ONterview
Dream of Zero-Energy Buildings Fueled
by Hydrothermal Energy
Janghan Engineers, Inc. declares itself as the first penguin in the field of heating & cooling machinery. The company constantly strives to set itself apart from the pack by leading the introduction of hydrothermal energy-based heating & cooling systems and expanding to renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions. The company in focus is Janghan Engineers, Inc.
Text by Young-eun Kim Photos by Eun-joo Kim
What does Janghan Engineers, Inc. do?
Janghan Engineers, Inc. has been constantly developing new products and embracing new technologies in machinery and equipment for 37 years since its foundation in 1987. Its flagship product is the closed expansion tank designed to ensure the stable operation of cooling and heating facilities. As an essential part of the heating & cooling system, the expansion tank keeps the pressure inside the pipe steady regardless of the changing temperature. The company also produces and supplies booster pumps used for water supply to buildings, plate heat exchangers for heating, circulation pumps for heating & cooling, thermal energy storage systems, and other essential heating & cooling apparatuses hidden from our sight as they are installed in parts of a building that are not accessible to most people.
Nowadays, the company is focusing on hydronics by referring to the technology of using water as a heat and cooling transfer medium in heating & cooling systems and thermal energy storage. Going forward, it is planning to expand its business to renewable energy including photovoltaic thermal (PVT) panels and provide products and services to save energy for buildings at competitive prices.
Janghan Engineers, Inc. and K-water worked together in a joint R&D project. Can you elaborate on the joint project?
Janghan Engineers, Inc. and K-water jointly implemented the Project for the Development and Demonstration of Technology for Hydrothermal Heating & Cooling Systems and Renewable Heat Hybrid Systems from 2020 to 2023. The role of Janghang in the project was to develop core technology including design and research for a heat exchange system in consideration of the water intake conditions. Additionally, we have developed eco-friendly cleaning technology to prevent corrosion or scale caused by pollutants in stream water. The hydrothermal heat recovery & heat exchange package system is designed to systematize the development of products tailored to the environment where they are used. The primary goal is to use hydrothermal heat for building cooling and heating. In fact, we have been operating a hydrothermal heat-based heating & cooling system at K-water’s Hangang River Basin Head Office since we installed it in 2023.
What was it like working with K-water?
In March 2024, Janghan Engineers, Inc. and K-water completed the transfer of the patented technology for the freeze and rupture prevention control system for heat exchangers in heat pumps for hydrothermal energy sources and concluded a public-private partnership agreement. The technology allows hydrothermal heat energy from metropolitan raw water (stream water) to be used for heating & cooling and effectively prevents heat exchangers from freezing and rupturing in winter. K-water offered its water purification plants in Cheongju and Gumi and Hangang River Basin Head Office for our use as test beds, and we were able to verify the characteristics of our heat exchanger using stream water, which led to the commercialization of the heat exchanger. The help and support from K-water's Water Energy Research Center were crucial for us in honing the technology and concluding the PPP agreement.
Hydrothermal energy is still not very much known to most people. What is the outlook for the hydrothermal energy market?
Hydrothermal energy offers a wide array of benefits compared to the existing boiler. It can cut down energy use and carbon emissions by almost half and do away with the cooling tower; thus achieving environmental, economic, and space-saving effects. For this reason, hydrothermal energy is drawing attention not only in Korea but all across the world. Since our technology for heat pumps, water intake facilities, and heat exchangers is on par with that of advanced countries, our expectations for the applications of hydrothermal energy remain high.
What is your corporate vision?
In order for a company to continue operating, we need customers to choose our products and services. To make it happen, we have to secure a competitive edge over competition in quality, price, and delivery. To this end, all of us at Janghan Engineers, Inc. must keep working and moving forward. The ever-changing market demand and constantly evolving technology trend pose challenges, but we will face such challenges head-on and come up with better products and technology through experiments, creativity, and environmental stewardship as the key drivers for our innovation.
