Heat Recovery systems

• Heat released from a process at a temperature that is higher than the

temperature of plant air.
• Such temperature should be raised or upgraded using a suitable
equipment.
• waste heat is energy associated with the waste streams of air, exhaust
gases or liquids that leave the plant boundaries.
• this waste energy that is released in environment is termed as thermal
pollution.
Waste heat technologies:
• Use heat recovery technologies to cut the costs in heating, ventilating and
air conditioning (HVAC) systems
• Main problem of such technologies is maintenance
• Poorly maintained waste heat recovery technology can call for additional
cost.
• Heat recovery system is installed to make the plant cost effective (primary
reason) as heat recovered substitutes the purchased one directly and
therefore saves the cost of fuel/energy.
• Additionally, such technologies reduce the size/capacity of primary energy
conversion equipments. Hence, cost reduction and low maintenance.
• Furthermore, thermal pollution also gets reduced substantially.
 Heat recovery equipments:
1) Heat recovery wheel
2) Heat pipe heat exchanger (H.E.): gas-gas, gas-liquid, liquid-gas etc.
3) Heat pump based system

(1) (2) (3)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5uEGwDyHf8&ab_
channel=EnergyRecoveryIndustriesCorp.S.r.L
Depending upon the application and way of extracting the heat, following
are the methods adopted:
• Direct use: involves use of waste heat stream as it is for heat exchange. E.g.
flue gas can be used for drying/heating a room/for any other suitable
application. Care to be taken that untreated waste stream doesn’t
contaminate the surrounding/place of interest.
• Heat exchangers: transfer the heat from one stream to the other without
mixing the two. Have widest variety of application.
• Heat pumps: add mechanical energy to low temperature waste heat
stream and upgrade it. Mostly underrated and hence not exclusively used
in heat recovery system. Such pump installations are costly and therefore
involve techno-economic analysis.
• Vapour compression: Mechanical vapour compression uses centrifugal or
positive displacement compressors are used to raise the pressure and
temperature of the vapour stream. Thermal vapour compression system
enhances the temperature of low heat stream by injecting hotter vapour.
Energy management opportunities:
Usable heat may be available in the form of
1) Hot flue gases
2) Hot/cold water drained to sewer
3) Exhaust air
4) Hot/cold waste product
5) Cooling water or hydraulic oil
6) Ground source thermal energy
7) Heated water from solar hot water system
8) Heat rejected from refrigeration system etc.
Things to be considered for installing heat recovery system
• Compare supply and demand for heat
• Determine how easily waste heat source can be accessed
• Assess the distance between source and demand
• Form, quality and condition of waste heat source to be judged well.
• Impact of system installation on product quality and/quantity need to be
addressed.
• Temperature gradient and degree of heat upgradation required to be
determined.
• Health issues of employees to be checked
• Techno-economic analysis of such installation to be done.
Benefits of increased efficiency:
• Broad classification: financial/economic, environmental and social benefits
• Few examples:
• Energy efficient companies gain a competitive advantage over less efficient ones,
allowing them to increase their profits at current product prices, or lower their prices to
gain market share, or a combination of these items.
• Reduced environmental impact can also serve as a significant marketing tool for
efficient companies, as public perception of ‘green’ companies takes an increasing role
in purchasing decisions. Environmental benefits include many elements, such as
reduced local pollution through burning less fuel, lower greenhouse gas emissions, less
use of firewood and hence less destruction of forests.
• Even where company output is increased (e.g., through expanding manufacturing
capacity) energy efficiency improvements can contribute significantly in most cases to
reducing the negative impact of energy consumption per unit of output. Any increase in
pollutant emissions will thus be minimised.
Energy efficiency programmes (in the context of Government led programs)
1. Development of energy efficiency policies and strategies.
2. Energy awareness—raising awareness of energy consumption and related aspects of energy
efficiency among consumers/users. This can cover many topics, from training of energy
professionals to appliance labelling and consumer education for the domestic sector.
3. Encouraging energy auditing and energy assessment both in the public and private sector. This is
a logical next step after raising energy awareness.
4. Development of and publicity for, energy efficiency best practices and information on norms and
standards applicable to different sectors, such as good modern practice for electric motor
efficiencies, comparisons of industrial process energy consumption per unit of output. This activity
can be applied in various ways to all sectors.
5. Development of the institutional capacity and human resources for implementation of energy
efficiency interventions. This can range from teaching at schools and colleges, to requiring
demonstrated competence at professional levels (e.g., air conditioning and heating engineers).
6. Support for technology R&D and especially for the demonstration of proven technologies to
increase energy efficiency.
7. Introduction of incentive/penalty mechanisms to support improved energy efficiency.
8. Promotion and facilitation of international collaboration and cooperation.
Barriers to implementation of energy efficiency measures
• difficult to get managers of companies (and individuals) to take action.
• difficult to achieve effective implementation over a long period
• other priorities are often quoted, such as capital investments to increase plant
capacity and market share, leaving no funds for energy efficiency expenditures.
• numerous institutional, financial and technical barriers to energy efficiency
programmes
1. Policy and regulatory barriers.
2. Lack of information and awareness of the potential for energy efficiency.
3. Lack of industry initiatives to emphasize energy management as an integral
part of total management systems.
4. Lack of technical capacity to identify, appraise, develop and implement energy
efficiency projects.
5. Financial and investment barriers.
Industrial Energy Strategy:
In industry, energy efficiency can be improved by three different
approaches as follows:
1. Energy savings by management.
2. Energy saving by technologies.
3. Energy saving by policies/regulations.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2010.09.003
1. Energy savings by management
• Analysis of historical data
• Energy audit and accounting
• Engineering analysis and investments proposals
based on feasibility studies
• Personnel training and information.
Objective: To minimize energy costs/waste without
affecting production and quality and to minimize
environmental effects

