DE-EE0005767

Final Technical Report

Waste Heat-to-Power Using Scroll Expander

for Organic Rankine Bottoming Cycle

DOE Award Number: DE-EE0005767

Project Period: July 2013 to March 2017

Principal Investigator: John Dieckmann, 781-879-1269

dieckmann.J@TIAXLLC.com

Recipient Organization: TIAX LLC

35 Hartwell Avenue
Lexington, MA 02421

Partners: None

Date of Submission of Report: April 30, 2017

 DE-EE0005767

Acknowledgement, Disclaimer and Proprietary Data Notice – DOCUMENT

AVAILABILITY

Acknowledgement

This report is based upon work supported by the U. S. Department of Energy under
Award No. DE-EE0005767.

Disclaimer

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United
States Government. Neither the United States Government, nor any agency thereof, nor
any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal
liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any
information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not
infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product,
process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not
necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the
United States Government or any agency thereof. Any findings, opinions, and
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this report are those of the authors and do
not necessarily reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

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Table of Contents

LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................................... IV

LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................................V

1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................. 1-1

2.0 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................ 2-1

2.1 TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION .......................................................................................................... 2-1
2.2 SCROLL EXPANDER TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENT ........................................................................ 2-1
2.3 POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS ............................................................................................................. 2-1
2.4 COMMERCIALIZATION STRATEGY .................................................................................................. 2-2
3.0 BACKGROUND .............................................................................................................................. 3-3

4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ...................................................................................................... 4-5

4.1 TECHNICAL APPROACH .................................................................................................................. 4-5
4.2 EXPERIMENTAL METHODOLOGY AND TEST PROCEDURES ............................................................. 4-8
4.3 PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS ............................................................................. 4-15
5.0 BENEFITS ASSESSMENT .......................................................................................................... 5-26

6.0 COMMERCIALIZATION ........................................................................................................... 6-27

7.0 ACCOMPLISHMENTS ................................................................................................................ 7-28

8.0 CONCLUSIONS AND NEXT STEPS ......................................................................................... 8-29

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List of Acronyms

CAD—Computer Aided Design

C—Celsius

F—Fahrenheit

GWP—Global Warming Potential

HMI—Human Machine Interface

Hz—Hertz

kWe—kilowatts electric

kWth—kilowatts thermal

kW—kilowatts

NIST REFPROP—National Institute of Standards and Technology Refrigerant Properties

ORC—Organic Rankine Cycle

PLC—Programmable Logic Controller

RPM—Revolutions Per Minute

TRL—Technology Readiness Level

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List of Figures

Figure 1. Organic Rankine Cycle Schematic with TIAX Scroll Expander .................... 3-4
Figure 2. Photograph of the Scroll Expander on the Bench Test Setup. ........................ 4-5
Figure 3. CAD Model of the Scroll Expander .............................................................. 4-10
Figure 4. Test Loop and Mechanical Test Bed Schematic ........................................... 4-11
Figure 5. Photograph of Bench Test Setup ................................................................... 4-12
Figure 6. Field Test Loop Schematic ............................................................................ 4-13
Figure 7. Cutaway View of the Boiler .......................................................................... 4-14
Figure 8. Cutaway View of the Condenser ................................................................... 4-15
Figure 9. Representative Efficiency Data Points from Scroll Expander Testing ......... 4-16
Figure 10. Central Equipment Package Undergoing Final Assembly .......................... 4-18
Figure 11. Before and after Photographs of Condenser Units Showing the Lowered
Subcooler ....................................................................................................................... 4-19
Figure 12. Lifting and Installation of Central Equipment Package .............................. 4-20
Figure 13. Before Central Equipment Package Installation (shown on left hand side) and
After Photographs of the Control Box ........................................................................... 4-21
Figure 14. Expander End of the Central Equipment Package Installed Outside of TIAX's
Facility ........................................................................................................................... 4-21
Figure 15. Photograph of Human Machine Interface Located at TIAX ....................... 4-22
Figure 16. Close up of Human Machine Interface Control Screen ............................... 4-23
Figure 17. Sample Data Set from ORC System Installed at TIAX .............................. 4-24

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List of Tables

Table 1. Budget Period 1 Task Schedule ........................................................................ 4-5

Table 2. Budget Period 1 Milestone Schedule ................................................................ 4-6
Table 3. Budget Period 2 Task Schedule ........................................................................ 4-7
Table 4. Budget Period 2 Milestone Schedule ................................................................ 4-7
Table 5. Budget Period 3 Task Schedule. ....................................................................... 4-7
Table 6. Budget Period 3 Milestone Schedule ................................................................ 4-8
Table 7. Balance of Plant Thermal Performance Data ................................................. 4-22

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List of Appendices

No appendices

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1.0 Executive Summary

The objective of this program was to develop a novel, scalable scroll expander for
conversion of waste heat to power; this was accomplished and demonstrated in both a
bench-scale system as well as a full-scale system. The expander is a key component in
Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) waste heat recovery systems which are used to convert
medium-grade waste heat to electric power in a wide range of industries. These types of
waste heat recovery systems allow for the capture of energy that would otherwise just be
exhausted to the atmosphere.

A scroll expander has the benefit over other technologies of having high efficiency over a
broad range of operating conditions. The speed range of the TIAX expander (1,200 to
3,600 RPM) enables the shaft power output to directly drive an electric generator and
produce 60 Hz electric power without incurring the equipment costs or losses of
electronic power conversion. This greatly simplifies integration with the plant electric
infrastructure. The TIAX scroll expander will reduce the size, cost, and complexity of a
small-scale waste heat recovery system, while increasing the system efficiency compared
to the prevailing ORC technologies at similar scale.

The electricity generated by waste-heat-to-power systems can essentially be considered

zero-energy and zero-emissions, since it is taking advantage of heat that would otherwise
go unused. If successfully commercialized, a fleet of only 300 scroll powered waste heat
to energy units could generate 60 million kWh per, saving a total of 0.6 trillion BTU of
primary energy and avoiding 66 million pounds of CO2 emissions. The total cost of
electricity saved from this would be $4.4 million per year. These potential benefits are
directly in line with the DOE – ITP goal of reducing industrial energy intensity and GHG
emissions.

