants selected for their thermodynamic performance, low environmental impact and long-term regulatory stability. Each refrigerant operates under different conditions and requires a specifically matched compressor lubricant.
Ammonia (R717)
The dominant refrigerant in large industrial heat pumps, used in food processing, dairy, district heating and industrial process heating where high capacity and thermodynamic efficiency are required.
Butane (R600)
Applied in heat pump systems where its pressure range and thermodynamic characteristics suit the required temperature lift and system design.
CO₂ (R744)
Used in transcritical heat pump configurations capable of delivering output temperatures of 90°C and above, suited to hot water generation, food processing and district heating.
Pentane (R601 / R601a)
Used in high-temperature industrial heat pump applications delivering 100–150°C output, including industrial drying, chemical process heating and paper and pulp.
Propane (R290)
Used in medium-scale industrial heat pump systems, installed in ATEX-classified environments due to propane’s flammability.
Related Applications
Explore Other Refrigeration Applications
Industrial heat pumps are part of a broader refrigeration and thermal systems landscape, with other applications varying by refrigerant, duty profile and system objective.
CO₂ Refrigeration
Industrial and commercial refrigeration systems where CO₂ is used as part of the overall system design and operating approach.
Hydrocarbon Refrigeration
Refrigeration applications using hydrocarbon refrigerants where system design and operating conditions can differ from ammonia-based systems.
HFC & HFO Refrigeration
Refrigeration systems using HFC or HFO refrigerants, with different system and lubricant requirements from natural refrigerant applications.
Ammonia Refrigeration
Refrigeration systems using HFC or HFO refrigerants, with different system and lubricant requirements from natural refrigerant applications.