A Powerful Breakthrough

Arcturus: Leading the Way in Emissions-Free Steam

With the right steam-generating heat pump, industrial manufacturers can lower energy costs, make substantial reductions in carbon emissions, and improve overall operational efficiency.

Meet Arcturus: The industrial steam-generating heat pump with a standardized design that produces emissions-free, boiler-quality steam without downtime or process disruption.

While other industrial heat pumps are installed to replace existing on-site boiler systems, Arcturus is installed in a unique hybrid configuration, leaving existing steam generation systems in place for redundancy and to add a fuel-switching capability.

By decreasing, or even eliminating, the workload of existing boilers, Skyven Arcturus reduces your natural gas usage, significantly lowering on-site CO2 emissions from industrial steam.

No other technology can do the same.

With zero downtime and no CapEx required from industrial manufacturers, Skyven Arcturus helps companies reduce costs and decarbonize profitably.

Key Benefits

A cost-effective solution to emissions-free industrial steam.

Best Economics

Leverages high efficiencies (COP) to outperform traditional boilers

Highest Temperature Lift

Upgrades low temperature heat to as high as 420°F (215°C) with a max lift of 330°F (166°C)

Replicable

Standardized design and integration for replication across your facilities.

a wide aerial shot of an industrial complex
Efficient, Eco-Friendly

Improve Energy Efficiency with Emissions-Free Steam

Skyven Arcturus is a mechanical vapor recompression steam-generating heat pump (MVR SGHP) that captures low-temperature heat rejected from industrial processes, increases the temperature of that heat (as high as 420°F / 215°C), and uses it to generate steam at the same temperature, pressure, and quality of existing boilers. Existing boilers remain in place as a backup to provide system redundancy.

  • Increased Energy Efficiency: 3x more efficient than standard natural gas boilers.
  • High Performance: Achieves higher coefficient of performance (COP) and higher temperature lift than any other heat pump on the market.
  • Environmentally Friendly: Water refrigerant is inexpensive, non-toxic, and has 0 Global Warming Potential (GWP).
  • Significantly Reduces Emissions: On average, eliminates 57% of facility-level emissions and up to 100% of process steam emissions.
Flexible, Smart

Smart Fuel Switching: The Ultimate Facility Flex

Skyven Arcturus is installed in parallel with existing steam generation systems to allow for redundancy and seamless fuel-switching. This approach allows Skyven to deliver steam at the lowest cost by taking advantage of the wide variations in real-time electric rates.

During Arcturus operations, our proprietary controls software monitors electricity and natural gas prices in real time. If generating steam with electricity becomes uneconomical, steam generation reverts back to existing steam generating systems.

This seamless fuel-switching ensures that our emissions-free steam is delivered at the lowest cost possible – with no impact to operations.

During periods of high electricity demand, Skyven Arcturus fuel-switching allows for participation in demand response programs and avoidance of peak demand charges, where available.

a wide aerial shot of an industrial complex
Simple, Streamlined

Seamless Installation Avoids Disruption and Preserves Profitability

We install our Skyven Arcturus industrial heat pump in tandem with your existing steam generation system, which provides several key advantages:

  • Seamless Installation: Installation is independent of existing production processes, which means no disruption to current facility operations.
  • Zero Downtime: Construction is done while the plant is operating and connections are made during regularly scheduled maintenance, resulting in zero additional downtime.
  • Standardized Integration: Connects to existing steam headers and waste heat sources.
  • Increased Reliability: Additional, redundant steam generation system for maximum efficiency and reliability.
  • Lowest-Cost Steam: The facility can generate steam from Skyven Arcturus or existing boilers, whichever generates the lowest-cost steam at any given time.

Our process combines your facility’s unique needs with our industry-leading technology to significantly reduce emissions, profitably.

A Better Solution

A High-Impact Industrial Steam Solution That Outperforms the Competition

The Skyven Arcturus industrial heat pump is able to achieve industry-leading performance that allows you to significantly reduce emissions in a highly efficient, and cost-effective way.

Skyven Arcturus achieves a higher COP and a higher temperature lift than any other heat pump on the market.

Best-In-Class Skyven
Max Temp 320°F / 160°C 420°F / 215°C
Max Steam Pressure 50 psig / 3.4 barg 300 psig / 20.7 barg
Refrigerant HFC/HFO Water

Arcturus Coefficient of Performance (COP)

COP is an expression of efficiency and varies as a function of heat source temperature, steam output pressure, and temperature lift. Arcturus achieves COPs ranging from 2.1 to more than 8.0 depending on temperature lift.

