Lämpötalteen

Lämpötalteen (Finnish for heat recapture) is a concept in energy engineering that refers to the capture and reuse of waste heat generated by industrial processes, ventilation exhaust, and power generation. By channeling the heat through exchangers, recuperators, economizers, or heat pumps, the recovered energy can preheat process streams, contribute to space heating, or charge thermal energy storage systems.

Technologies commonly associated with lämpötalteen include heat exchangers, recuperators, regenerative burners, economizers, waste-heat boilers, heat pumps, and materials for latent heat storage such as phase-change materials.

Applications span industrial plants, district heating networks, commercial and institutional buildings, and data centers, where waste heat is available in streams such as flue gases, cooling exhaust, or server cooling air. Two main types are notable: sensible heat recovery, which transfers heat without phase change, and latent heat recovery, which uses phase-change materials to store energy. Seasonal thermal energy storage can be used to balance heat supply over the year.

Benefits include reduced energy consumption, lower operating costs, and lower greenhouse gas emissions; challenges include high upfront capital costs, integration with existing systems, corrosion and fouling risks, and temperature compatibility of heat sources and sinks. See also energy efficiency, waste heat recovery, district heating, and heat exchangers.