R&D PROJECTS

NEW METHODS FOR INDUSTRIAL WASTE HEAT RECOVERY

Acronym: VALENTHIN (VALorisation ENergétique des rejets THermiques INdustriels)

Time Period: From January 2013 to December 2016

Total Budget:  €15-million

 

Financing:  Axelera’s eco-designed process activitie (French Project)

 

Short description:

Valenthin aims to create a new industry in France to recover industrial waste heat in liquid or gaseous form and at temperatures between 25°C and 200°C. The project team will study new methods and technologies for transforming waste heat into thermal or electrical energy, and for storing this energy and directing it to other processes, plants, companies, or even local utilities.

The main technologies considered for the valorisation of waste heat are the following:

  • Natural gas heat pumps
    • thermal power: 500 kW to 1.5 MW
    • Working fluids for temperatures higher than 120°C
  • Energy sotrage
    • Phase change materials
    • Optimized thermal conductivity
  • Power generation (Organic Rankine Cycles)
    • Target power > 500 kWe
    • Target efficiency: 12% for a heat source temperature of 80 to 150°C
  • Common engineering tools
    • Energy analysis
    • Environmental analysis
    • Simulation tools
    • Control
    • Economic models

Partners:

Project leaders:

The project comprises a total of 14 partners: 7 large companies, 4 small to mid-sized companies, 1 technology research centre, 1 state-owned entity, and 1 university laboratory. The project is also backed by the Lyon Institute for Ecotechnology and Carbon-free Energy (IDEEL).