Search results for "waste heat"
showing 10 items of 45 documents
Coupling salinity gradient heat engines with power generation systems and industrial processes
2022
Abstract This chapter presents some potential applications of salinity gradient power-heat engines (SGP-HEs) in power generation systems and industrial processes, where low-temperature waste heat flows could be available. In order to show this concept, five case studies are proposed. In the first case study, a thermoelectric power plant is considered. The analysis evaluates the possibility to convert the low-grade heat content of flue gases into additional electricity via SGP-HEs. In the second case study, an SGP-HE is coupled with an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) plant to enhance the amount of electricity produced from a medium-temperature waste heat flow released by an industrial process. I…
Industrial waste heat: Estimation of the technically available resource in the EU per industrial sector, temperature level and country
2018
Abstract Industrial waste heat is examined in EU countries, focusing on the amount that can be recovered and exploited, referred to as technical potential of waste heat. An alternative methodology is proposed here, which is based on waste heat fractions derived from a detailed study of the UK industry from the period 2000–2003. These fractions express the part of heat consumption that is wasted and is possible to be recovered. The waste heat fractions have been calculated in this work for each main industrial sector and temperature level. The methodology initially includes the adjustment of waste heat fractions from each industrial sector from the UK industry to the conditions of the differ…
Thermal regeneration of ammonium bi-carbonate solutions for closed-loop reverse electrodialysis
2016
Reverse electrodialysis is a novel technology that exploits a salinity gradient to generate electrical energy. The salinity gradient can be available from natural waters such as seawater and river water or they can be artificially generated and used within closed-loop applications. This last option has been recently investigated leading to the development of the RED heat engine concept. In this case, the deployed salinity gradient exiting the RED unit is regenerated in a thermally-driven unit using low-temperature heat, thus being able to convert heat to power within an integrated system. Among the different regeneration alternatives, the use of thermolytic salts has been presented as a pro…
Salinity gradient heat engines: An innovative concept for waste heat valorization
2022
Abstract The world population has grown rapidly in the last century and a similar increase is expected in the next years. A corresponding increase in energy production and consumption has been recorded so far and most of it comes from nonrenewable sources. The shift from conventional energy production processes to renewable-based ones is proceeding slowly; meanwhile, the need for reducing the energy losses in current power technologies is a matter of crucial importance. Thus, the interest toward low-grade waste heat and strategies for its valorization has rapidly grown recently. Salinity gradient heat engines are a novel promising technology to produce power from waste heat at very low temp…
Combined membrane and thermal desalination processes for the treatment of ion exchange resins spent brine
2019
Abstract The disposal of industrial wastewater effluents represents a critical environmental issue. This work focuses on the treatment of the spent brine produced by the regeneration of ion exchange resins employed for water softening. For the first time, a comprehensive techno-economic assessment and an analysis of the energy requirements of the treatment chain are carried out, via the simulation of ad hoc implemented models. The chain is composed of nanofiltration, double-stage crystallization and multi-effect distillation. The valuable product is the brine produced by the multi-effect distillation, which can be re-used for the regeneration. Therefore, the treatment chain’s economic feasi…
An integrated approach for the HCl and metals recovery from waste pickling solutions: pilot plant and design operations
2021
Abstract Continuous regeneration of industrial pickling solutions and recovery of valuable materials are implemented in a pilot-scale plant including diffusion dialysis (DD), where HCl is recovered, membrane distillation (MD), where HCl is concentrated, and reactive precipitation (CSTR), where metal ions are recovered in different forms. The integration of the three processes allows to minimize waste streams generation and to accomplish a closed-loop process, thus increasing the environmental sustainability and economic impact of the galvanizing industry. Process reliability was proved through the operation of a demonstrator in the real industrial environment of the Tecnozinco SrL hot-dip g…
Membrane distillation: solar and waste heat driven demonstration plants for desalination
2011
Potential applications of Salinity Gradient Power-Heat Engines for recovering low-temperature waste heat in cogeneration plants
2021
Abstract Salinity Gradient Power-Heat Engine is an innovative technology able to convert very low-temperature heat into electricity. Energy and economic benefits could be achieved by integrating this technology into cogeneration plants, where the exploitation of waste heat available during the operation could increase the revenues arising from “High-Efficiency” labels. For the first time, this paper proposes two potential applications in this field, and three illustrative case studies are purposely investigated. In the first case study, a salinity gradient-heat engine converts the waste heat available from a cogeneration plant serving an industrial process. In the second case study, a salin…
Water-organic systems in closed-loop reverse electrodialysis for lower regeneration requirements
2016
Salinity Gradient Power (SGP) is an emerging opportunity to produce sustainable energy. Among the different SGP technologies, Reverse ElectroDialysis (RED) looks very promising. In a RED system the salinity gradient between two different solutions is used to directly produce electricity. Closed-loop RED is an innovative process, combining a RED unit with a regeneration system. If low grade waste-heat is used for the regeneration stage, in which the initial concentrations of the solutions exiting the RED unit are restored, the closed-loop can be seen as a RED-heat-engine able to convert thermal energy into electricity. The aim of this work is to perform a preliminary analysis of a regenerati…
REVERSE ELECTRODIALYSIS HEAT ENGINE: Low-grade Waste Heat into Electricity
Our society is undergoing a progressive change about the life style and habits. The world population is continuously increasing with 7.6 billion of human beings in 2018, resulting in an increasingly demand of resources in terms of food, water and energy. The exploitation of the planet resources since the first Industrial Revolution, results today in an unsustainable condition, which requires fundamental changes. In particular, in the energy sector the adoption of fossil fuels as the main energy source for human beings’ activities resulted in a strong impact on our planet, leading to climate changes and environmental pollution. Nowadays these aspects have induced society to a substantial cha…