Heat recovery systems are designed to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature while reducing energy consumption and promoting sustainability. These systems transfer thermal energy from one fluid to another or from a solid surface to a liquid at different temperatures and in thermal contact.
The primary purpose of heat recovery systems is to mitigate the energy consumption of buildings for heating, cooling, and ventilation by recovering waste heat.
They can be incorporated into residential or commercial buildings for energy saving and used in various industrial processes. This could include distilleries, food manufacturing plants, and large-scale laundry drying. There are several types of heat recovery systems, including air-to-air heat exchangers, water-to-water heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps, and waste heat recovery systems. Each type has its strengths and suitability for specific circumstances.
For instance, in the United Kingdom, computer data centres have become a significant source of waste heat, an often overlooked byproduct of their high energy usage. As data centres expand due to increasing digital demand, they emit substantial amounts of thermal energy, which typically dissipates into the atmosphere unused.
Recognising this, the focus has now turned towards harnessing this ‘wasted’ energy using heat recovery systems. Such systems capture and repurpose the excess heat, potentially reducing energy consumption and associated carbon emissions.
Heat recovery can significantly improve the overall energy efficiency of data centres, aligning with the growing emphasis on sustainable operations. This is not only a forward-thinking approach towards energy management but also a critical step towards a more sustainable future for data centre operations.