The chart below shows Arcturus COP’s at various heat source temperatures with common steam output pressures and temperatures.

Skyven Arcturus COP Chart

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The industrial sector is considered “hard-to-decarbonize” because of its reliance on industrial heat, which represents a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. Manufacturers across various industries require industrial heat to power processes like distillation, drying, or baking – all crucial processes that cannot be disrupted for installation of decarbonization technologies. Downtime is incredibly expensive and maintaining profitably is essential, making it difficult for manufacturers to take on the financial and operational risk of decarbonization

Skyven knows this, and works closely with your manufacturing facilities to reduce operating costs and onsite emissions with no downtime or disruption to processes. Our Arcturus steam-generating heat pump is installed in parallel with existing steam generation systems, providing redundancy and increasing facility reliability.

Arcturus has the ability to produce steam at higher temperatures, pressures, and efficiencies than other heat pumps, thanks to its open-cycle Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) Steam Generating Heat Pump (SGHP) design. 

Arcturus produces boiler-quality steam at temperatures up to 420°F (215°C), pressures up to 300 psig (20.7 barg), and temperature lifts up to 330°F (166°C). At these high temperature lifts, Arcturus is able to achieve coefficients of performance (COPs) of greater than 75% of the theoretical maximum efficiency allowed by the laws of physics (also known as the Carnot efficiency). In comparison, other industrial heat pumps are limited to temperatures below 300F, steam pressures below 50 psig, and COPs of 30-60% of the Carnot efficiency. 

The challenge is ‘lifting’ the waste heat up to the typical 300-400℉(150-205°C) the manufacturing facility needs to run processes. The Skyven Arcturus steam-generating heat pump is a large-scale industrial heat pump able to generate temperatures as high as 420℉ (215°C).

In order to attain this high lift, we can start by capturing waste heat at temperatures as low as 80℉ (27°C). Most facilities can no longer use this heat, so we capture it and lift it by up to 330°F (166°C).

Skyven Arcturus can use waste heat from process exhaust or process fluid from on-site thermal processes. Although all industries and facilities are unique, some common heat sources are:

  • Machine exhaust from paper processing facilities
  • Vapor condensation from condensers, separation towers, crystallizers and evaporators and chemical processing plants
  • Combustion exhaust from cracking furnaces, process stream heaters, thermal oxidizers, and process ovens
  • Refrigeration compressors, process chillers, and refrigerant condensers at food and beverage processing plants
  • Exhaust from dryers, process ovens, fryers, and evaporator surface condensers

Arcturus generates boiler-quality steam at much higher efficiencies than traditional fossil fuel-fired boilers, providing a cost advantage over legacy steam generation systems. 

A brand new, state-of-the-art natural gas (steam) boiler has a typical efficiency of 85%, corresponding to a coefficient of performance (COP) of 0.85 – many times lower than Arcturus’s COP. This means that natural gas boilers require several times more energy in the form of natural gas than Arcturus requires in the form of electricity to produce steam, leading to the cost advantage. Note that low electricity costs and high natural gas prices, as well as fuel-switching between Arcturus and existing systems, increases this advantage. 

Arcturus offers the highest coefficient of performance (COP) at the highest temperature lift of any steam-generating technology. This makes Arcturus the most cost-effective solution for the decarbonization of manufacturing facilities compared to other measures (like natural gas or electric boilers). 

As discussed above, natural gas boilers require several times more energy in the form of natural gas than Arcturus requires in the form of electricity to produce steam, leading to a cost advantage. Low electricity and high natural gas prices, as well as fuel-switching between Arcturus and existing systems, increases this advantage. 

Similarly, electric boilers generate steam at an efficiency of 99%, corresponding to a COP of 0.99. In comparison, Arcturus’s COP is many times higher, leading to efficiency and cost advantages over electric boilers.

Skyven customers can help reduce grid load by participating in economic demand response and emergency demand response programs because these systems are backed up by the existing on-site steam generation systems. The existing systems are on standby and ready to switch over quickly, which makes the technology amenable to demand response and provides additional economic value for the heat pump. We can help decrease the load on the grid by participating in demand response programs while also making the system more cost-effective.