1. Energy audit.
2. Energy efficiency courses and training program: Engineers + university students, management
certificate, case study
3. Housekeeping: cleanliness, orderly conditions, avoidance of congestion, adequate storage
arrangements, suitable provision for cleaning and maintenance etc
2. Energy saving technologies
1) Variable speed drive: is an electronic power converter that generates a multi-
phase, variable frequency output that can be used to drive a standard ac induction
motor, and to modulate and control the motor's speed, torque and mechanical
power output.
2) Waste heat recovery
3) High efficiency motors: Adv: Less maintenance and longer life time due to lower
temperature in windings and bearings, Higher reliability due to lower losses
4) Energy savings through leak prevention in air compressors:
5) Energy savings due to pressure drop

Dependence of power loss on hole diameter at 600 kPa

3. Industrial energy saving by policies
• Manner in which Government addresses the issues of energy development
including energy production, distribution and consumption.
• may include legislation, international treaties, incentives to investment,
agreements, guidelines for energy conservation, taxation, energy efficiency
standards, energy guide labels
• tool for developing a long-term strategic plan, covering a period of 5–10
years, for increasing industrial energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse
gas emissions.
1) Regulations/standards: e.g. setting tariffs for electricity, pricing of
products, copyrights etc.
2) Fiscal policies: revenue generation viz. taxation on entertainment,
cigarettes, tobacco etc.
3) Agreements/targets: savings by 15%, GHG reduction etc.
Refrigeration system as one of the industrial energy applications:
• pumping out of heat, from a low-temperature heat source to a high-temperature
heat sink, by using a low boiling temperature refrigerant
• 1 ton of refrigeration = 3024 kCal/hr heat rejected (pumped out)
Several options/combinations available:
1. Air conditioning (for human comfort/machines)
2. Centralized chilled water plants, with chilled water as a secondary coolant for
temperature range over 5°C typically
3. Brine plants, which use brines as low-temperature secondary coolant, for
typically sub-zero temperature applications
4. plant capacities: small (<50 TR), medium (50-250 TR), large (>250 TR)
5. levels of refrigeration & air conditioning such as:
(a) Comfort air conditioning (20–25°C).
(b) Chilled water system (8–10°C).
(c) Brine system (sub-zero applications).
Vapour compression type:
Heat flows naturally from a hot to a
colder body. In a refrigeration
system, the opposite must occur,
i.e., heat flows from a cold to a
hotter body. This is achieved by
using a refrigerant, which absorbs
heat and hence boils or evaporates
at a low pressure to form a gas.
This gas is then compressed to a
higher pressure, such that it
transfers the heat it has gained to
ambient air or water and turns it
back (condenses it) into a liquid. In
this way heat is absorbed, or
removed, from a low temperature
source and transferred to a higher
temperature source.
Good practices for energy efficiency
1. Establish a chiller efficiency-maintenance program. Start with an energy audit and follow-up
2. Fouled tubes, leaking refrigerant, changes in water temperature and of other variables can increase operating
costs by 8%–10%
3. new refrigerants and microprocessor controls, as well as improved compressor and motor design to be adopted
for enhanced chiller efficiencies.
4. Heat transfer has the greatest effect on chiller performance and maintaining good heat transfer is fundamental to
maintaining efficiency. Chiller efficiency declines rapidly when tubes become fouled. Contaminants, such as
minerals, scale, mud, algae and other impurities, increase thermal resistance and reduce overall performance. These
contaminants accumulate on the water side of heat transfer surfaces in both closed- and open-loop systems. Fouling
occurs gradually over time, depending on the quality and temperature of the water used.
5. Keeping a log of temperatures at various exit points of refrigerant during cycle of operation can pinpoint the
effectiveness of the particular device.
6. Condenser tubes should be brush-cleaned, rather than chemically cleaned, at least annually, with an automatic
rotary-cleaning machine to keep them free of contaminants
7. Condenser tubes should be brush-cleaned, rather than chemically cleaned.
8. Once a year, test compressor oil for a spectrometric chemical analysis that will provide details about moisture
content, metals, acids and other contaminants that affect performance
9. Maintain optimum wall area (70%) to window area (30%) ratio for minimising solar heat gain.
10. Optimize thermostat settings for energy economy.
11. Adopt sun film for heat solar gain reduction.
12. Adopt eco-friendly refrigerants.
Performance Test:

