Concepts NREC introduces licensing for its new compact, high-speed, hermetically sealed turbogenerator. Nominally rated for 300 kWe, the CN300 is designed for converting low temperature heat to electric power using an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) process.
Historical Perspective
Increasing concerns for protecting the environment and the escalating cost of energy itself have raised interest in energy conservation to an all-time high. This interest extends to waste heat recovery systems. These systems produce electric power by converting thermal energy to electrical energy. And, when site conditions involve temperatures too low for conventional heat recovery systems, ORC processes become the best solution. These are typically defined as any heat source at temperatures below 800oF. In fact, according to one U.S. Department of Energy report, there could be as much as 1.5 to 2.0 quadrillion BTU/year of heat with temperatures below 500oF available from exhaust gas streams in the industrial sector alone. Naturally occurring heat sources may be just as plentiful.