EFFICIENT POWER PLANTS AND

WASTE HEAT RECOVERY, 2024

1. Introduction

Antti Uusitalo
Email. Antti.uusitalo@lut.fi
COURSE LECTURER
Antti Uusitalo,
antti.uusitalo@lut.fi
+358 405837741

Tutkijaopettaja LUT, research group of computational flow mechanics

My courses at LUT:
Energianmuuntoprosessit (Applied thermodynamics)
Efficient Power Plants and Waste Heat Recovery
Machines and processes in energy technology 2
Uusiutuva energia (Renewable energy)
Fluid machinery
Desing of fluid machinery

Research: Energy conversion processes and thermodynamics, Waste heat recovery

technologies, heat pumps, turbines (especially radial turbines), gas turbines, CFD
and real gas modelling
COURSE INFO
Independent studies:

4 X tests and 2 homework (Dimensioning of exhaust boiler and ORC)

Case study
Tot 130 h

Grading:
Tests in moodle + homework, max 60 points
Case study, max 40 points

Teacher: Antti Uusitalo

Contact info: antti.uusitalo@lut.fi, +358 405837741
EFFICIENT POWER PLANTS AND WASTE HEAT
RECOVERY: STUDY AIMS
Upon completion of the course the student:

1. Has knowledge on different waste heat recovery technologies and knowledge on the principles of waste heat recovery

2. Understands the principles of dimensioning and thermodynamic calculations of efficient power systems

3. Is able to estimate waste heat recovery potential in different applications and to evaluate the most suitable waste heat
recovery technology for different applications.
 7 ”TOPICS”
1. Introduction, waste heat and energy efficiency
2. Heat exchangers, Exhaust boilers (types and simple calculations)
3. Waste heat to electricity (WHR in engine and gas turbine power plants, steam turbine
combined cycles)
4. Waste heat to electricity (ORC)
5. Waste heat to electricity (TEG, Stirling, Kalina, SCO2)
6. Waste heat recovery and energy systems in Marine and Automotive applications
7. Heat pumps

Short slides for each topic available in Moodle + other material for independent studies
DEADLINES
Homework 1 and Homework 2, deadline 7.4.

Case study, deadline 21.4.

Test 1-4, deadline 21.4.

Recommended study phase:

 January: Test 1, start Homework 1 and select topic for the case study
 February: Test 2 + Test 3, return Homework1 and start Homework 2, continue
case study
 March + April: Test 4, return Homework 2, and finalize case study
GRADING
Total points Grade

90-100 5
80-89 4
70-79 3
60-69 2
50-59 1
0‐49 0
BACKGROUND
The energy cannot be destructed, it can only change it’s form (1st law of
thermodynamics).

Energy can be found in many diffrent forms etc.

 Electricity
 Heat
 Kinetic energy
 Potential energy
 Chemical energy

In every process part of the input energy is lost in a form or another!

EFFICIENT POWER PLANTS
The high efficiency of power plants is extremely important for declining the consumption of fossil fuels and reducing
emissions globally.

To reach high efficiency, each main component has to operate with high efficiency and different waste heat streams
have to be efficiently utilized.

Nowadays, many high efficiency power systems can include not only one power system, but several different energy
production technologies are connected to each other in where bottoming cycles are recovering waste heat from the
topping cycle (combined cycles).
EXAMPLES OF MODERN HIGHLY
EFFICIENT POWER PLANTS
Large-scale gas turbine combined cycles can reach about 60 % electric
efficiency (gas turbine + steam turbine cycle)

Large-scale steam power plants having steam at supercritical state at the

steam turbine inlet
 For example Siemens coal fired power plant (800 MW electric
power, turbine inlet temperature 600 oC, pressure 280 bar)

- Power systems based on use of supercritical CO2 currently under

development
- Extremely compact physical size in respect to the power level
- High efficiency in different high temperature applications
 ROUGH COMPARISON OF HIGH ELECTRICAL EFFICIENCY
POWER PLANT TECHNOLOGIES

Max. electric Electric efficiency Increasing efficiency

efficiency with waste heat
recovery (combined
cycle)

