Retrospective | Discovering TransPAC technology

lyas GAIN-NACHI, ALLICE project coordinating engineer, visited the Wepa Greenfield paper mill in Château-Thierry on Wednesday, October 2, to get a closer look at Transpac technology.

This demonstrator had been presented at our FIRE event day on September 19, 2024. The WEPA Greenfield plant converts used office paper and cardboard into recycled pulp.

This visit was part of the ALLICE PAC 3 study: “Technological integration of heat pumps for industry”, which will highlight this innovative project. Naldeo, the firm responsible for carrying out the study, was also present.

Considered the “new generation” THT heat pump, TransPAC technology is the result of collaboration between EDF R&D, Armines, Dalkia and its subsidiary Dalkia Froid Solutions. By recovering the heat contained in the drying vapours, this transcritical heat pump produces hot air at temperatures of up to 140°C to power the paper dryers.

The pulp drying unit alone accounts for 97% of the site's gas consumption. In industrial service since August 2023, initial results are encouraging: the TransPAC very-high-temperature heat pump has reduced the site's gas consumption by 5%, or around 7.7 GWh/year, with an average COP of 3.5.

The visit also provided an opportunity to discover in detail the various stages in the process of converting used office paper and cardboard into recycled pulp.

TransPac technology could well pave the way for multi-sector industrial development of heat recovery projects for the production of superheated water, steam and hot air above 110°C.

Our thanks to Marion Pierrot (Dalkia) and Gérald Warlet (WEPA) for organizing this visit!