Next-generation CO2 heat pump based on a revolutionary liquid-piston compressor, enabling highly sustainable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective heating and cooling
InfiniTECH is a Ukrainian deep-tech company developing a next-generation CO2-based heat pump built around its patented liquid-piston compressor - a first-in-class compression architecture that removes the two structural SoA inefficiencies: internal refrigerant leakage and friction-induced losses. Laboratory validation of the 10 kW prototype demonstrated up to a 2× efficiency gain over SoA and stable CO2 operation. Heat pumps, though considered central to heating and cooling sustainability, remain major emission sources due to high electricity use and reliance on harmful refrigerants. These limitations stem from conventional vapour-compression systems, which cannot sustain high-pressure operation without leakage, friction losses, and rapid degradation, which limits COP at 2–5 and keeps the sector dependent on high-GWP refrigerants. InfiniTECH’s system resolves these constraints at the root level. Our groundbreaking liquid-piston compressor ensures full gas-mass transfer with zero leakage, maintains frictional losses below 0.01%, and supports pressures up to 200 bar - enabling CO2 to operate at its full thermodynamic potential. In combination with InfiniTECH’s supporting proprietary innovations, the system achieves COP 9 in heating and COP 10 in cooling, reducing electricity consumption by 50–75%, extending service life 25–30×, and lowering maintenance costs by 100x. The market opportunity is substantial: the global CO2 heat pump segment is expected to reach $6.8bn by 2032, with a CAGR of 12%. The project also delivers strategic value for Ukraine by reducing peak electricity demand, lowering gas dependence, building domestic high-value manufacturing, and enabling export revenues with projected revenues growing from first sales in 2028 to ~€80 million by 2032. The company seeks support from the EIC to advance its system from TRL 5 to TRL 7 by developing a 50 kW unit, building five pre-commercial systems, and completing piloting and preparing for certification.
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Imported from OpenAIRE Ukraine | Grant 101313015.
Open sourceOverview
Grant agreement 101313015 | InfiniPUMP
Open sourceInfiniTECH is a Ukrainian deep-tech company developing a next-generation CO2-based heat pump built around its patented liquid-piston compressor - a first-in-class compression architecture that removes the two structural SoA inefficiencies: internal refrigerant leakage and friction-induced losses. Laboratory validation of the 10 kW prototype demonstrated up to a 2× efficiency gain over SoA and stable CO2 operation. Heat pumps, though considered central to heating and cooling sustainability, remain major emission sources due to high electricity use and reliance on harmful refrigerants. These limitations stem from conventional vapour-compression systems, which cannot sustain high-pressure operation without leakage, friction losses, and rapid degradation, which limits COP at 2–5 and keeps the sector dependent on high-GWP refrigerants. InfiniTECH’s system resolves these constraints at the root level. Our groundbreaking liquid-piston compressor ensures full gas-mass transfer with zero leakage, maintains frictional losses below 0.01%, and supports pressures up to 200 bar - enabling CO2 to operate at its full thermodynamic potential. In combination with InfiniTECH’s supporting proprietary innovations, the system achieves COP 9 in heating and COP 10 in cooling, reducing electricity consumption by 50–75%, extending service life 25–30×, and lowering maintenance costs by 100x. The market opportunity is substantial: the global CO2 heat pump segment is expected to reach $6.8bn by 2032, with a CAGR of 12%. The project also delivers strategic value for Ukraine by reducing peak electricity demand, lowering gas dependence, building domestic high-value manufacturing, and enabling export revenues with projected revenues growing from first sales in 2028 to ~€80 million by 2032. The company seeks support from the EIC to advance its system from TRL 5 to TRL 7 by developing a 50 kW unit, building five pre-commercial systems, and completing piloting and preparing for certification.