Gas turbine power ≈ 40 % ≈ 60 % • Turbine inlet temperature

increase
plants (commercial
technology)
Engine power plants ≈ 45 - 50 % ≈ 55 % • Increasing charge pressures,
• reducing different loss sources
(commercial
technology)

Steam power plants ≈ 40 - 50 % - No significant waste heat • Turbine inlet pressure and
streams or waste heat at low temperature increase,
(commercial temperature (low condensing • Use of several preheaters and
technology) steam reheating
temperature)

Supercritical CO2 ≈ 60 % - No significant waste heat • Different cycle layouts

streams or waste heat at low • turbine inlet pressure and
cycles (under temperature temperature increase
developmet) • efficient recuperator (process
internal heat exchanger)
EFFICIENCY OF DIFFERENT POWER PLANT
TECHNOLOGIES

Figure reference: Ahn, Y., Bae, S. J., Kim, M., Cho, S. K., Baik, S., Lee, J. I., & Cha, J. E. (2015). Review of supercritical
CO2 power cycle technology and current status of research and development. Nuclear Engineering and Technology, 47(6),
647-661.
SIMPLE GAS TURBINE VS. GAS TURBINE COMBINED CYCLE (EFFICIENCY
DEVELOPMENT MAINLY BY INCREASING TURBINE INLET TEMPERATURES)

Modern Gas Turbine Systems, Peter Jansohn (ed.), Woodhead

Publishing Limited, 2013, s.12, ISBN 978-1-84569-728-0
EXAMPLE OF STEAM PARAMETER DEVELOPMENT
IN STEAM TURBINE POWER PLANTS

Figure from Misubishi and Hitachi power systems, https://www.mhps.com/products/steamturbines/performance/

Waste heat
WASTE HEAT
Significant amounts of waste heat is generated in different types of power plants and industrial
process. It has been estimated that somewhere between 20 to 50% of industrial energy input is
lost as waste heat e.g. in the form of hot exhaust gases, cooling water, and heat lost from hot
equipment surfaces and heated products etc.(U.S. Department of energy report) .

The majority of the waste heat streams are at very low temperature and can not be easily
exploited either from technical or economical point of view.

By recovering part of this waste heat, the energy efficiency of the whole process can be
increased and fuel or other energy usage can be declined.
DEFINITIONS OF WASTE HEAT AND WASTE HEAT
RECOVERY

Let’s define the ”waste heat” as thermal energy that is generated in any process and is not utilized/converted as useful
work.

Let’s define the ”waste heat recovery” as using any kind of equipment or method that are used for utilizing waste heat in
a form of thermal power or converting the waste heat to mechanical power or electric power.
DISTRIBUTION OF WASTE HEAT IN DIFFERENT TEMPERATURE LEVELS (THE FIGURE COVERS
ONLY CERTAIN INDUSTRIAL FIELDS AND DOES NOT PRESENT THE AMOUNT OF WASTE IN
TOTAL) 1 PJ = 278 GWH

Colonna, P., et al. (2015). Organic Rankine Cycle Power Systems: From the Concept to Current Technology, Applications, and an
Outlook to the Future. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 137(10).
SHARE OF DIFFERENT WASTE HEAT
TEMPERATURES IN DIFFERENT SECTORS

Forman, Clemens, Ibrahim Kolawole Muritala, Robert Pardemann, and Bernd Meyer. "Estimating
the global waste heat potential." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 57 (2016): 1568-
1579.
ESTIMATED GLOBAL WASTE HEAT DISTRIBUTION

Forman, Clemens, Ibrahim Kolawole Muritala, Robert Pardemann, and Bernd Meyer. "Estimating
the global waste heat potential." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 57 (2016): 1568-
1579.
WHR POTENTIAL AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES IN EU IDUSTRIAL SECTORS (AMOUNT OF
WASTE HEAT AND CARNOT POTENTIAL)

Bianchi, Giuseppe, Gregoris P. Panayiotou, Lazaros Aresti, Soteris A. Kalogirou, Georgios A. Florides, Kostantinos
Tsamos, Savvas A. Tassou, and Paul Christodoulides. "Estimating the waste heat recovery in the European Union
Industry." Energy, Ecology and Environment 4, no. 5 (2019): 211-221.
WASTE HEAT RECOVERY POTENTIAL IN EU COUNTRIES (THEORETICAL 920 TWH, CARNOT POTENTIAL
279 TWH)

Bianchi, Giuseppe, Gregoris P. Panayiotou, Lazaros

Aresti, Soteris A. Kalogirou, Georgios A. Florides,
Kostantinos Tsamos, Savvas A. Tassou, and Paul
Christodoulides. "Estimating the waste heat
recovery in the European Union Industry." Energy,
Ecology and Environment 4, no. 5 (2019): 211-221.
WASTE HEAT RECOVERY POTENTIAL

How much heat energy there is in MW?

