The transformation of heating technology requires readily available, systematically designed solutions for heat pumps. With a new heat pump demonstrator at its Landshut site, ebm‑papst is showing how key components and technologies can be integrated into a single, cohesive system.

The demonstrator consists of a fully functional air-to-water heat pump (monoblock) serving as a reference and development platform. The focus is on the interaction between the fan, evaporator system, refrigeration circuit and electronics. In addition to ventilation components, ebm‑papst integrates key subsystems—such as inverter electronics, a refrigeration control unit and high-speed turbo compressors—into a coordinated overall concept. “Anyone who wants to help shape the heat pump of the future must understand the entire system,” explains Managing Director Dr. Hannes Säubert. “The heat pump demonstrator lays the foundation for this. It helps us build system expertise and support our customers even more effectively as equal development partners in the future.”

From a technical standpoint, the system combines a fan with a microchannel evaporator, in which air is actively guided through the evaporator. This concept is complemented by the compact CompaNamic high-speed turbo compressor and inverter electronics designed for very high rotational speeds. The compressor operates oil-free, reducing vibrations and improving the system’s overall efficiency. The integrated inverter electronics enable precise, highly dynamic control with high levels of efficiency through an intelligent refrigeration circuit control system that networks actuators and sensors while communicating via Modbus. The demonstrator is designed for a heating capacity of 23 kW at hot water temperatures up to 70 °C as well as an operating range of −10 to 30 °C, employing propane (R290) as the refrigerant.

“The heating transition is fundamentally changing our market and presenting the industry with major challenges. That is why we are specifically expanding our expertise in Landshut for the heating technology of the future,” says Dr. Klaus Geißdörfer, CEO of the ebm‑papst Group. “The heat pump demonstrator is an important step in this direction.” ebm‑papst is also underscoring the strategic importance of the technology for Bavaria as an industrial location, a fact highlighted when the demonstrator was commissioned by the Bavarian Minister-President, Dr. Marus Söder, on July 9, 2026. As Söder emphasized, “Advanced engineering and technology make our economy strong.” With the demonstrator and its integration into the Refrigeration Innovation Center, ebm‑papst is creating a development environment in which real-world operating conditions can be simulated. The goal is to provide manufacturers of heating and air conditioning technology with comprehensive system expertise and to make the next generation of heat pumps more efficient, quieter and more compact.