ElectraTherm, a leader in distributed waste heat to power generation, announces its first retrofit of a POWER+ GENERATOR with a BITZER expander. The POWER+ GENERATOR is operating 24/7 on industrial process heat at a pharmaceutical facility in Virginia. This is the first commercial retrofit using BITZER’s proven expander technology with patented and patent pending lubrication and bearing schemes specific to ElectraTherm.
One major advantage of the BITZER integration is a semi-hermetic design which couples the expander and generator as one assembly. This results in no shaft seal between the expander and generator, greatly enhancing reliability. In addition, the BITZER expander is designed for dual phase flow; both vapor and partial vapor mixtures are easily handled by the robust twin screws. The robust BITZER expander housing now available in production allows ElectraTherm to increase input temperatures and internal pressures to broaden waste heat to power applications. At the site conditions at this facility, the output increased more than 30% due to the higher flow capabilities of the BITZER expander.
The POWER+ was originally installed at the facility four years ago. The retrofit is the first to use ElectraTherm’s new offering of its semi-hermetic BITZER expander, hardware upgrades, and new controls. These upgrades are now available for all installed POWER+ GENERATORS in the field.
ElectraTherm’s distributed power generation units use low-temperature waste heat which had little value until now, on applications such as stationary engines, biomass, geothermal, flare elimination, wastewater treatment plants, and more. The POWER+ GENERATOR is easily transported, installed and operated with a small footprint, and comes fully-packaged.
Additional benefits of the POWER+ include:
// Low maintenance, with no gear boxes or oil changes
// Fully automated controls with remote access capabilities
// Robust BITZER twin screw expander
// Modular design for ease of installation
// CE certification
About ElectraTherm, Inc.
ElectraTherm, Inc. by BITZER Group, focuses on waste heat to power and is headquartered in the USA. ElectraTherm generates fuel-free, emission-free power from low temperature waste heat using the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) and patented technology. For more information on ElectraTherm and its clean energy products, please visit www.electratherm.com.
About BITZER
BITZER is an internationally leading specialist for refrigeration and air-conditioning technology with activities in refrigeration, air-conditioning and process cooling, transport as well as services. With energy-efficient, environmentally friendly and high-quality products and services, the BITZER Group improves the quality of life of people worldwide; for example, through the cooling of temperature-sensitive goods and reliable indoor temperature control. With 65 sites in 34 countries and 3,500 employees (2018), BITZER generated a turnover of €740 million in 2018. Expenditure for research and development totaled €37 million. To learn more about BITZER and its advanced refrigeration and air conditioning technologies, visit www.bitzer.de.