Theoretical potential (Carnot)

Real potential (suitable technologies)

Economically feasible potential

Bianchi, Giuseppe, Gregoris P. Panayiotou, Lazaros Aresti, Soteris A. Kalogirou, Georgios A. Florides, Kostantinos Tsamos, Savvas A. Tassou, and
Paul Christodoulides. "Estimating the waste heat recovery in the European Union Industry." Energy, Ecology and Environment 4, no. 5 (2019): 211-
221.
MOTIVATION FOR RECOVERING WASTE HEAT
Energy efficiency is nowadays highly important ( global CO2 reduction targets)!

More efficient processes and less fuel usage to produce the same amount of products:
 Less emissions
 Reduced fuel costs

 Economic benefits and opportunities

 Environmental legislation (e.g. EU DIRECTIVE 2012/27/EU)

 Environmentally friendly and highly energy efficient process can be seen as potential
advantage for corporate image and beneficial for selling products in the markets
“Despite the significant environmental and energy saving
benefits of waste heat recovery, its implementation
depends primarily on the economics and perceived
technical risks. Industrial manufacturing facilities will invest
in waste heat recovery only when it results in savings that
yield a reasonable payback period and the perceived risks
are negligible.”

(U.S. Department of energy report)

 WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION OPTIONS
• The most common (and easiest) way to utilize waste heat is to use it as heat
energy directly in the process.The recovered heat can be used in e.g.
heating network or for producing process steam.

• One option is to convert waste heat into electricity or mechanical energy. The
possibilities to produce electricity is most attractive in systems having high
waste heat temperatures or if the amount of waste heat is significantly large.
(+ high electricity demand or high electricity price)

• The low grade heat can be also upgraded by using a heat pump or waste
heat can be even used for producing cooling energy (e.g. Absoption chillers)
WASTE HEAT RECOVERY OPTIONS, HEAT POWER
Waste heat
Waste heat recovery
Process Heat exchanger

Recovered heat for re-use in process

Waste heat
Waste heat recovery
Process Heat exchanger

Recovered heat for district heating

WASTE HEAT RECOVERY OPTIONS, WASTE HEAT
TO ELECTRICITY SYSTEM
Waste heat
Waste heat to
Process electricity system

Additional electricity for process

Waste heat
Waste heat to
Process electricity system

Selling electricity to the grid

WASTE HEAT UPGRADING/THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE

Waste heat
Waste heat upgrading
Process (heat pump)

Heat pump
electricity consumption
Upgraded and usable heat for process

Waste heat

Process Thermal energy storage

Recovered heat for

heating
COOLING ENERGY FROM WASTE HEAT

Waste heat

Process Absorption Chiller

Cooling energy
 ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE METHODS
WHR

ACTIVE PASSIVE

Waste heat to
power: -Heat exchangers
Waste heat to heat: Waste heat to cold:
-Steam Rankine cycle -Thermal energy
- compressor heat pumps -absorption chillers -ORC storages
- sorption heat pumps -Kalina
-SCO2?
-Power turbines
WASTE HEAT RECOVERY (WHR)
First significant efforts and development work on WHR systems took place during 1970s
when the oil crises increased the fuel prices.

First development steps of many modern WHR technologies were carried out during that
time (e.g. waste heat recovery devices for heavy duty trucks)

Nowadays diffrent energy efficiency targets and legistlation have lead to a rapid
development and interest/implementation of WHR devices in many applications:
 Fuel prices and WHR technology development
 Paris climate agreement, emission reduction and energy efficiency increase targets in many
countries (power plants, industrial processes, households)
 Different standards and legistlation for energy efficiency and emissions also for marine and
automotive sectors: (TIER3, MARPOL, EURO6…)
FACTORS AFFECTING WHR FEASIBILITY
Heat quantity (amount of waste heat)

Heat temperature level

Continuous or discontinuous availability?

