Waste Heat Recovery Applications

Using the wasted heat (exhaust and cooling fluid) from a diesel generator, the SolarHeart^® Engine (low temperature Stirling Engine) could provide as much as a 20% gain in power. For military and remote power applications, where the effective price for fuel can be as high as $15 per gallon and fuel delivery can be extremely difficult, this new boost in fuel efficiency is extremely valuable.

Download Waste Heat Recovery Economics (PDF)

The Diesel Generator Situation

• Diesel Gensets used for remote electrical supply Military, intermittent rural, remote base load (to 5MW)
• Reciprocating engine with 30% to 40% net efficiency; Delivers 11 – 14 kWh per gallon of fuel
• Dependable, rugged, established technology
• Only 30% to 40% of chemical energy of genset is harnessed: ~40% to exhaust stack, ~25% to cooling, ~35% power
• Fuel price volatile; Fuel delivery often difficult and dangerous; Required maintenance is frequent

Waste Heat Recovery Opportunity

• Vast amount of waste heat in liquid and gaseous streams - Large opportunity to recover
• Low temp waste heat recovery economics previously challenging
• ‘Free’ fuel and low cost SolarHeart^® Engine now will support economics and an attractive ROI