During this project, TIAX demonstrated the scroll expander in a bench-scale test setup to
have isentropic efficiency of 70-75% and operated it successfully for ~200 hours with
minimal wear. This same expander was then installed in a complete ORC system driven
by a medium grade waste heat source to generate 5-7 kW of electrical power. Due to
funding constraints, TIAX was unable to complete this phase of testing, although the
initial results were promising and demonstrated the potential of the technology. Further
accumulation of testing time is recommended before the commercialization plan is
implemented. Once this testing time has been accumulated, then a host site
demonstration is the recommended next step.

The overall commercialization strategy is the end user pull model. The host site
demonstration will allow market outreach to gain the market pull of waste heat recovery
system suppliers, which in turns attract interests from the components suppliers. TIAX
would partner with commercial companies to make, sell and support waste heat recovery
systems based on its expander technology. The goal is to utilize the market pull from end
users and system integrators and the maturity demonstrated by the prototype to streamline

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the key components, such as the expander and feed pump for mass production. This will
significantly lower the cost of the waste heat recovery system, making it economically
attractive.

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2.0 Introduction

2.1 Technology Description

The objective of this program was to develop a novel, scalable scroll expander for conversion of
waste heat to power. The development of a scroll expander for Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC)
systems will allow electric power to be generated economically from modest-scale, medium-
grade waste heat streams that occur in various industries. A scroll expander based ORC system
will generate large energy benefits by enabling waste heat recovery from the modest scale waste
heat streams that occur in a variety of industries, such as food and beverage processing, textiles,
plastics, aluminum, fabricated metals, and foundries.

2.2 Scroll Expander Technology Improvement

While scroll type compressors are well established as refrigerant compressors for refrigeration
and air conditioning, innovative designs are needed for successful use of scroll machines as
expanders. We believe that our pressure force balanced, asymmetric scroll expander is an
innovative approach that will result in a simple, efficient, and robust, expander.

A scroll expander has the benefit over other technologies used in ORC systems by having high
efficiency over a broad range of operating conditions. The speed range of the TIAX expander
(1,200 to 3,600 RPM) enables the shaft power output to directly drive an electric generator and
produce 60 Hz electric power without incurring the equipment costs or losses of electronic power
conversion. This greatly simplifies integration with the plant electric infrastructure. The TIAX
scroll expander will reduce the size, cost, and complexity of a small-scale waste heat recovery
system, while increasing the system efficiency compared to the prevailing ORC technologies at
similar scale.

2.3 Potential Applications

The waste heat sources for which the TIAX scroll-based ORC is well-suited as providing 100-
500 kWth at temperatures of 400-1000°F, operating at least 50% of the time. We have identified
three potential market sectors that meet these requirements:

• Microturbine and reciprocating engine generators in the 30-250 kWe range

• Thermal oxidizers with airflows in the 1000-5000 SCFM range
• Small industrial furnaces and ovens used for drying, baking and heat-treating

While quantifying these markets is difficult, our analysis so far suggests that they are large
enough to support an ORC system manufacturing company producing hundreds of units per year.

The electricity generated by waste-heat-to-power systems can essentially be considered zero-

energy and zero-emissions, since it is taking advantage of heat that would otherwise go unused.

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The 60 million kWh per year generated by a fleet of 300 units would thus save a total of 0.6
trillion BTU of primary energy and avoid 66 million pounds of CO2 emissions. The total cost of
electricity saved would be $4.4 million per year.

2.4 Commercialization Strategy

A small-scale waste heat recovery system has to be at reasonable cost in order for a business to
take the effort to implement it. Waste heat recovery is not an essential process in a business, i.e. a
business can function without any waste heat recovery. Therefore, financial or non-financial
incentives have to be in place to justify the time and resources in implementing a waste heat
recovery system. For companies which require a large quantity of process heat, (e.g., the food
processing industry uses copious amounts of heat for space heating, steam cleaning, cooking/
boiling water-based liquids), a waste heat recovery system would have a considerably shorter
payback period than those who just use the produced electricity. High process heat requirement
in food industry will invariably result in a greater waste heat utilization percentage, hence a
waste heat recovery system can recoup its cost within 1-2 years. If process heat is not relevant,
electricity savings may not be an attractive investment in first glance, but some companies have
committed publicly to one or more environmental initiatives, such as corporate sustainability and
eco-friendly facilities and processes. For those companies the payback period is no longer a
single deciding factor--corporate image and increased sales due to a perceived company green
image are equally important. Certainly, government policies (incentive programs) can also
provide the initial push so that the waste-heat recovery industry can gain the momentum required
for economy of scales to take place.

The overall commercialization strategy is the end user pull model. A host site demonstration will
allow market outreach to gain the market pull of waste heat recovery system suppliers, which in
turn will attract interest from the components suppliers. TIAX would partner with commercial
companies to make, sell and support waste heat recovery systems based on its expander
technology. The goal is to utilize the market pull from end users and system integrators and the
maturity demonstrated by the prototype to streamline the key components, such as the expander
and feed pump for mass production. This will significantly lower the cost of the waste heat
recovery system, making it economically attractive.

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3.0 Background

While scroll type compressors are well established as refrigerant compressors for refrigeration
and air conditioning, innovative designs are needed for successful use of scroll machines as
expanders. We believe that our pressure force balanced, asymmetric scroll expander is an
innovative approach that will result in a simple, efficient, and robust, expander. The proposed
configuration allows conventional materials (aluminum, steel, conventional bearing materials) to
be used, resulting in an inherently low cost expander.

The TIAX scroll expander promises to enable cost-effective electricity generation from mid- to
low-grade waste heat sources using an organic Rankine cycle (ORC). In particular, the scroll-
based ORC is well suited to smaller scales (below 100 kWe) that have historically not been
practical with conventional turbine-based ORC technology. Scroll machines are well suited to
this power range by virtue of: (1) having a geometry that lends itself to accurately machined
expander elements that operate with minimal bypass leakage, (2) being self-porting, and (3)
tolerating two-phase flow. As indicated above, the project objective was to develop and
demonstrate the scroll expander technology, first in a laboratory setting, and then in an ORC
system that is powered by medium-temperature waste heat from an industrial process.

