Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a turbo-compression cooling system (TCCS) that captures waste heat from low temperature heat (91C) sources to generate chilled water without using electricity. By utilizing low-grade heat sources, it provides a continuous, sustainable cooling solution adaptable to various industrial needs with flexibility to accommodate varying waste heat temperatures and loads while maintaining the cooling output.
The industrial and marine sectors often produce significant waste heat, especially from diesel generators and manufacturing processes, which is usually released into the environment, leading to system inefficiencies. Traditional methods of utilizing this low-grade waste heat often require large, costly equipment with limited performance gains resulting in unacceptable returns on invested capital. This technology, therefore, presents a lower cost, efficient solution to recover waste heat effectively and reduce reliance on electrical cooling systems, contributing to both energy savings and reduced carbon footprint.
The Turbo-Compression Cooling System (TCCS) integrates an organic Rankine power cycle and vapor compression cooling cycle, using a waste heat boiler to drive a turbine that provides mechanical power to a compressor. This compressor is part of a cooling cycle that effectively cools a circulating fluid, which can be used to meet cooling needs for data centers, onboard ships, or in industrial facilities. This TCCS has a higher COP than state of the art electrical chillers and has additional flexibility compared to state of the art heat activated chillers. It requires no energy conversions from mechanical to electrical forms, allowing for a more direct and efficient transfer of energy from waste heat to chilled water. The TCCS is particularly well-suited to applications with low-grade waste heat, such as marine diesel engines, on-site power generation, and industrial/manufacturing processes. Recent innovations have enabled the TCCS to maintain cooling output even as waste heat input varies, which would enable full replacement of older, inefficient electric chillers and reduce wasted capital investments.
Platt, B., Young, and T. M. Bandhauer (2024). “Thermodynamic and Turbomachinery Analysis of a Hybrid Electric Organic Rankine Vapor Compression System.” Under review.
Grauberger, A., Young, and T. M. Bandhauer (2022). “Off-design performance of an organic Rankine-vapor compression cooling cycle using R1234ze(E).” Applied Energy, 321: 119421.
Grauberger, A., Young, and T. M. Bandhauer (2022). “Experimental Validation of an Organic Rankine Cycle Directly Coupled to a Vapor Compression Cooling Cycle using Low GWP Refrigerant R1234ze(E).” Applied Energy, 307: 118242.
Licensed
Todd M. Bandhauer
Derek N. Young
Shane D. Garland
Alex M. Grauberger
John R. Simon, III
Nickolas R. Roberts
Samuel Colosimo
Aly Hoeher
Aly.Hoeher@colostate.edu
970-491-7100