ElectraTherm, a leader in waste heat recovery solutions that increase energy efficiency, announces the start up of its first POWER+ GENERATOR 4400B at a biomass site in the United Kingdom. The POWER+ GENERATOR 4400B is using BITZER’s proven expander technology (see a video on the technology here) with patented and patent pending lubrication and bearing schemes. The 4400B offers a generating capacity of up to 75kW. The new semi-hermetic expander plus generator design allows for improved efficiency and greater thermal utilization across a wider range of hot water temperatures. ElectraTherm also offers the 6500B which generates up to 125kW.
Novalux Energy Solutions, ElectraTherm’s installation partner in the UK, installed a 1.25MWth biomass boiler and 4400B Power+ with the new BITZER expander at a poultry farm in the UK to supply power and heat to the site. The site is set up to use the heat in both the new poultry sheds as well as on a drying floor used for drying crops. Novalux commented that, “The differences between the old expander and the new expander are noticed almost immediately. Upon initial start-up, it is significantly quieter, and we’ve already observed an increase in efficiency. In addition, the improved reliability is something we can look forward to for many years to come.”
At the site in the UK, wood chips are used to fuel a biomass boiler. The boiler heats water to drive the POWER+ 4400B and produces clean electricity that is sold back to the utility at an incentivized rate. The ORC acts as a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) generator by using the remaining heat for site heating, increasing the efficiency of the system as a whole.
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.
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.
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 , 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.