Scroll machines are ideally suited for operation in the 5 to 50 kWe power range, either as
compressors or expanders. Availability of an efficient, mechanically sound expander in this
power range will enable many modest scale waste heat streams to be utilized effectively. The
scroll expander-based ORC system is depicted schematically in Figure 1. In operation, the feed
pump pumps sufficient working fluid to absorb the exhaust heat. The working fluid first passes
through one side of the recuperator. As the working fluid passes through the several crossflow-
counterflow passes of the boiler it vaporizes at approximately 300 °F (149 °C). The working
fluid path through the boiler has two sections. A crossflow-counterflow section where the waste
heat stream leaves the boiler maximizes heat recovery from the waste heat stream. A crossflow-
parallel flow section where the waste heat stream enters ensures that boiling occurs where the hot
waste stream enters the boiler, preventing excessive temperatures in the boiler tubes. The vapor
enters the expander, driving the internal elements, and exhausts at condenser pressure. The
motion of the scroll expander components is converted to shaft power and directly drives the
electric generator. After the working fluid is exhausted from the expander, it flows to the
recuperator, where it is cooled (with the heat used to preheat the liquid working fluid), then
continues to the condenser. The condensed liquid working fluid flows to the inlet of the feed
pump, where it is pumped to boiler pressure. The working fluid passes through the liquid side of
the recuperator, then to the boiler, completing the cycle.

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Boiler

Waste Heat Exhaust

Stream

Recuperator

Air Cooled Condenser

Scroll
Expander

Generator

Feed Pump

Figure 1. Organic Rankine Cycle Schematic with TIAX Scroll Expander

The TIAX scroll expander will improve the performance and reduce the cost of ORC in small
scale waste heat recovery applications, accelerating the commercialization of waste heat
recovery. For waste heat streams above 400 degrees F, power generation is a preferred waste
heat recovery option, providing a high value output (electric power), with the further option of
low grade heat recovery for space heating and water heating.

The scientific soundness of TIAX scroll expander technology has already been demonstrated
with carbon dioxide scroll expanders. TIAX has executed scroll expander work in the past,
which was sponsored by DOE (Award# DE-EE0003922), and was executed in a timely manner
and within the budget. We have also conducted numerous privately and government funded
projects on scroll technology.

TIAX LLC, formerly the Technology and Innovation Business of Arthur D. Little, Inc. (ADL)
has a long history of providing support to government and commercial clients in the areas of
scroll machinery development and energy and electric power conversion systems. TIAX LLC
was formed in May 2002 when Arthur D. Little, Inc. restructured its operations and sold off its
Technology and Innovation business, which conducted the programs described below. The
personnel who participated in those projects, and the intellectual property created, now reside at
TIAX LLC. Since pioneering the commercialization of scroll technology with the Trane
Corporation, ADL/TIAX has conducted over 30 scroll development projects and was awarded
over 30 patents.

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4.0 Results and Discussion

4.1 Technical Approach

The project objective was to develop a novel, scalable scroll expander for use in ORC waste heat
recovery systems which are used to convert medium-grade waste heat to electric power, and that
objective has been accomplished. A nominal 20 kWe expander was demonstrated in both a
laboratory test set up as well as a complete ORC system. A photograph of the scroll expander
on the laboratory test setup is shown in Figure 2 below.

Figure 2. Photograph of the Scroll Expander on the Bench Test Setup.

The expander was operated for over 200 hours with efficiencies over 75% on the laboratory test
setup, and then a complete ORC system was built and installed at the TIAX facilities in
Lexington, MA. The scroll expander was run successfully in a full-scale setup at similar
efficiencies (efficiencies were estimated to vary between 50% and 74%, depending on the
method of calculation). To develop the scroll expander, a series of designs were generated and
prototypes fabricated to test the expander in both a laboratory and a field environment.
The project was broken up into three budget periods and associated tasks to achieve the ultimate
goal of demonstrating the scroll expander in a working ORC cycle. Tables 1-6 summarize the
tasks and milestones performed during the three-year project.
Table 1. Budget Period 1 Task Schedule

Task Completion Date

Task
Task Title or Brief Description Original Revised Actual % Task Progress Notes
#
Planned Planned Complete Complete
Waste Heat-to-Power System
1 9/30/2013 11/15/13 6/20/14 100
Design and Modeling

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Detailed Design of Scroll

2 11/15/2013 11/30/13 1/15/14 100
Expander
Detailed Design of Balance of
3 11/15/2013 8/29/14 8/29/14 100
Plant Components
4 Bench Test Planning and Design 11/15/2013 4/30/14 6/15/14 100

5 Specify and Purchase Parts 2/15/2014 4/30/14 5/31/14 100

Fabrication of Parts for Scroll
6 2/15/2014 5/10/14 5/15/14 100
Expander
7 Assembly 3/31/2014 5/20/14 6/30/14 100

8 Development Testing 6/30/2014 10/31/14 11/05/14 100

Project Management and Reports
9 6/30/2014 10/31/14 02/04/15 100
for Budget Period 1

Table 2. Budget Period 1 Milestone Schedule

Milestone Completion Date

Milestone Milestone Title or Brief
Original Revised Actual % Milestone Progress Notes
# Description
Planned Planned Complete Complete
Waste Heat Recovery System
1 9/30/2013 11/15/13 6/20/14 100
Design Completed
Detailed Design of Scroll
2 11/15/2013 11/30/13 1/15/14 100
Expander Completed
Detailed Design of Major ORC
3 11/15/2013 8/29/14 8/29/14 100
Components Completed
Bench Test System Design
4 11/15/2013 4/30/14 6/15/14 100
Completed
Component Fabrication
5 2/15/2014 5/10/14 5/15/14 100
Completed
6 System Assembly Completed 3/31/2014 5/20/14 6/30/14 100

7 Scroll Expander Operating 4/30/2014 7/31/14 8/25/14 100

Scroll Expander Isentropic
8 6/30/2014 10/31/14 11/05/14 100
Efficiency >70%

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Table 3. Budget Period 2 Task Schedule

Task Completion Date

Task
Task Title or Brief Description Original Revised Actual % Task Progress Notes
#
Planned Planned Complete Complete
Performance Testing of
10 5/15/2015 5/31/2015 11/30/15 100
Laboratory Prototype
11 Field Specific Design 5/31/2015 5/31/2015 12/31/15 100

