A thermal transformer for recycling

and upgrading waste heat

Research Seminar
8th June 2018
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Waste-Heat Problem
Opportunities
What is
waste
heat?
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Waste Heat Availability

Electricity Generation

26 Commercial

Residential
<100°C

100-299°C
52%
The proportion of global
68
37 waste heat estimated to be
Process Industry >300°C
recoverable

Transportation

0 10 20 30
Useful energy (PWh)
Waste Heat (PWh)
Unrecoverable losses (PWh)
Recoverable waste heat (PWh) 40TWh recoverable waste heat
from UK industry annually (DECC)
Source: BEIS Report, 2017
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Waste Heat Solutions

Re-use Storage Upgrade

10000
Industrial
Chemical Reactions
Process
Text

Energy Density (MJ/m³)

Text Waste
Text
Sorption Upgrade Heat
1000
heat

Phase
Change Text
Materials Text

Water

1000
Requiring no additional
100
Storage Temperature in degrees centigrade (°C) energy input
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

The Technology
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Adsorption

Fluid

Exothermic

Solid
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Desorption

Fluid

Endothermic

Solid
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Thermal Transformation
CHARGING PHASE

COOLING HEATING

Low Temperature High Temperature

Reactor Reactor
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Thermal Transformation
DISCHARGING PHASE

HEATING HEAT OUT

Low Temperature High Temperature

Reactor Reactor
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Thermal Transformation
HEAT IN

HEAT OUT

Transformed Heat
Pressure

HEAT OUT

HEAT IN

Tambient Twaste Tupgraded Temperature

Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Design
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Aims

1 Review potential applications of waste heat recovery

2 Develop manufacturing methods for composite chemical adsorbents

3 Build a small-scale reactor to evaluate candidate materials

4 Design, build and test a thermal transformation reactor

5 Disseminate work in energy transformation and storage technologies

Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Project Plan
4. Design and 5. Impact
build of
Thermal
3. Design • Producing
Transformer
project
and build of website
LTJ • Reactor
design
2. Material
Manufacture • LTJ design • Manufacture
and
• Manufacture
Identify assembly
1. Project Scope • and
temperatures assembly • Safety testing
• Review and select
• Safety testing • Cycling
current salts
technologies • Manufacture • Testing
• Identify composite
waste-heat materials
problem • Analyse
thermal
properties
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Choice of reactants
Working fluid Salt pair Composite material

Ammonia CaCl2 and MnCl2 Expanded Natural Graphite

• Good heat transfer properties • Operating temperatures • Improves thermal conductivity

• Ammonia systems are cheaper within range • Increases surface area and porosity
as narrower-diameter piping • Low cost in comparison to for salt deposition
can be used other salts • Safe and cheap
• Environmentally friendly • Low hazard choice • Reduces swelling and agglomeration
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Design Concepts
Common requirements of both LTJ and Thermal Transformer

1. Large Temperature Jump Concept

Safety Critical
Modular Design
High pressures &
Change candidate
temperatures,
salts
toxic gas

Control Systems 2. Thermal

Instrumentation Transformer
and automation Concept
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Stage 1: Manufacture and Assembly

Fabrication
Custom parts fabricated and welded
within the School of Engineering

Assembly
Mechanical and electrical components
assembled in the laboratory
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Stage 2: Salt Composite

Manufacture
This is a
pointer
style COMPOSITE DISCS
Ammonia flows through
solid-composite discs
containing reactive salts

OIL JACKETS
Oil flows through
an outer tube to
transfer heat

REACTOR
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Large Temperature Jump (LTJ) experiments

Applies a step-change in temperature

• Takes the material from one temperature to
another

Derive a relationship between temperature

and rate
• How quickly does the reaction happen for
an applied temperature?

Determine operating procedure for the

transformer
• Cycle time is important for industrial
application.
Large Temperature Jump (LTJ)
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Thermal Transformer
High
Low Temperature
Temperature
Reactor
Reactor

Valve switching Valve switching

system system

Huber chiller bath

Huber oil baths

Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Control
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Hardware
3x Flowmeters 3x Pressure Transducers
2x Solenoids

7x Thermocouples

12x Pneumatic Valves 3x Oil Baths

Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Need for control

Undisturbed
test cycles

Reducing Human time

human error saving

Remote access:
presence in lab
not required

The Data
Acquisition unit
(DAQ)
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Software

Stability
Monitor

Bath Control

Data Solenoid
recording Valve
Control
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Results
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Large Temperature Jump (LTJ) Results

• Derived a relationship between the

operating temperature and cycle
time (to determine power output)

• Identified bounds of operation with

the selected salts
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Thermal Transformer Results

40°C
Temperature lift
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Future work
Further testing Heat exchanger redesign Scaling
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Conclusions
Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Conclusions

44.5 TWh £228m

Potential annual savings
Chemical, food and
111 TWh
if 20% heat recycled
paper processing annual
usage costing

£2.2bn
UK annual industrial energy usage

Source: Dalton et al, 2016

Introduction Waste-heat problem Technology Design Control Results Conclusions

Conclusions

Developed a novel method for improving the properties

of salts by using an ENG matrix – improving
1 conductivity, mass transfer and salt stability.

Built a LTJ rig and tested candidate chemicals over a

2 range of conditions. Produced hundreds of hours of test
results, showing effective operating conditions.

3 Successfully built and tested a system for upgrading

waste heat to higher, more useful temperatures, raising
waste heat from 107°C to 147°C.
Thank you for listening

Any questions?

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