The manufacturing industry generates vast quantities of heat... which is discarded as waste Clive Whitbourn of DRD

A PIONEERING technique that could save companies tens of thousands of pounds a year by converting waste heat into electricity is being trialled in the North-East.

Redcar-based DRD Power has recently completed the installation of its first DRD Power Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) heat recovery system at Huntsman Pigments’ manufacturing plant in Hartlepool.

Featuring a refrigeration compressor running in reverse to drive an electrical generator, the system can generate power from waste steam or hot water at temperatures as low as 90C (194F).

Previously, ORC systems have only been capable of generating electricity from temperatures of 130C (226F) and higher.

The new system, which operates around the clock, has already achieved more than 3,000 running hours and has generated more than 100kW of electricity – worth about £50,000 – for Huntsman from a hot water waste stream.

The DRD Power ORC system generates electricity with zero carbon dioxide emissions.

The annual carbon dioxide saving from a 200kW unit is about 750 tonnes and the electricity produced is worth more than £100,000 per annum to the operator.

DRD Power’s Clive Whitbourn said: “Conventional ORC heat recovery systems use heat sources such as high pressure steam at temperatures above 130C to generate electricity.

“ORC systems using lower temperature heat sources are typically installed at massive geo-thermal plants and are generally not economical for chemical process plants or industrial manufacturing facilities.

“The UK process and manufacturing industry generates vast quantities of heat between 90C and 130C, which is discarded as waste.

“If only a small percentage of this waste heat could be recovered and turned into electricity, then this would be equivalent to the energy produced by several large power stations.”

DRD Power worked closely with Glasgow-based cooling and heating specialist Star Refrigeration on the research, design, construction and commissioning of the unit.

The two companies are working together on further DRD Power ORC projects.