12 Field System Fabrication 10/31/2015 10/31/15 6/1/16 100

Install Field System in a Coffee
13 1/31/2016 1/31/2016 0 Moved to BP3
Flavoring Unit
Project Management and Reports
14 1/31/2016 1/31/2016 12/31/15 100
for Budget Period 2

Table 4. Budget Period 2 Milestone Schedule

Milestone Completion Date

Milestone Milestone Title or Brief
Original Revised Actual % Milestone Progress Notes
# Description
Planned Planned Complete Complete
Scroll Expander Isentropic
10 5/15/2015 5/31/2015 11/30/15 100
Efficiency >75%
Scroll expander operated for
11 5/15/2015 5/31/2015 11/30/15 100
200 hours, no bearing wear
12 Field system design complete 5/31/2015 5/31/2015 12/31/15 100
Field system fabrication
13 10/31/2015 10/31/15 6/1/16 100
complete
Field system installation
14 1/31/2016 1/31/2016 7/30/16 100 Installed @ TIAX
complete

Table 5. Budget Period 3 Task Schedule.

Task Completion Date

Task
Task Title or Brief Description Original Revised Actual % Task Progress Notes
#
Planned Planned Complete Complete

15 Risk Reduction Testing 5/15/16 5/15/17 3/31/17 75

Install Field System in a Coffee Risk reduction step precludes
16 6/30/16 6/12/17 0
Flavoring Unit field test.
Risk reduction step precludes
17 Field Measurement 6/30/17 6/30/17 0
field test.
Project Management and Reports
18 6/30/17 12/31/17 100
for Budget Period 3

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Table 6. Budget Period 3 Milestone Schedule

Milestone Completion Date

Milestone Milestone Title or Brief
Original Revised Actual % Milestone Progress Notes
# Description
Planned Planned Complete Complete
Fabrication and Assembly of
15 2/15/16 8/30/16 8/30/16 100
Field Test System Complete
Risk Reduction Testing Performance test results 
Complete 70+% isentropic efficiency
16 5/15/16 75
maintained, 500 hours of
operation completed
Field Test System Installed and Physical installation complete
17 5/30/16
Operating at Design Capacity and performance test results
3 Months of Field Test Risk reduction step precludes
18 9/30/16
Operation field test.
6 Months of Field Test Risk reduction step precludes
19 12/31/16
Operation field test.
9 Months of Field Test Risk reduction step precludes
20 3/31/17
Operation field test.
12 Months of Field Test Risk reduction step precludes
21 6/30/17
Operation field test.

With the approval of the DOE, a risk-reduction step was included in the project, which takes the
place of the field test. This Task encompasses the outdoor testing of the complete ORC system
at TIAX's facilities in Lexington, MA.

4.2 Experimental Methodology and Test Procedures

Beginning with HFC-245fa as the working fluid and assuming a boiling temperature of 300 oF
and a hot weather condensing temperature of 140 oF, a thermodynamic cycle analysis was
performed using the NIST REFPROP thermodynamic property model. This allowed
determination of the working fluid mass flow rates, heat input, heat rejection rate and power
cycle efficiency for 20 kW of power output. With the required mass flow rate and inlet density
determined, the scrolls were sized. Basic mechanical details, such as bearing loads and sizes,
stresses and deflections, dynamic balancing and lubricant management were addressed. Off-
design performance was characterized – for HFC-245fa at other boiling and condensing
temperatures and for alternative working fluids such as Novec 649 (with low global warming
potential). The design was documented in a CAD solid model and layout drawings, in
preparation for detailed design in Task 2.

HFC-245fa was a good baseline choice of working fluid because it is readily available in large
quantities for use as a blowing agent for insulating foam, is benign (non-flammable, very low
toxicity), thermally stable at contemplated temperatures, and has thermodynamic properties that
enable a large portion of the heat content of the exhaust gas to be utilized. A new organic
Rankine cycle (ORC) working fluid option, Novec 649, manufactured by 3M Corporation, was

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another promising alternative. It has a high thermal stability limit (300oC, or 570oF), a higher
critical temperature than HFC-245fa (336oF vs 310oF), and a very low global warming potential
(GWP) of 1. Based upon the modeling results, HFC-245fa was chosen as the working fluid for
the project.

System performance was analyzed for the general case of exploring the performance with a
range of waste heat stream temperatures and for the specific case of the field test site.
Spreadsheet based models were developed that combined the performance characteristics of
individual components with the thermodynamic properties of the working fluid to determine
system performance. We initiated discussions with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (now
known as Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.) to select a field test site and a specific coffee roaster.
With the characteristics of the exhaust stream for the coffee roaster as input to the performance
models, we determined the potential power recovery over the range of outdoor temperatures (for
air cooling the condenser) and specified the system components for the field test. In subsequent
tasks, we designed and fabricated these components, and evaluated their performance in the
laboratory to ensure that they would function as anticipated in the field test.

The layout and bill-of-materials was finalized for the expander prototype, and TIAX designed
the laboratory test setup for the expander. A full-scale laboratory test rig for quantifying the
fluid drag within the scrolls was set up. Also, a bench test rig was completed to evaluate the
performance of the feed pump and oil pump. On the analytical side of the project, the initial
economic, environmental and market analyses were completed. In addition, the initial designs
for the condenser and boiler coils for the field test system were completed.

Next, the detailed design of the scroll expander prototype (20 kW) was completed (shown in
Figure 3). For the purposes of establishing the scalability of the system, Computer Aided
Design (CAD) layouts of the expander prototype at 5 and 50 kW scale were completed. TIAX
also began fabrication of expander parts and began purchasing some hardware (shaft seal,
bearings, O-rings, fasteners) for the scroll expander prototype. Using the bench test rigs set up
before, the tests for fluid drag within the scrolls, feed pump performance, and oil pump
performance were run. To aid in the detailed scroll design, a CFD analysis of working fluid flow
in the scrolls was completed. On the analytical side of the project, low-power condenser fan
alternatives were identified and the condenser and boiler coil designs for the field test system
were refined.

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Figure 3. CAD Model of the Scroll Expander

Literature highlighted that the selection of feed pump is not trivial because the working fluid
tends to have low viscosity. So, a selection of pump with minimal bypass while delivering the
required high pressure is critical. Preliminary tests were conducted to ensure the pump does
provide the required performance with the specified working fluid, HFC-245fa.

