Open-cycle vapor compression heat pump. Final report, January 1979-January 1985

Technical Report · Thu Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5046676

Becker, F E; Ruggles, A E

Large quantities of low-grade energy in the form of low-pressure steam and low-temperature heat are often discharged to the environment by industry. The practical and economical recovery of energy from these sources is often limited by the number of applications that can directly use low-temperature heat. Thermo Electron has developed an open-cycle steam heat-pump system capable of the direct recovery and upgrading of low-grade waste energy. The system compresses low-pressure waste steam (or steam made from sources of low-temperature waste heat) to produce high-pressure steam suitable for use in industrial processes. A prototype system has been developed that is capable of recovering and recompressing up to 10,000 lb/hr of waste steam, while using only 50% of the fuel that would be required to produce comparable steam in a boiler. The prototype steam-recompression system, using a 2200-cfm rotary-screw compressor, driven by a 500-hp natural-gas engine, was tested at Thermo Electron and then installed at the Monsanto Company in western Massachusetts for a year-long field test.

• Research Organization: Thermo Electron Corp., Waltham, MA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5046676
• Report Number(s): PB-85-222529/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320303* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Equipment & Processes
320304 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Waste Heat Recovery & Utilization
COMPRESSORS
ENERGY
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY RECOVERY
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FIELD TESTS
HEAT
HEAT PUMPS
HEAT RECOVERY
RECOVERY
STEAM
STEAM SYSTEMS
TESTING
WASTE HEAT
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
WASTES