Waste Heat Recovery at Thermal Power Plants

Detailed overview of innovation with sample startups and prominent university research


What it is

Waste heat recovery involves capturing and utilizing waste heat generated from industrial processes, power plants, or other sources. This heat, which would otherwise be released into the environment, can be used for various applications, such as preheating fluids, generating electricity, or providing space heating, improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Impact on climate action

Waste Heat Recovery in Low-Carbon Thermal Power mitigates climate change by harnessing unused heat from industrial processes. By converting waste heat into usable energy, this innovation reduces fossil fuel consumption, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and enhances energy efficiency, contributing to a more sustainable and low-carbon energy system.

Underlying
Technology

  • Heat Exchangers: Heat exchangers are the primary technology used to capture waste heat from hot exhaust gases, liquids, or equipment surfaces. Different types of heat exchangers, such as shell and tube, plate, and finned tube exchangers, are selected based on the temperature, pressure, and flow rate of the waste heat stream.
  • ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) Systems: ORC systems convert low-grade waste heat into electricity, providing a valuable source of renewable energy for industrial facilities.
  • High-Temperature Heat Pumps: High-temperature heat pumps upgrade waste heat to a higher temperature level, making it suitable for reuse in the same or other processes.
  • Thermoelectric Generators (TEGs): TEGs directly convert heat energy into electrical energy, offering a simple and reliable way to recover waste heat and generate power without moving parts.
  • Thermal Energy Storage: Thermal energy storage systems can store excess waste heat for later use, providing a more consistent and reliable heat supply.
  • Process Integration and Optimization: Industrial processes can be optimized to maximize waste heat recovery and utilization, reducing overall energy consumption and costs.

TRL : 7-8 (depending on the specific technology)


Prominent Innovation themes

  • Advanced Heat Exchanger Designs: Innovations in heat exchanger design and materials are improving efficiency and reducing fouling, which is a common challenge in waste heat recovery due to the presence of contaminants in waste heat streams.
  • High-Temperature Heat Pumps: Advancements in compressor technology and working fluids are enabling the development of high-temperature heat pumps that can recover and upgrade waste heat from higher temperature sources.
  • Hybrid Waste Heat Recovery Systems: Combining different waste heat recovery technologies, such as heat exchangers and ORC systems or heat pumps, can create more efficient and versatile solutions for various applications.
  • Waste Heat Recovery for Low-Temperature Applications: New technologies are being developed to recover and utilize waste heat from low-temperature sources, expanding the range of applications for waste heat recovery.
  • AI-Powered System Optimization: AI and machine learning algorithms can be used to optimize the operation of waste heat recovery systems, maximizing energy recovery and reducing costs.

Other Innovation Subthemes

  • Hybrid ORC-Heat Pump Systems
  • Low-Cost Solutions for Low-Temperature Waste Heat
  • Advanced Sensors for System Monitoring
  • Thermodynamic Modeling for Efficiency Enhancement
  • Sustainable Refrigerants for Heat Pumps
  • Enhanced Fouling Resistance in Heat Exchangers
  • Decentralized Waste Heat Recovery Networks
  • Advanced Power Electronics for TEG Integration

Related Innovations

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Sample Global Startups and Companies