The boiler heat exchanger design was assessed using a manufacturer specific modeling package.
The design goal was to minimize pressure drop and avoid any large stagnation points where
debris could collect and settle. Since there is still a substantial temperature difference between
the waste heat stream (~300°C) and the boiler temperature (150°C), the heat exchanger can be
made quite compact and does not need to achieve high effectiveness. There is no special
requirement in the condenser design. It will be of a standard design commonly used in a HVAC
system for simplicity and low cost. All components were sized correctly to absorb the anticipated
quantity of waste heat and provided the design power as predicted in Task 1.
The expander is considered the critical component in the Organic Rankine Cycle, while other
components can be sourced from vendors. It was decided to build a test loop to test the scroll
expander independently before it was integrated in the WHP system to allow the scroll
performance to be characterized. For laboratory testing of the expander, we designed a working
fluid test loop and mechanical test bed that duplicated key bottoming cycle parameters and
provided a mechanical interface for the shaft power output of the expander as illustrated in
Figure 4. An open drive refrigerant compressor was used to supply pressurized working fluid to
drive the expander. In turn, the shaft power output of the expander was used to drive the
compressor. This provided an economical arrangement for testing the expander and avoided
having to provide a large capacity boiler and condenser for the working fluid.

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Inverter Torque
Driven Transducer
Open Drive
Electric
Refrigerant
Motor Scroll
Compressor
Expander

P T

Oil
Working Fluid High Pressure Side
Separator

Flow
Meter

Oil
Pump
P T Heat Exchanger P T
Cooling
Water
Working Fluid Low Pressure Side
T

Figure 4. Test Loop and Mechanical Test Bed Schematic

Mechanically, the open drive compressor was belt driven by the shaft power recovered by the
scroll expander and by an electric motor driven by a variable frequency drive to provide overall
speed control. In the working fluid loop, the open drive refrigerant compressor compressed the
working fluid to the desired inlet pressure to the expander. Working fluid leaving the expander
passed through an oil separator, then through a water-cooled heat exchanger to partially de-
superheat the working fluid, and then back to the open drive refrigerant compressor inlet.
Accurate measurements of the cooling water flow rate and temperature and working fluid
pressure and temperature allowed us to determine the working fluid mass flow rate
calorimetrically. Oil separated in the oil separator was distributed to the refrigerant compressor,
the expander inlet, and the expander drive mechanism as needed. A high-temperature polyol
ester (POE) lubricating oil was used in both the expander and the refrigerant compressor. A
photograph of this test setup is shown in Figure 5.

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Figure 5. Photograph of Bench Test Setup

Next, the fabrication of expander parts for assembly of the prototype was completed. The task of
the laboratory test set-up was completed and the initial installation of the major mechanical
components (the working fluid and the oil loops) was started. The detailed designs of the
complete condenser and boiler packages for the field test system were completed and sent to the
vendor. Based upon these final designs, the economic, environmental and market analyses were
updated and refined. The installation of the working fluid and oil loops was then completed,
including the installation of pressure, torque, and temperature instrumentation. Once the
instrumentation was verified, the testing of the scroll expander commenced.

During initial assembly and operation, we verified that all moving parts move smoothly, first
rotating the shaft by hand, then rotating slowly under motor power. After brief operation at
modest speeds and pressures in the full test loop, we stopped to verify that lubricant was being
distributed to all bearing surfaces.

Next, we proceeded to test over a range of conditions, adjusting working fluid flow rate and
temperature, working fluid charge, and high- and low-side pressures. Tests were conducted at
expander inlet pressures between 200 psia and 500 psia, at inlet to outlet pressure ratios from 5 to
15, and at speeds from 1,200 to 3,000 RPM.

For each test point, the net cycle efficiency, isentropic expansion efficiency and the parasitic
power consumed by balance of plant components was calculated. Depending on the results,
diagnostics and modifications were undertaken and the testing sequence repeated.

As was to be expected at the initial start-up of a complex system, minor bugs with the test set-up
were encountered but overcome. After this initial debugging, the expander was run for a total of
10 hours while gradually increasing speed and system pressures. After 10 hours of testing, a

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failure occurred. The expander prototype was disassembled, and it was found that the axially
facing surfaces of both scrolls were badly worn. The cause of the failure was diagnosed to be
lack of wear resistance in the axial surfaces of the scrolls. Based on this diagnosis, new scroll
parts were fabricated using more wear-resistant materials, and the expander was reassembled and
reinstalled into the test loop, once again ready for testing.

The initial plan was for the ORC system to be retrofitted onto the exhaust ducting of a thermal
oxidizer at Keurig Green Mountain’s coffee roasting facility in Essex Junction, VT. TIAX
visited their site in Vermont multiple times to gather data, and the system was designed for their
particular application. However, as the project evolved and there were some delays, the project
team determined with DOE approval to add a risk reduction task where the full ORC system was
run at TIAX facilities. Figure 6 shows the schematic of the field test loop.

Generator

Mechanical
Coupling

Working Fluid High Pressure Side Scroll

Feed pump Expander

P
Waste Heat P T
T Boiler

Oil
Separator

Waste Heat Gas

Stream
Oil
Air Cooled Pump
Condenser
P T Heat Exchanger P T

Working Fluid Low Pressure Side

Figure 6. Field Test Loop Schematic

Testing of the scroll expander with the new pair of scrolls was completed for over 20 hours at
75% isentropic efficiency. After the 20 hours of testing, the scroll was disassembled to examine
the wear characteristics. Upon examination, there was no observable detrimental wear. This
result, and the isentropic efficiency being 75 % during the testing met the project milestone and
go/no go decision criteria, so the Continuation Application for proceeding to Budget Period 2
was submitted.

Next, the contract modification authorizing the start of Budget Period 2 was received on
February 10, 2015. Several upgrades of the scroll expander and the test system were done based
upon observations during the first 20 hours of testing. These improvements included the
adjustment of the dynamic balance of the expander and the replacement of the industrial vee belt
drive with a heavy-duty poly-vee belt drive, the combination providing quieter and smoother

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operation. After these upgrades, we resumed testing of the expander prototype. On the
analytical side, TIAX staff began designing the major components of the complete ORC system
for the field test. The condenser coil was specified and ordered, the condenser fans were
specified and ordered, and the design of the condenser housing was completed and ordered from
a vendor fabrication shop. We started testing a Triplex plunger feed pump on a bench test rig.
Also, we initiated discussions with Keurig-Green Mountain to determine the details of the field
test.

