Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) recovery experts
Environ offer a complete, conception-to-commissioning ORC solution for recovering energy from your waste heat streams.
Many companies see the need to maximise their energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint, but turning good intentions into practical solutions takes expertise. At Environ we work collaboratively with customers to design and deliver tailored turnkey solutions that fit around
your current operations without requiring major revisions to your production methods.
We have many years of expertise in ORC integration with a range of heat sources, making us well placed to offer a viable solution recovering heat, otherwise rejected, to produce electricity for sale to the National Grid or to offset site loads and where applicable, used for downstream process heating.
Not all heat sources are the same and Environ understand where and when interventions are needed to ensure reliability and minimise downtime. Environ’s engineers and skilled craftspeople have over a decade of experience installing, repairing and servicing turbines, steam expanders and ORCs. We have also decommissioned a number of improperly specified machines, so we understand what works, what doesn’t and why.
How can we help you?
Initially you will contract us to conduct a survey of your existing installation to accurately assess the energy recovery potential of your plant. We will measure the quality and consistency of the heat flows, analyse this data and produce a report, advising whether energy recovery is economically viable and if so, present options as to how this may be done most reliably and effectively.
Should you wish to act on our recommendations we provide a full fabrication and integration package delivering a complete turnkey solution. In close consultation with you, our customer, we will tailor the energy recovery solution to the heat and power needs of your business.
Environ are technology agnostic and not tied to any manufacturer and so can recommend only the most suitable technology and supplier to give the most reliable machines with minimal maintenance and ongoing running costs.
Generating just 40kW of electricity per hour will offset over 75 tons of CO2 from grid transmitted and generated electricity over a period of 12 months, based on current estimates (source: UK Gov; Dept for Energy Security and Net Zero, July 2024 “Greenhouse gas reporting: conversion factors 2024”).
How does an ORC work?
The working fluid in the ORC is pumped to an evaporator where it absorbs heat from the heat source. This then changes the working fluid into a high-pressure gas vapour. This gas is then expanded through a small turbine coupled to a high speed (no gearbox) electrical generator in the Integrated Power Module to produce electrical power. The gas is then turned back into a liquid as it passes through the condenser and the cycle then repeats itself.
Heat Source: This is often in the form of hot air or hot gas which is ducted to the evaporator of the ORC as described. This can be via a heat exchanger depending on the specific installation.
Markets
The following are markets that we work in with ORC installations;
- Biomass Burner – hot gas 530°C – 1000°C
- Biomass Steam – 1.5 – 10t/hr flow
- Biomass Hot Water – 80°C – 150°C
- Anaerobic Digesters – engine exhaust 450°C – 550°C and jacket water 90°C
- Landfill sites – engine exhaust 450°C – 550°C and jacket water 90°C
- Heavy manufacturing – Cement, Glass Chemicals, Metals flue gasses 300°C – 1200°C
