LINK3 develops and produces innovative layer storage systems for an efficient and reliable energy supply. With patented technologies and a clear focus on efficiency and sustainability, LINK3 is shaping the future of the energy industry.
Interview with Robert Laabmayr, CEO of LINK3.
A brief description of the company and its activities.
Robert Laabmayr: Our stratified storage tank technology is used for efficient heat and energy supply and is based on the patented counter current-exchanger technology, which is based on the natural principles of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics.
Our tank solutions are designed to enable energy savings of up to 30% while offering resilience through simplified technology, hygiene advantages and easy installation. The efficient use of renewable energies, as well as the combination of all possible heat generator and consumer systems, makes our technology unique in the field of domestic hot water preparation, heating, and cooling.
What are the main areas of activity of the company?
R.L: By combining innovative technologies and modular systems, we create customized solutions for a wide range of applications, from single-family homes to large residential complexes and commercial projects.
What’s the news about new products/services?
R.L: LINK3 technology – a paradigm shift in thermal stratified storage technology. It enables savings potential that previously remained untapped in heating technology! – scientifically proven by renowned institutes such as the SPF Rapperswil (CH), WPZ (Heat Pump Center) Buchs (CH), and HSD-ZIES (Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences – Center for Innovative Energy Systems).
It is developing into an integral component of the energy transition and is thus a decisive factor in the fight against climate change. As part of the transition from fossil to renewable energies, energy availability is changing from an on/off-dependent to a supply-dependent one, requiring sector coupling of the electricity/heat/mobility sectors to distribute energy generation peaks. Efficient and reliable storage as thermal energy will play a key role in the future – LINK3 has the solution.
Over years of development, LINK3 has researched the key functional areas of storage hydraulics and, with physics-based technology from thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, helps to make heating hydraulics significantly more efficient and to make much better use of storage capacity.
These areas are:
- The Heat Exchanger Function:
The patented “Integrated Counterflow Heat Exchanger Technology” is the main development that uniquely enables this as an integrated heat exchangerwith a very new and special charactarism – it has the atidude, that it rises its performance while getting stronger loaded with power.
- Inlet and Outlet of Mass Flows:
LINK3 has developed a new method for introducing and removing mass flows into the storage without nozzle effects, in a special horizontally expanding manner. It therefore allows a multiple mass flow without mixing the layered storage tank
- Up to Four Temperature Zones:
These zones enable the mixing-free operation of different temperature circuits of different heat generators and consumers. Mass flow exchange between these zones is only laminar and thus mixing-free.
- Integration of the Heating Expansion Vessel:
Finally for the privat residetial sector, LINK3 has integrated the heating expansion vessel into the storage – maintenance-free and because indestructibility, it never needs to be renewed. This ensures the hydraulic zero-point for efficient and trouble-free pump operations, while also saving space, piping, and assembly work.
What are the ranges of products/services?
R.L: Our Product Family
- + ECOLINK-New: The ideal stratification tank for heat pumps.
Optimal coordination with heat pumps with underfloor heating without active cooling; the most affordable entry into LINK3 technology! With a nominal volume of 500 l, a diameter of just 650 mm (without insulation), and a height of only 1.94 m, this entry-level system for LINK3 technology offers the full potential for savings.
- + DUOLINK-Cool: Domestic Hot Water, Heating and cooling in just one single stratification tank.
The DUOLINK heating water manager boasts the highest stratified charging efficiency. This was confirmed by the SPF Rapperswil (Switzerland) testing institute in the challenging test mode “Without restricting hot water preparation using a time window.” With a nominal volume of 750 l, it provides hot water for up to three residential units and heats and cools in a single storage tank – an absolute sensation!
- + COMFORTLINK-Sun: For more extensive combinations
With four separate temperature zones, the COMFORTLINK can combine virtually anything. Heat pumps with biomass, condensing boilers, solar thermal systems, etc. for ventilation, radiators, radiant heating systems, heat recovery, and any special applications can be implemented with the highest level of efficiency in the private sector using the COMFORTLINK (900 l).+ POWERLINK-Basic /-Sun /-Plus: Powerful heating water management for large facilities.
- + POWERLINK (900 l) is the most powerful and affordable solution for commercial applications of any size.
Depending on the model, the POWERLINK-Plus (900 l), for example, can supply up to 70 residential units with hygienically safe hot drinking water! Cascaded systems supply huge hotels, residential complexes, sports or camping facilities, as well as large hospitals and nursing homes. Industrial processes in the food industry (beverage production, breweries, meat production, large bakeries with heat recovery, and much more) combine high hot water requirements with high energy-saving concepts. Thanks to the completely new power and stratification performance, LINK3 technologies create new areas of application and significantly improved framework conditions, which enable enormous savings in space requirements and construction, as well as monitoring costs.
What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
R.L: The German-speaking economic area boasts perhaps the most highly developed heating technology. The hydraulics for heat generation, transport, and energy distribution have evolved significantly – in the extremely complex storage hydraulics, mixing losses have been accepted due to a lack of technical solutions. However, mixing temperatures is the exact opposite of the function of heat generators. They use energy sources (fossil, biogenic, solar) to heat the heating water to the required temperature before delivering it to the consumer.
If the temperature potential is reduced by mixing, the energy used is wasted. Storage tank systems and domestic hot water heaters are currently the biggest contributors to unnecessary heating energy consumption!
What can you tell us about market trends?
R.L: The heating market is already undergoing significant change. Until recently, it was only important to provide a reliable heat supply, but now this is demanded to be efficient and sustainable. Users are increasingly driving the heating industry forward. Innovation and the ability to deliver sustainable products and solutions will win the race, while providers who do not quickly adapt to the required changes will lose out. The loss of subsidies and challenging guidelines are having a similar impact. The future lies in electricity-driven systems – especially heat pumps – and district heating concepts, or a combination of both.
Hydraulics offer enormous efficiency potential, especially in these areas, and LINK3 is developing and leveraging its expertise in precisely this area. LINK3 expects continuedly high double- to triple-digit growth rates in the coming years.
In addition to electrical storage media in the mobility sector and immobile electrical storage systems in building services systems, the heating sector will be a key pillar of the energy industry in two respects: firstly, as a load balancer for reducing electricity generation peaks through renewable energies such as water, wind, and solar, but also as a significant factor in saving heat energy, which currently accounts for approximately 30% of CO2 emissions in Western Europe. Assuming that 30% can be saved in the entire heating sector through improved hydraulics, this represents approximately 10% of current total emissions!
What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
R.L: All our products! LINK3 offers heating efficiency solutions for all areas of daily life. LINK3 also develops district heating and heat pump technology, focusing on the integrated combination of these heat generation methods with stratified storage technology.
What estimations do you have for the beginning of 2025?
R.L: Given the geopolitical and climate-political situation, consumers will focus their spending even more on efficiency, sustainability, and resilience. There will be a certain trend from luxury investments to investments in security and independence. True to the motto: you can’t not live!