• Tons of refrigeration (TR): One ton of refrigeration is the amount of cooling obtained by one ton of ice melting in
one day: 3024 kCal/h, 12,000 Btu/h or 3.516 thermal kW.
• Net Refrigerating Capacity: A quantity defined as the mass flow rate of the evaporator water multiplied by the
difference in enthalpy of water entering and leaving the cooler, expressed in kCal/h, tons of Refrigeration.
• kW/ton rating: Commonly referred to as efficiency, but actually power input to compressor motor divided by tons
of cooling produced, or kilowatts per ton (kW/ton). Lower kW/ton indicates higher efficiency.
• Coefficient of Performance (COP): Chiller efficiency measured in Btu output (cooling) divided by Btu input (electric
power).
• Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER): Performance of smaller chillers and rooftop units is frequently measured in EER
rather than kW/ton. EER is calculated by dividing a chiller's cooling capacity (in Btu/h) by its power input (in watts)
at full-load conditions. The higher the EER, the more efficient the unit.
 American Refrigeration Institute

COP = 0.293 EER

kW/Ton = 12 / EER

kW/Ton = 3.516 / COP

EXAMPLE:
In a brewery chilling system, ethylene glycol is used a secondary refrigerant. The designed capacity is 40 TR. A test
was conducted to find out the operating capacity and energy performance ratios. The flow was measured by switching
off the secondary pump and measuring the tank level difference in hot well.
Measurements data:
Temperature of ethylene glycol entering evaporator = (-) 1°C
Temperature of ethylene glycol leaving evaporator = (-) 4°C
Ethylene glycol flow rates = 13200 kg/hr
Evaporator ethylene glycol pressure drop (inlet to outlet) = 0.7 kg/cm2
Power input to compressor electrical power, kW = 39.5 kW Specific heat capacity of ethylene glycol = 2.34 kCal/kg°C
www.aeee.in
Combined heat and power (CHP) Generation:
• Simultaneous electricity and heat generation from a single source of fuel such as natural gas,
biomass, biogas, coal, oil etc.
• Very efficient way to transform the chemically bonded energy in a fuel to usable energy form
• Efficiency > 85% compared to conventional power plant (<45%)
• Efficiency with environmental benefits in the reduction of CO2
• Integrated Technology which can be modified depending upon the needs of energy and end
user
• First plant was installed in Denmark with 40% off electricity and 38% of heat generated in
1996
• Located on or near the user's facility in satisfied all or part of its electricity requirements
• Possible thermal energy applications: hot water, sterilization, space heating, cooling, even
dehumidification.
• 1 kW< size < 10 MW
CHP provides:
• one onsite generation of electrical and or mechanical power
• Waste heat recovery for heating, cooling, process applications
Gas turbine or reciprocating engine CHP
systems
• generate electricity by burning fuel (natural gas,
biogas) to generate electricity and then use a
heat recovery unit to capture heat from
combustion systems exhaust stream.
• This heat is converted to useful thermal energy
useful usually in the form of steam or hot water.
• Gas turbines/engines suited for large industrial
for commercial chp applications requiring ample
amounts of electricity and heat (paper and
petrochemical industries etc.).

