General Electric has devised a way of generating energy from a single type of waste, excessive heat from gas turbines themselves. This innovative system is based on a process understood and studied for decades, however, previously was too expensive and not fully effective in practice. Thanks to the latest research in engineering, the system is able to capture the waste heat with high efficiency from industrial gas turbines and convert it into energy with no emissions or another cycle of water consumption.
The GE Energy Department near the Idaho National Laboratory, will spend $ 2 million to further develop a technology that could help increase the efficiency of industrial motors, which often operate at only 35% efficiency. In addition, engineers have ensured that this new system implemented in gas turbines operating over 8,500 hours per year, achieve a savings of more than 11 million liters of water per year.
The technology is based on a process known as Organic Rankine Cycle, which converts heat into useful work that can be used to generate electricity. The process usually requires expensive for working fluids, and therefore has been very profitable for companies adopted. But now, engineers have managed to eliminate the need for fluids, using an efficient evaporator in heat transfer, significantly reducing the capital cost of the system.
energy costs and increased
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is responsible for conducting technical analysis and help guide the design of GE engineers to improve the efficiency of the prototype at the research centers in New York and Germany. Without doubt, cited research is very important in these times, the addition of energy costs and increased pressure to reduce emissions, it makes an affordable system that reduces waste and saves water as well as increasing efficiency, is well received by all.
