Field testing of ORC processes

Settlement summary

Project status	Evaluation
Location	Development and planning in Oberhausen and Ingelheim; realisation at 6 CHP plant sites of project partners
Project plan	Continuation of process development; realisation of 5 more ORC field systems at 3 sites; subsequent monitoring with analysis of results in service
Developer, organizer	Fraunhofer UMSICHT, Oberhausen; Cyplan Ltd., Ingelheim
Project themes	Conversion, Decentralised solutions, Integrated energy concepts for buildings, Heating and cooling, Local heating and cooling networks, Waste heat utilisation, Cogeneration, Renewable energey sources, Centralised + decentralised energy supply, Optimisation of operations

Project description

The Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) is an operating process for steam turbines that uses a working medium other than water vapour. An organic substance with a low boiling point is used in place of water as the working fluid. This process is mainly used where the temperature difference available between the heat source and the heat sink is too low to operate a turbine driven by water vapour. With ORC systems, it is possible to convert thermal energy from small-scale sources – e.g. waste heat, geothermal energy, biomass or solar thermal sources – into electrical energy in an economically viable manner.
 
Waste heat from CHP plants is released to the surroundings without being harnessed at many CHP plant sites in the renewable energy sector (biogas, vegetable oil, sewage gas, landfill gas, coalmine gas). ORC processes can be used to convert previously unharnessed waste heat into valuable effective energy in the form of electricity. The ORC can also be operated in cogeneration mode. The goal of this project is to use ORC processes to generate between 20 and 120 kWel of additional electricity from the heat contained in exhaust gases and cooling water from motor CHP plants and, in doing so, to improve the energy balance of these motors.

Cost-effectiveness

With their relatively short payback times of between 3 and 6 years, standardised, small-scale ORC processes – implemented in the form of ORC modules – are commercially viable for CHP plant operators if the production costs are low enough. Operators can invest directly in these systems, which are also attractive for energy service companies in the context of waste heat contracting agreements. All of the additional electricity generated as compared to the initial state without generation using waste heat can be treated as a gain from a climate protection viewpoint.

Evaluation

The eight ORC field systems for power generation using waste heat that were installed at six sites as part of this project will be subject to subsequent operation monitoring for a period of five years.

Energy characteristics

	before	potential	after	unit
Electrical efficiency of motor	40,00		45,00	%

Cost-effectiveness characteristics

	before	after	unit
Total project costs	4,50		Mio. Euro
Planning costs	1,40		Mio. Euro
Annual electricity credit		1.500,00	Euro/kWel,ORC

Sustainability characteristics

	before	after	unit
CO2 emissions of pilot systems		2.800,00	t/a
Primary energy reduction costs for pilot systems (after taking all development costs into account)		5,00	Cent/kWhel
Primary energy reduction costs in commercial operation (estimate)		2,50	Cent/kWhel

• Fraunhofer UMSICHT press release dated 21 April 2008 concerning the presentation of an ORC pilot system at HANNOVER MESSE

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