Steam turbines
• Normally generate electricity as a byproduct of
heat generation.
• typically used in industrial processes where solid
fuels i.e. biomass, charcoal etc. are readily
available
• Comparison of different CHP systems
Efficiency, %

Technology NOx, ppm Heat Electrical Total

1 MW gas turbine <20 60-65 20-25 85-90

Back pressure steam turbine N/A 65 7-20 75-85

Fuel Cells 0.05 35-45 35-45 70-90

 Is combustion the only way to generate energy?

Petrol/CNG + O2 from air  Thermal energy + unburnt fuel + gases (COx, NOx etc.)

Fuel + oxidant (O2 from air)  Thermal energy + biproducts

e-

Energy

The energy that is released from the reaction is due to difference in bond energies of reactant and product.
What if, the electrons that are shared between reactants is caught? Will that give us the electrical energy???
116
 e-

Energy

2H2 O2 2H2O

e- Need electronic conductors to carry the electrons (2 electrodes;

e- one to receive from H2 and one to donate to O2)

H2
atom

H+ Need an ionic conductor to carry the protons (electrolyte)

Two electrodes and an electrolyte: Electrochemical system

117
 Fuel cells: A better way of conversion of energy?

Electrochemical
Energy
Thermal
2H2 O2 2H2O

Thermal conversion
1) Combustion efficiency ~30% (MAXIMUM), COx, NOx, noise etc.
Energy Electrochemical conversion
2) Conversion efficiency ~40-50% (MINIMUM), no air and noise pollution
Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
3) Conversion efficiency ~80-90%, no air and noise pollution

118
Fuel Cell H2 + (1/2)O2 = H2O (1.23 V) GDL: Gas diffusion layer
BPP: Bipolar plate

Adv:
Simple in construction
Silent in operation
Environmental free
High energy density device
(>500 Wh/kg compared to
batteries <100 Wh/kg)

Disadv:
High cost (~50US$/kW for a
100 kW system)
Durability(<5000 h)

https://www.seas.ucla.edu/~pilon/EES.html
Topping Cycle CHP
Topping cycle CHP is the process of using fuel to generate mechanical
energy which is used to create electricity using a generator. The
resulting waste heat is captured from this process to heat water for use
as hot water or steam throughout the facility.

https://www.eia.gov/workingpapers/pdf/chp-Industrial_81415.pdf
Bottoming Cycle CHP
Bottoming Cycle CHP, sometimes called Waste Heat to Power (WHP), is
where fuel is combusted to produce useful heat to carry out an
industrial process of some sort. Some of the waste heat from this
process is recovered via a heat exchanger, producing thermal energy
which is used to power a turbine generator to produce electricity.

T> 500 F
Bottoming Cycle CHP
Cumulative Count of Operable Bottoming Cycle and Topping Cycle Industrial CHP Units as
of December 2013 by Year of Initial Operation
Summary:
The greatest potential for the expansion of bottoming cycle CHP will be in
the energy intensive process industries that have significant high
temperature waste streams that can provide the input to generate
electricity. Technological advances that use working fluids that allow lower
temperature waste streams to be utilized can increase the potential for the
bottoming cycle. These new technologies with lower temperature
requirements can also help to expand the bottoming cycle for non-energy
intensive industries.
Determining the applicability of the bottoming cycle requires more complex
analysis than is the case with the topping cycle. Pinch Analysis in the energy
intensive process industries is an example of the type of complex analysis
that may be required to identify economically feasible bottoming cycle
implementations. Although the effective implementation of bottoming cycle
CHP is more complex than topping cycle CHP the energy that is converted to
electricity would otherwise be wasted. The use of waste heat will also allow
the use of other purchased fuels to be reduced.