Skyven Arcturus can be powered with renewable or clean energy, further improving emissions reduction for on-site processes. As a grid-flexible technology, Arcturus helps balance the grid by operating at times when renewable electricity is plentiful. When the sun is shining and the wind is blowing, Arcturus produces steam using low-cost renewable electricity. In contrast, when the grid is strained because renewables are not available, steam production can revert back to existing systems.

On average, Skyven Arcturus can eliminate 57% of facility-level emissions and up to 100% of on-site process steam emissions.

Skyven Technologies offers a comprehensive Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) model, where we design, fund, install, and maintain the heat pump at your facility. This approach ensures optimal performance without adding to your team’s responsibilities. Our IoT data monitoring provides real-time insights, allowing for proactive maintenance and minimal disruption to your operations.

Yes, the Skyven Arcturus industrial heat pump can generate steam at temperatures up to 420°F (215°C) and pressures up to 300 psig (20.7 barg), accommodating a wide range of industrial applications. This capability ensures that your processes receive steam of the required quality and specifications. The first step to starting a project together is to evaluate your site using our modeling software, Galileo, where we’ll learn more about your facility’s steam demands and waste heat sources. Within hours, we can then produce an engineering concept that includes an estimate of the project’s cost and your facility’s emissions savings.

With our EaaS model, there is no upfront capital expenditure required. Skyven funds the installation and maintenance of the heat pump, and you pay for the clean steam generated at a rate lower than your current natural gas costs. This structure provides immediate operational cost savings and a positive cash flow from day one.

Yes, Skyven is a recipient of a $145 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy to accelerate the installation of our steam-generating heat pumps across U.S. manufacturing facilities. This funding aims to eliminate over 400,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually and can support your facility’s decarbonization efforts. There is additional funding available at the state and county levels, as well as third-party project financing that Skyven will apply for and use to support your project. 

In the EU, opportunities funded by the Clean Industrial Deal, as well as national subsidies, are available to support deployment of Arcturus heat pumps.

Through financial incentives and private and public funding, we are able to install the Skyven Arcturus steam-generating heat pump with no capital outlay from you.

Skyven is an energy-as-a-service (EaaS) company that delivers emissions-free steam to industrial manufacturers at prices lower than natural gas.

In order to do this, we identify, fund, and build Arcturus steam-generating heat pumps on-site at your manufacturing facility, and maintain them for the life of our contract. Once operational, economic benefits from the project are shared between Skyven and the manufacturer. This saves our customers money from day one with no capital expense and they make progress on their emissions and efficiency goals.

Many industrial facilities use high-temperature steam at about 300-400°F (150-205°C) to run processes around the plant. 

The challenge with many heat pumps has been the ability to reach the temperatures that industrial manufacturers need, which is a huge barrier to adoption. Skyven Arcturus addresses this challenge by directly producing boiler-quality steam at temperatures up to 420°F (215°C) and 300 psig (20.7 barg), meeting the steam needs of most manufacturing facilities.

Industrial heat pumps have the opportunity to improve efficiency and dramatically cut emissions from industrial thermal processes.

Renewable Thermal Collaborative

Electrification action plan

Related Resources

Browse our library of related resources

White Paper
Deep Decarbonization of Industrial Steam with Mechanical Vapor Recompression Steam-Generating Heat Pumps
Read Now
Brochure / Steam-Generating Heat Pump
Skyven Arcturus Technical Specifications
Read Now
Blog
Understanding Coefficient of Performance: From Industry Standards to Cutting-Edge Technology
Read Now
Brochure / Steam-Generating Heat Pump
Skyven Arcturus Steam Generating Heat Pump
Read Now
Blog
Refrigerants: A Hot (and Cold) Topic
Read Now
Case Study
Case Study: Seamless Waste Heat Integration
Read Now

Take the First Step Towards More Efficient Steam Generation with Skyven Arcturus

We’re here to help you improve your facility efficiency and reduce your operating costs.

The Skyven Arcturus line of steam-generating heat pumps can help you generate high-quality, emissions-free industrial steam that’s cost-competitive today.

Contact us today to take the first step towards more efficient onsite steam generation – with no capital outlay required.

TEXAS

4440 Spring Valley Rd
Farmers Branch, TX 75244

CALIFORNIA

5370 North Chestnut Avenue
M/S OF 18
Fresno, CA 93740