Waste Heat Recovery in Northern Territories
The Kissarpoq project ("which releases heat") aims to improve the environmental footprint and reduce energy costs for Inuit communities in Nunavik, thereby contributing to sustainable northern development. This off‑grid territory faces major issues regarding energy costs, energy insecurity, and local environmental impacts related to energy production.
Electricity for the 14 Inuit communities is generated by diesel generators owned by Hydro‑Québec. In 2012, the installed capacity was 15.5 MW, enabling an annual supply of 82.4 GWh. Space and domestic water heating are primarily provided by heating oil. In 2009, each household consumed an average of 3,200 liters of fuel oil, totaling 28 million liters per year. Emissions from both diesel generators and heating systems have well‑known negative impacts on climate change (around 300 gCO2eq/kWh, up to 800 gCO2eq/kWh for the old Inukjuak power plant), human health, and environmental quality (fine particles, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, PAHs).
To simultaneously reduce fuel consumption for residential heating (thus lowering the territory's energy dependency) and improve the energy efficiency of electricity production, the Kissarpoq project aims to recover waste heat from diesel generators. “The Kissarpoq project is funded by the Quebec Network on Smart Energy (RQEI) and therefore fully aligns with several of its priority themes, particularly energy efficiency in remote regions, as well as intelligent microgrids through system control.”
The project consists of three phases:
- Identifying recoverable heat sources and characterizing heating needs.
- Investigating appropriate technological solutions.
- Designing a suitable solution for a real case study, such as preheating required for potable water pumping to prevent pipe freezing, potentially combined with other uses (heating community buildings or greenhouses) depending on the needs identified.
The project brings together two research institutions: École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) and Université Laval. International collaborations, particularly with France, are also considered.
Required knowledge
The student will carry out the three phases of the project and contribute to the following deliverables:
- Mapping heat sources and heat demand, and assessing the feasibility of meeting these needs;
- A catalogue of technological solutions, including the assessment of local coproducts for thermal‑storage materials;
- Preliminary sizing of promising solutions;
- Optimization of the sizing of a selected solution applied to a real case.
In addition, the student will support the research team by contributing to the management, coordination, and scientific animation of the project.
Desired Profile
Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, or chemical engineering, with strong motivation for energy systems.
Work Environment and Supervision
The master's student will be hosted at the Laboratory of Energy Technologies and Energy Efficiency at the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), under the supervision of Didier Haillot, Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Co‑supervision will be provided by Louis Gosselin, Full Professor at Université Laval and Chairholder of the Canada Research Chair in Energy Efficiency.
Stays at Université Laval and/or in northern Quebec (TNQ) will take place depending on project progress and the candidate's expertise.