After initial shakedown testing, 98 hours of cumulative run time were logged on the expander.
At that point, an expander failure occurred. In a review of the data to look at the root cause of
failure, it was determined that the higher operating speed was a key factor. As a solution, it was
determined that we need a larger displacement expander operating at 1,800 RPM (the larger
displacement allows for the same power output at a lower speed). Based upon this design
decision, a detailed design was completed for a larger displacement scroll.

Work also continued on the design of balance of plant (BOP) components for the field test
system. Based upon the results of the design task, some major components (condenser coil,
subcooling coil, and condenser fans) of the ORC field test system were ordered and received
from vendors. The boiler coil was received from the vendor and installed in its housing (which
was fabricated by TIAX). The design of the boiler housing with the coil installed is shown in
Figure 7. The condenser housing was completed and delivered from the vendor’s fabrication
shop (the CAD design is shown in Figure 8 with the coils installed). On the bench test rig, the
Triplex plunger feed pump tests were successfully completed, verifying that the pump was ready
for use in the field test system.

Figure 7. Cutaway View of the Boiler

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Figure 8. Cutaway View of the Condenser

On the analytical side of the project, the 1,800 RPM expander design was completed and part
fabrication commenced. The design of the hot gas system was completed for conducting tests at
TIAX, and all major components were ordered and received by TIAX. The hardware design of
the control system, a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) based system, was completed, and
hardware assembly was begun. TIAX met with Keurig-Green Mountain at their Essex Junction,
VT facility on June 16, 2015, to discuss details of the field test. During this visit, the test site
agreement was finalized and executed.

The fabrication and installation of the major components of the complete ORC system (including
condenser coil, subcooling coil, condenser fans, condenser housing, boiler coil, boiler housing,
Triplex plunger feed pump, drive motor, and weather tight housing) was completed for the initial
test at TIAX’s facilities. The hot gas system, which is made up of a natural gas burner,
combustion chamber, and induced draft blower, was designed, sourced, and installed. The
working fluid piping to all of the subsystems was completed, in addition to the instrumentation
and control wiring being completed. The assembly of the PLC-based control system hardware
was also completed.

4.3 Presentation and Discussion of Results

Two hundred hours of runtime was completed on the scroll expander, accumulated between
October 19 and November 23, 2015 in the TIAX laboratory test setup using a commercially

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available refrigerant compressor to deliver pressurized working fluid to the scroll expander.
Over the 200 hours of operation, we measured isentropic efficiencies close to 75% at many data
points at expander inlet pressures up to 400 psig (which is the maximum rated output pressure of
the compressor we are using in our test system). After the completion of the 200 hours, the
expander was disassembled and the scroll surfaces and all other bearing surfaces were examined.
Figure 9 shows several representative data points for isentropic efficiency, that were taken over
the 200 hour run time.

Figure 9. Representative Efficiency Data Points from Scroll Expander Testing

The natural gas burner installation received its final inspection and sign-off on December 2, 2015
from the town plumbing inspector. After the final sign-off, experiments were conducted to
verify the control algorithm using speed control of the feed pump to control the boiler exit
temperature. These outdoor experiments also allowed us to test the heat transfer capacity of the
condenser and the boiler, which showed good agreement to the modeling completed in the
design tasks.

During the next quarter, TIAX completed the installation of the scroll expander as well as the
lubrication system components on the central equipment package. The scroll expander, oil
pumps, oil separators, oil cooler, and a variety of measurement instrumentation components were
installed and plumbed into the central equipment package. The electrical control panel was
moved from its outside location (where it was used in testing of the control system and the
boiler/condenser system), so it could be attached to the central equipment package. We
fabricated the sheet metal panels which protect the central equipment package from the weather,
and installed thermal and acoustic insulation on them. The weatherized and acoustically
insulated sheet metal panels were installed onto the central equipment package. The central
equipment package is shown in Figure 10 (please note sheet metal panels are removed so the
interior components may be seen).

TIAX delivered a presentation and reported on the progress of the project at the DOE Advanced
Manufacturing Office’s Annual Peer Review in Rosslyn, VA on June 15, 2016.

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TIAX continued to calibrate the performance of the control system for the complete ORC system
with the expander and generator both installed. To ensure compliance with the building permit to
not export power beyond the TIAX facility, it was determined that a load bank was necessary to
ensure the generator output did not go back to the grid. The load bank was specified, sourced,
installed and tested to ensure that the load requested was actually put on the system. Automatic
valves and the final system pressure, temperature, and flow sensors were installed in the piping
system and connected up to the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC).

Shakedown testing continued by testing out each system component using the Programmable
Logic Controller in manual mode. Once confidence was gained from each component test, the
system was switched over to automatic mode to test the startup and shutdown sequences. During
one of the runs, the expander inlet valve (which is the valve between the boiler outlet and the
expander inlet) remained closed when the boiler was being heated from the natural gas fired
burner. This valve being closed caused an overpressure condition (as the heated refrigerant did
not have an exit path) which ruptured the manifold in the boiler coil. Fortunately, nothing but
the manifold was damaged, and the repair to the boiler coil took only a few weeks. In order to
prevent this from happening again, pressure relief valves and valve position indicators were
installed.

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Figure 10. Central Equipment Package Undergoing Final Assembly

TIAX also completed the final plumbing of the subcooler to the condenser. We found it
necessary to lower the sub-cooler in order to ensure that the liquid refrigerant that collects at the
bottom of the refrigerant receiver will have a downhill path to the pump inlet, hence reducing the
chance of pump cavitation. Before and after photographs are shown in Figure 11.

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Figure 11. Before and after Photographs of Condenser Units Showing the Lowered
Subcooler

TIAX moved the Central Equipment Package from inside its laboratory and onto a concrete pad
located outside the TIAX building for testing. As a fence surrounds the pad for privacy and
noise reduction, the Central Equipment Package had to be hoisted over the fence using a crane
and a rigging company. A photograph of this process is shown below in Figure 12.