  1. Echogen Power Systems:
    • Technology Enhancement: Echogen Power Systems specializes in waste heat recovery systems that convert industrial waste heat into electricity. Their technology utilizes supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) as the working fluid in a closed-loop Brayton cycle, enabling efficient heat-to-power conversion at a wide range of temperatures and pressures.
    • Uniqueness of the Startup: Echogen Power Systems stands out for its innovative use of sCO2 technology in waste heat recovery applications. Their systems offer high efficiency, compact footprint, and scalability, making them suitable for various industrial processes, including power generation, steelmaking, cement production, and oil and gas refining.
    • End-User Segments Addressing: Echogen Power Systems serves heavy industries and energy-intensive sectors seeking to reduce energy costs, increase efficiency, and minimize environmental impact. Their waste heat recovery solutions are deployed in industrial facilities worldwide, helping customers optimize energy use, enhance sustainability, and meet regulatory requirements.
  2. Ormat Technologies:
    • Technology Enhancement: Ormat Technologies is a leading provider of geothermal and waste heat recovery solutions for power generation. Their waste heat recovery systems utilize Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology to convert low-temperature waste heat into electricity. Ormat’s ORC units are modular, flexible, and customizable, allowing for efficient heat recovery across a wide range of applications.
    • Uniqueness of the Startup: Ormat Technologies stands out for its extensive experience in geothermal and waste heat recovery technologies. Their ORC systems are designed to maximize energy recovery from industrial processes, exhaust gases, and other sources of low-grade heat, offering reliable and cost-effective solutions for renewable power generation.
    • End-User Segments Addressing: Ormat Technologies serves industries, utilities, and independent power producers seeking renewable energy solutions and waste heat recovery options. Their ORC systems are deployed in diverse sectors, including manufacturing, food processing, chemicals, and oil and gas, providing clean and sustainable electricity generation from waste heat sources.
  3. Climeon:
    • Technology Enhancement: Climeon specializes in modular and scalable waste heat recovery systems based on their proprietary Heat Power technology. Their systems utilize low-temperature waste heat sources, such as industrial processes, geothermal brine, and marine engines, to generate electricity. Climeon’s Heat Power modules employ a thermodynamic process known as the Rankine cycle, optimized for maximum energy conversion efficiency.
    • Uniqueness of the Startup: Climeon stands out for its focus on compact, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly waste heat recovery solutions. Their Heat Power modules are designed for easy integration into existing industrial processes, offering rapid deployment and quick return on investment for customers seeking to monetize waste heat resources.
    • End-User Segments Addressing: Climeon serves a wide range of industries and applications where waste heat recovery can provide economic and environmental benefits. Their solutions are deployed in manufacturing plants, power generation facilities, maritime vessels, and geothermal power projects, helping customers reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency, and generate additional revenue from waste heat resources.

Sample Research At Top-Tier Universities

  1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL):
    • Research Focus: NREL is a leading research institution in the field of Waste Heat Recovery, focusing on developing advanced technologies and systems for capturing and utilizing waste heat from various industrial processes, power generation facilities, and transportation systems.
    • Uniqueness: Their research encompasses the development of novel heat exchanger materials, thermoelectric generators, organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems, and absorption chillers for converting waste heat into useful energy, such as electricity, heating, and cooling. They also conduct techno-economic analyses, performance modeling, and field demonstrations to evaluate the feasibility, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of waste heat recovery solutions across different sectors.
    • End-use Applications: The outcomes of their work have applications in industrial manufacturing, power plants, data centers, and vehicle exhaust systems. By recovering waste heat and converting it into valuable energy resources, NREL’s research contributes to reducing energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and operating costs, while enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability.
  2. Technical University of Munich (TUM):
    • Research Focus: TUM conducts cutting-edge research on Waste Heat Recovery, leveraging its expertise in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and renewable energy systems to develop innovative approaches for capturing and utilizing waste heat in various industrial and commercial settings.
    • Uniqueness: Their research involves the design and optimization of waste heat recovery systems, including heat exchangers, turbochargers, and organic Rankine cycle (ORC) units, for maximizing energy conversion efficiency and thermal performance. They also investigate advanced materials, coatings, and heat transfer enhancement techniques to overcome technical challenges and improve system reliability under harsh operating conditions.
    • End-use Applications: The outcomes of their work find applications in steel mills, chemical plants, refineries, and waste incineration facilities. By harnessing waste heat for power generation, process heating, and space conditioning, TUM’s research contributes to enhancing energy productivity, resource conservation, and climate mitigation efforts.
  3. University of California, Berkeley:
    • Research Focus: UC Berkeley is engaged in innovative research on Waste Heat Recovery, leveraging its multidisciplinary expertise in mechanical engineering, materials science, and environmental sustainability to develop scalable and sustainable solutions for recovering and utilizing waste heat in diverse industrial and urban environments.
    • Uniqueness: Their research encompasses the development of integrated waste heat recovery systems, thermal storage technologies, and district heating/cooling networks for optimizing energy utilization and reducing environmental impacts. They also explore policy frameworks, regulatory mechanisms, and market incentives to promote the adoption of waste heat recovery technologies and foster industry collaboration.
    • End-use Applications: The outcomes of their work have applications in urban infrastructure, building retrofits, and industrial energy management. By capturing and reusing waste heat from power plants, factories, and urban sources, UC Berkeley’s research supports the transition to a low-carbon energy system, improves energy resilience, and enhances the competitiveness of industries while reducing their carbon footprint.

commercial_img Commercial Implementation

Waste heat recovery technologies are being implemented in various industries around the world, particularly in energy-intensive industries such as cement, steel, glass, and chemical production. These systems are helping companies improve energy efficiency, reduce costs, and minimize environmental impact.



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