Esbjerg Seawater Heat Pump

Groundbreaking future project firmly secured

MÜPRO installs substructure for world’s largest seawater heat pump

According to the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA), the number of heat pumps installed in Denmark in 2022 was 29.8 per 1,000 households. By comparison, Germany had only 5.8 heat pumps per household at that time. In general, Scandinavia relies on heat pumps as a heating system – despite cold winters in the north.

In Esbjerg on the Danish North Sea coast, the world’s largest CO2-based seawater heat pump has now gone into operation. MAN Energy Solutions is building a total of two large-scale heat pump units here on behalf of DIN Forsyning, with a combined heating capacity of 70 megawatts. The plant delivers approximately 280,000 megawatt-hours of climate-neutral heat annually, supplying 25,000 households locally and in the neighboring town of Varde. CO2 emissions are reduced by 120,000 tons per year. With the seawater heat pump, Esbjerg can now shut down the local coal-fired power plant and is well on its way to achieving its stated goal of climate neutrality by 2030.

MÜPRO supports this pioneering future-oriented project by providing the necessary substructure for the extensive facility. The implementation presented several challenges and unique requirements. Key factors here include the tight timeframes for installation and the wide variety of fastening technology materials used.

Completed: 2024
Building type: Seawater heat pump
Requirements: Heavy-duty fastening, corrosion protection, installation and on-site support
Country: Denmark

Rapid Implementation thanks to the MPT system and efficient planning

For the structural implementation of this large-scale project, MÜPRO relies primarily on the MPT support system. This system offers a high-performance solution for demanding heavy-duty structures—such as heavy building services or piping systems in industrial and plant engineering—while also being more cost-effective than conventional steel construction. MÜPRO has developed the MPT system with a continuous mounting groove that allows for flexible connection of mounting and fastening components. This eliminates the need for time-consuming welding work, and the system stands out for its ease of use. Assembly without welding saves costs and increases flexibility on the construction site, a factor that was of crucial importance for the project in Esbjerg. Here, the brackets were installed on an as-needed basis. For the implementation, the experts from MÜPRO had time frames of around 24 hours, during which they could flexibly adapt the structure and implement the prior structural engineering plans. In doing so, the company’s engineers found tailor-made solutions and ensured maximum planning reliability through on-site installation and construction site support throughout the project.

The profiles can also be combined with other modular systems, such as the MPC or MPR systems from the manufacturer of fastening technology, making them particularly practical for retrofitting, as they can be easily dismantled and reused.

In Esbjerg, the MPT system was combined with elements from the MPR and MPC systems. MÜPRO was able to draw on a wide range of products from its fastening portfolio, enabling the company to implement this large-scale project with precision. The complete MPT system consists of hot-dip galvanized profiles that are corrosion-resistant and can be used both indoors and outdoors. The fastening technology is also used for the seawater heat pump, both inside the factory building and outdoors. In this way, MÜPRO provides the right fastening solution for every application.

Product diversity in application

In this project, MÜPRO not only demonstrates flexibility and efficiency in the construction process but also showcases a wide range of products. The total weight of the materials supplied amounts to 59.5 tons. Around 300 of the company’s products are being used – including screw-on pipe clamps, high-performance anchors, support profiles, rail brackets, bracket angles, and system rails in various designs. For example, several hundred meters of MPC system rails 38/40 and 40/60 in hot-dip galvanized versions were installed. The scale marks on the sides and on the slotted side not only facilitated the alignment of fasteners but also ensured easy on-site cutting of the profiles. In addition, the rails are characterized by their high bending stiffness under load. The standard-compliant hot-dip galvanizing protects the material from corrosion. This also applies to the over 400 hot-dip galvanized MPT Q100 support profiles, which are six meters long and 3.5 millimeters thick.

Thanks to coordinated functional accessories, the installation in Esbjerg was completed quickly and cost-effectively. For both the MPC rails and the MPT support profiles, matching end caps ensure a clean overall appearance. The support profiles were installed using 3,330 MPT mounting brackets – proven for the easy creation of corner and angle connections as well as bracing, and versatile in their hot-dip galvanized version.

Pipe clamps for the most demanding applications

The MÜPRO product range is characterized by quick installation, user-friendly fastening methods, reliable load-bearing capacity, and excellent sound insulation properties. The company’s pipe clamps are versatile fastening solutions designed for a variety of applications and pipe types. They also offer simple and secure installation options for pipes in the heavy-duty fastening class. To ensure the long-term, stable mounting of pipes and lines, MÜPRO uses a total of 940 M10, M12, and M16 heavy-duty single bossed clamps – with and without DÄMMGULAST® inserts – in the seawater heat pump. Pipes with diameters ranging from half an inch to ten inches are secured. The DÄMMGULAST® sound insulation insert achieves a standard sound reduction of up to 22 dB(A). This ensures excellent sound insulation values for the project. The edge grip reliably prevents the insert from being pushed out of the pipe clamp. Stronger locking screws and fully welded connection nuts ensure extra-high load-bearing capacity – ideal for a system of this scale.

In addition, the STATO® clamp without insert is used for 240 fixed-point clamps from the MÜPRO range, available in diameters from 60.3 millimeters to 219.1 millimeters and in a galvanized finish. This heavy-duty two-piece clamp can be installed with precise fit using two locking screws – even when there are larger tolerances in the pipe diameter. The clamp is supplied complete with connecting screws, nuts, and captive washers. The range of pipe clamps used is complemented by V2A M8/M10 screw-type pipe clamps without inserts in a two-inch version.

Conclusion

With its wide range of products, MÜPRO supplies the right pipe clamps for the project involving the world’s largest seawater heat pump. The MPT system also impresses with its long-term stability in heavy-duty applications. As a result, the pilot project in Denmark benefits from the company’s many years of expertise in securing large-scale installations – and residents of Esbjerg and Varde will be using green energy in the future.