Heat quality (purity, corrosivity, density etc.)

Minimum allowable temperature: for example exhaust gas temperatures below acid dew point have to be avoided.
IDENTIFYING THE POTENTIAL WHR
CASES IN DIFFERENT PROCESSES
Heat streams and energy balances of the process components and process stages -> where
the heat is lost, what is the temperature level and what is the magnitude?

The WHR systems should not affect negatively on the process (operation, efficiency,
pressure losses, need for maintanance etc.)

Economic considerations:
 need for heat power or additional electricity production?
 Opportunities to sell the heat to an existing heating network or electricity to the grid?
 WHR does not increase the fuel consumption -> investment cost and maintanance are the main costs
of WHR systems
 Annual utilization time
Fig. from Simeone, A., Luo, Y.,
Woolley, E., Rahimifard, S., & Boër, C.
(2016). A decision support system for
waste heat recovery in manufacturing.
CIRP Annals, 65(1), 21-24.
TYPICAL WASTE HEAT STREAMS
Exhaust heat, combustion gases and other high temperature waste heat of different
applications (high temperatures, good WHR opportunities)
 Gas turbines
 Engine power plants
 Pulp mills (for example lime kiln)
 Steel mill (blast furnace)
 Cement indutry (cement kiln)

Hot water or other low grade flows (lower WHR opportunities especially for from waste
heat to electricity conversion). On the other hand in many processes the low
temperature heat has high quantities (data centers, industrial processes..).
IMPORTANT INDUSTRIES FOR WASTE HEAT
RECOVERY
Energy production
Pulp and paper
Cement
Steel
Glass
Chemical
Petroleum
Textile and food industry
Data centers
Waste incineration
EXAMPLES OF WASTE HEAT SOURCES AND END
USES

Table reference:(U.S. Department of energy)

Table reference:(U.S. Department of energy)
CONVERTING WASTE HEAT INTO ELECTRICITY
The potential for converting waste heat into electricity is highly dependent on the waste heat temperature level, amount
of waste heat and available process cooling temperature(heat sink temperature).

Different technologies for converting waste heat into electricity have been developed and commercially available

These technologies will be covered and the operational principles of different technologies will be presented later in this
course.
CARNOT-EFFICIENCY (IDEAL EFFICIENCY OF A
HEAT ENGINE)

ηc=1−𝑇cold/𝑇hot (remember to use K not oC)

example: we have waste heat at the temperature of 150 oC and for cooling we have water at the temperature of 20 oC.

The Carnot efficiency for such as system would be about 30 %.

Remember that the efficiency of a real energy conversion process is allways less than the Carnot efficiency (for
example ORC-processes reach about 50% performance compared to the Carnot efficiency).
CARNOT EFFICIENCY WITH DIFFERENT
TEMPERATURES
ROUGH CATEGORIZATION OF WHR TECHNOLOGIES
Temperature, oC

SCO2
STEAM TURBINE CYCLES

400
Stirling engines

300

Kalina cycle ORGANIC RANKINE CYCLES

200 TEG

100 Absortion chillers and heat pumps

100 kW 1 MW 10 MW

Power scale
12.01.2024 Footer 43
GOOD SUPPORT MATERIAL RELATED TO WASTE
HEAT RECOVERY:
Waste heat recovery: Technology and Opportunities in U.S. Industry, U.S Department of
Energy, 2008
https://www1.eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/intensiveprocesses/pdfs/waste_heat_recovery.pdf

Forman, Clemens, Ibrahim Kolawole Muritala, Robert Pardemann, and Bernd Meyer.
"Estimating the global waste heat potential." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 57
(2016): 1568-1579.

Bianchi, Giuseppe, Gregoris P. Panayiotou, Lazaros Aresti, Soteris A.

Kalogirou, Georgios A. Florides, Kostantinos Tsamos, Savvas A. Tassou, and
Paul Christodoulides. "Estimating the waste heat recovery in the European
Union Industry." Energy, Ecology and Environment 4, no. 5 (2019): 211-221.