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Figure 12. Lifting and Installation of Central Equipment Package

Once it was hoisted over the fence and bolted down, the final component installation and piping
to the rest of the balance of plant equipment could be completed. Also, the control box (which
was installed on a metal frame during the initial balance of plant testing) could be installed into
its permanent location on the Central Equipment Package. As the electrical and control wiring in
the control box had to be disconnected so it could be removed from the frame, we needed to re-
connect the wiring once the control box was attached to the Central Equipment Package. Our
initial shakedown testing consisted largely of debugging the controls and wiring connections.
The before and after photographs of the control box installation are shown in Figure 13. Figure
14 shows the expander which is opposite the control panel of the Central Equipment Package.
The oil loop pumps can be seen on the bottom shelf of the Central Equipment Package.

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Figure 13. Before Central Equipment Package Installation (shown on left hand side) and
After Photographs of the Control Box

Figure 14. Expander End of the Central Equipment Package Installed Outside of TIAX's
Facility

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The field system was tested at the TIAX facility in Lexington, MA in two phases. The first
phase tested the heat transfer functioning of the system with the hot gas source, boiler,
condenser, feed pump, and control system. In the second phase, the scroll expander and
generator were integrated with the aforementioned heat transfer system and tested. In the first
phase of testing, a throttle valve was used in place of the scroll expander between the boiler and
the condenser. The purpose of this first phase of testing was to verify the algorithm using speed
control of the feed pump to control the boiler exit temperature and the heat transfer capacity of
the condenser and the boiler. One representative data set for boiler thermal performance testing
in shown in Table 7. The purpose of this test was to determine the speed at which to run the
induced draft blower that results in the right amount of dilution air to obtain a boiler inlet
temperature of 650 to 660 oF. The data confirms that boiler thermal performance is as expected,
based on the Heatcraft coil model runs used to design and specify the coil.
Table 7. Balance of Plant Thermal Performance Data

TIAX developed a Human Machine Interface to control and monitor the entire system, as shown
in Figure 15 and in the close-up of the screen in Figure 16 below. From this interface, installed
indoors in our laboratory, the operation of the entire ORC system may be controlled and
monitored remotely, including automatic emergency shutdown if needed.

Figure 15. Photograph of Human Machine Interface Located at TIAX

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Figure 16. Close up of Human Machine Interface Control Screen

TIAX continued to work through the system start up steps and troubleshot the operation of the
system. This included refining the PLC control system parameters and data collection systems to
allow for smooth operation. During our initial testing, the optimum levels for the intermediate
(orbital drive mechanism) pressure relative to the high and low side pressures using R-134a
during laboratory testing were found to be too high when using R-245fa in outdoor testing; these
pressures were gradually reduced to compensate. Oil flow rates and the pressure bypass valve
settings were varied to optimize the intermediate pressure level such that it can offset the axial
pressure force within the scrolls.

The start-up procedure during this testing is as follows:

 Start in working fluid circulation mode

 Run for 3 minutes (reduced from 10 minutes) to reach stable feed pump flow and
boiler working fluid outlet temperature
 Open intermediate pressure bypass valve for initial pressurization and warm-up of
the orbital drive mechanism for 90 seconds
 Start lubrication system 60 seconds into the 90 second period  start the shaft
loop and main oil pumps
 Open expander inlet valve and close expander bypass valve
 Let working fluid pressure and flow ramp up the expander speed until the
generator reaches 1800 RPM, then energize the generator

This startup procedure and the tuned control loops allowed the system to start producing power.
Power was gradually brought up to around 35 kW of generator output, allowing the system to
be gradually broken in. A sample data set from a run is shown below in Figure 17.

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Figure 17. Sample Data Set from ORC System Installed at TIAX
The data shown above highlights the start-up sequence  the boiler inlet air is heated by a natural
gas burner (which takes the place of the waste heat source for purposes of the setup at TIAX’s
facilities). Once the boiler temperatures have stabilized after start-up (as may be seen from the
initial oscillation of the boiler fluid outlet temperature), the inlet valve to the expander is opened
and the bypass valve is closed. This allows the working fluid to enter the expander, causing it to
begin to spin.

Various issues during the start-up of the system were addressed as they were encountered. These
adjustments taken together, significantly reduce the risk of running the system in a field
environment, and thus improve system stability.

As the system was run for the first time, it was discovered that the refrigerant charge tended to
migrate to the central equipment package. To counteract this problem (which makes start-up of
the system difficult), heaters were added to the oil reservoir and oil separators to drive charge out
of the central equipment package.

After making this change, it was found that liquid refrigerant downstream of the expander bypass
valve was draining by gravity into the oil reservoir faster than the heaters could re-evaporate it.
To fix this issue, the piping was modified so that the expander bypass line runs to the highest
point in the low pressure side of the condenser.

Once these start-up issues were sorted out, the feed pump control loop was addressed. Initially, a
proportional control loop based on boiler exit temperature was attempted, but stable operation
could not be achieved. A new control algorithm for the feed pump consisting of setting a speed,

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waiting 20 seconds, and then making a small incremental change based on temperature
difference from the set point was implemented with good results.

To optimize the levels of thrust bearing load and scroll friction, the feed line of the intermediate
pressure bypass valve was relocated to the expander inlet. This pressure level was optimized in
the PLC control system, in addition to making changes to many other control parameters for
stable operation.

During some start-up tests, issues were encountered with the lubrication system valves
controlling the downstream pressure, and hence controlling the flow; the valves were adjusted to
allow for optimum oil flow.

Once the expander has spun the generator up to 1,800 RPM, a contactor is energized to connect
the generator to the grid, and power starts to be generated. This may be seen in Figure 17 as the
power ramps up (the power shown is gross electrical power). As may be seen from the
temperature differentials between the boiler air inlet and boiler air exhaust temperatures, the air
temperature drops from about 620 degrees F to about 300 degrees F, and that thermal energy is
transferred to the working fluid. The working fluid leaves the boiler at about 250 degrees F and
then enters the scroll expander, which expands the fluid down to about 180 degrees F.

