EDINBURGH-BASED engineering firm Turnbull & Scott is spearheading an innovative project that could revolutionise the utilisation of waste heat energy. The company is developing a concept that involves storing surplus waste heat from industrial sites and transporting it to secondary locations or heat networks for reuse.
The initiative was born out of the increasing demand from industrial clients with excess waste heat but no immediate use for it. Turnbull & Scott’s ambitious project aims to assess the feasibility of recovering surplus waste heat, storing it in a transportable heat store, and then efficiently discharging it at a secondary site for reuse. The company is leveraging its expertise in heat exchanger design and incorporating phase change materials (PCMs) to optimise thermal efficiency, transportability, charge/discharge times, and overall costs.
As part of the research and development phase, Turnbull & Scott plans to construct a test unit in the coming year. The unit will enable the testing of critical parameters such as heat loss during transportation, discharge times, and the interplay of various mediums and PCMs. The company aspires to install a demonstration site in 2024 to showcase the practical application of their pioneering solution.
In a significant endorsement of their green innovation, Turnbull & Scott has been chosen as one of 16 companies to receive support from a Scottish Enterprise fund. The fund aims to fortify Scotland’s ‘green heat’ supply chain by nurturing novel products and processes that contribute to the transition to low-carbon heat and enhance the thermal performance of buildings.
Peter Murphy, Managing Director of Turnbull & Scott, expressed excitement about being part of an initiative that underscores the importance of sustainable waste heat utilisation. The company joins a cohort of recipients, including Aberdeenshire-based engineers Geothermal Energy Ltd and Glasgow-based industrial heat pump developer and manufacturer Star Renewable Energy.
Suzanne Sosna, Director of Economic Opportunities at Scottish Enterprise, emphasised the crucial role of decarbonizing heat in achieving global net-zero targets. The funding provided to Turnbull & Scott and other businesses aims to facilitate detailed feasibility assessments, paving the way for future commercial development in the green heat sector.
Turnbull & Scott’s commitment to advancing sustainable practices in waste heat management aligns with broader efforts to address climate change and promote a greener future.