A total of 21 hours of run time have been achieved with the full system operational and under
automatic control. The efficiencies during this period may be calculated using two different
methods which define the upper and lower bounds for the efficiency. The first method is to use
the mass flow of the refrigerant and the isentropic enthalpy change and compare this to the
expander power output (calculated using the electric power output, the generator efficiency of
90%, and an estimate of the belt drive efficiency of 97%). Using this method, the efficiency is
estimated to be 50%. The second method is to compare the isentropic enthalpy change to the
actual enthalpy change in the expander. Using this method, the efficiency is estimated to be
74%.

Another metric of performance is to compare the actual measured volumetric flow of refrigerant
going through the expander to the ideal volumetric flow (calculated using the speed and inlet
displacement of the scroll). This calculation turns out to be 1.48, which indicates that there is
likely internal leakage through the scrolls (through the tip clearances and the bearings) and also
there is cooling of the refrigerant at the inlet of scroll that is causing condensation and
introducing liquid into the expander. During the laboratory testing of the same scroll expander,
the ratio of actual measured volumetric flow to ideal volumetric flow was about 1.15, which
indicates that most of the volumetric flow loss in the outdoor test setup is due to the inlet
conditions.

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5.0 Benefits Assessment

Based on the analyses above, we can project the potential environmental and economic benefits
of the TIAX scroll-based ORC in the year 2020. This estimate assumes that successful
development and test of the fielded system in 2018 would lead to the manufacture and sale of
ORC systems on a pilot basis over the following two years, ramping aggressively to full rate
production by 2019. By the end of 2020, there could be an installed base of perhaps 300 units.

A fleet of 300 units would produce about 60 million kWh per year. The 2013 DOE Annual
Energy Outlook (AEO) projects that in 2020, the U.S. electric power sector will consume 40
quadrillion BTU of primary energy, producing 4.0 trillion kWh of electricity and emitting 4.5
trillion pounds of CO2. On average, therefore, each kWh of electricity generated will consume
10,000 Btu of primary energy and emit 1.1 pound of CO2. The AEO also projects an average
electricity cost to industrial consumers in 2020 of $0.074/kWh.

The electricity generated by waste-heat-to-power systems can essentially be considered zero-

energy and zero-emissions, since it is taking advantage of heat that would otherwise go unused.
The 60 million kWh per year generated by a fleet of 300 units would thus save a total of 0.6
trillion BTU of primary energy and avoid 66 million pounds of CO2 emissions. The total cost of
electricity saved from the 300 waste heat to power units would be $4.4 million per year.

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6.0 Commercialization

A small scale waste heat recovery system has several techno-economic hurdles, which we had
learned when we were contacting manufacturers, system integrators, and end users:
• Cost in the form of a payback period
• Lack of engineering resource
• Impact on production and product quality

A small-scale waste heat recovery system has to be at reasonable cost in order for a business to
take the effort to implement it. Waste heat recovery is not an essential process in a business, i.e. a
business can function without any waste heat recovery. Therefore, financial or non-financial
incentives have to be in place to justify the time and resources in implementing a waste heat
recovery system. For companies which require a large quantity of process heat, (e.g., the food
processing industry uses copious amount of heat for space heating, steam cleaning, cooking/
boiling water-based liquids), a waste heat recovery system would have a considerably shorter
payback period than those who just use the produced electricity. High process heat requirement
in food industry will invariably result in a greater waste heat utilization percentage, hence a
waste heat recovery system can recoup its cost within 1-2 years. If process heat is not relevant,
electricity savings may not be an attractive investment in first glance, but some companies have
committed publicly to one or more environmental initiatives, such as corporate sustainability and
eco-friendly facilities and processes. For those companies the payback period is no longer a
single deciding factor--corporate image and increased sales due to a perceived company green
image are equally important. Certainly, government policies (incentive programs) can also
provide the initial push so that the waste-heat recovery industry can gain the momentum required
for economy of scales to take place.

Unlike large multinational companies, small scale industries tend not to have as much technical
resources to run and optimize the production process. The waste heat recovery technology is
seen as a high risk for the small scale industries to adopt, in particular when the modification on
an exhaust stack may significantly impact on the product quality. To reduce this risk,
demonstration at a host site will provide reliability data and partnerships with suppliers will drive
the cost down and provide lower payback periods to make the system attractive to these small
scale industries.

Further accumulation of testing time is recommended before the commercialization strategy is

implemented. Once this testing time has been accumulated, then a host site demonstration is the
recommended next step.

The overall commercialization strategy is the end user pull model. The host site demonstration
will allow market outreach to gain the market pull of waste heat recovery system suppliers,
which in turns attract interests from the components suppliers. TIAX would partner with
commercial companies to make, sell and support waste heat recovery systems based on its
expander technology. The goal is to utilize the market pull from end users and system
integrators and the maturity demonstrated by the prototype to streamline the key components,
such as the expander and feed pump for mass production. This will significantly lower the cost
of the waste heat recovery system, making it economically attractive.

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7.0 Accomplishments

TIAX delivered a presentation and reported on the progress of the project at the U.S. DOE
Advanced Manufacturing Office Peer Review Meeting in Washington, D.C. May 28-29, 2015.

TIAX delivered a presentation and reported on the progress of the project at the DOE Advanced
Manufacturing Office’s Annual Peer Review in Rosslyn, VA on June 15, 2016.

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8.0 Conclusions and Next Steps

The objective of this program was to develop a novel, scalable scroll expander for use in Organic
Rankine Cycle (ORC) waste heat recovery systems which are used to convert medium-grade
waste heat to electric power, and that objective has been accomplished. A nominal 20 kWe
expander was demonstrated in both a bench test set up as well as a complete ORC system.

During this project, TIAX demonstrated the scroll expander in a bench-scale test setup to have
isentropic efficiency of 70-75% and operated it successfully for ~200 hours with minimal wear.
This same expander was then installed in a complete ORC system driven by a medium grade
waste heat source to generate 5-7 kW of electrical power. Due to funding constraints, TIAX was
unable to complete this phase of testing, although the initial results were promising and
demonstrated the potential of the technology.

Further work would include optimizing the system to allow for higher power production (as the
full power output was not achieved). TIAX has identified a pathway to achieve additional power
from the ORC system. Additionally, longer periods of testing to determine robustness of system
operation would further make the system more market ready. Commercialization work would
also include looking at ways to decrease the system cost without sacrificing reliability to reduce
the payback period of the system.

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