Orcan Energy Ag

Jens-Patrick Springer

Andreas Schuster

Richard Aumann

Andreas Grill

Roy Langer

Daniela Walter

Gabor Ast

Andreas Sichert

Markus Lintl

Fabian Weigand

Nicolas Restrepo

Asim Celik

Daniela Gewald

Lukas KÖPF

Alexander Bischoff

Alexander Zimmermann

Ralf Schuchert

A device for utilizing the waste heat of a thermo-process device comprising a first heat exchanger for transferring heat from a heat flow of a thermo-process device to a heat transfer medium; a second heat exchanger for transferring heat from the heat flow to a heat transfer medium, the second heat exchanger being arranged downstream of the first heat exchanger with respect to the heat flow; a thermodynamic cycle device having a third heat exchanger for transferring heat from the heat transfer medium to a working medium of the thermodynamic cycle device and having a fourth heat exchanger for transferring heat from the heat transfer medium to the working medium, the fourth heat exchanger being arranged upstream of the second heat exchanger with respect to the flow of the working medium; wherein heat transfer medium cooled in the third heat exchanger can be supplied at least partially to the first heat exchanger for heating and wherein heat transfer medium cooled in the fourth heat exchanger can be supplied at least partially to the second heat exchanger for heating.

Drive having an integrated ORC

The invention refers to a method for controlling a thermodynamic cycle process apparatus, in particular an ORC apparatus, wherein the thermodynamic cycle process apparatus comprises an evaporator, an expansion machine, a condenser and a feed pump, and the expansion machine is coupled to an external apparatus in normal operation, and wherein the method comprises the following steps: measuring an exhaust steam pressure downstream of the expansion machine; and setting a volume flow of the feed pump in accordance with a computer-implemented control model of the thermodynamic cycle process apparatus according to the measured exhaust steam pressure and a target rotational speed of the expansion machine as input variables of the control model and with the volume flow of the feed pump as an output variable of the control model. The invention further refers to a corresponding thermodynamic cycle process apparatus.

Model-based monitoring of the operating state of an expansion machine

The invention relates to a method for controlling ORC stacks with a total number nof individually operable ORC modules, said method comprising the following steps: determining the running time remaining until the next servicing time for each operable ORC module respectively; determining a target number nof ORC modules to be operated; comparing said target number nto an actual number nof currently operated ORC modules; when n&#x3e;n, connecting a number n&#x2212;nof ORC modules that corresponds to the difference between the target number and the actual number, where the ORC modules with the longest remaining running times of the ORC modules currently not being operated are connected; and/or when n&#x3c;n, disconnecting a number n&#x2212;nof ORC modules that corresponds to the difference between the actual number and the target number, where the ORC modules with the shortest remaining running times of the ORC modules currently being operated are disconnected; and/or when n=n, connecting the ORC module with the longest remaining running time &#x394;tof the ORC modules not currently being operated, and disconnecting the ORC module with the shortest remaining running time &#x394;tof the ORC modules currently being operated, if &#x394;t&#x3e;&#x394;t.

ORC stack-system control

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a pump, in particular a centrifugal pump, during pumping of a liquid, comprising the following steps: fixing a setpoint value of a flow rate of the pump; measuring an inlet pressure of the liquid upstream of the pump and an outlet pressure of the liquid downstream of the pump; determining a setpoint value of a rotational speed of the pump from a performance map of the pump, wherein the fixed setpoint value of the flow rate and a difference between the outlet pressure and the inlet pressure are incorporated into the performance map as input values; and setting the rotational speed of the pump to the setpoint value of the rotational speed. Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding device for controlling a pump.

Performance map control of centrifugal pumps

The invention relates to a device for operating a thermodynamic cycle, in particular an ORC process, comprising: a feed pump for conveying liquid working medium to an evaporator by increasing the pressure; the evaporator for evaporating and optionally additionally superheating the working medium by supplying heat; an expansion machine for producing mechanical energy by expanding the evaporated working medium; and at least two condensers connected in parallel between the expansion machine and the feed pump for condensing and optionally subcooling the expanded working medium. The invention further relates to a corresponding method for operating a thermodynamic cycle.

Device and method for operating a thermodynamic cycle

The invention relates to a method for detecting a leak in a thermodynamic cycle device with a condenser for condensing vaporous working medium, comprising the following steps: determining sub-cooling of the working medium in the condenser, wherein sub-cooling is determined as a difference between a condensation temperature in the condenser and a temperature of a liquid working medium exiting the condenser; detecting a leak in the event that the sub-cooling determined differs from a setpoint value for the sub-cooling or in the event that a filling quantity of the working medium in the thermodynamic cycle device, being determined from the determined sub-cooling, differs from a setpoint value for the filling quantity. The invention further relates to a corresponding computer program product and to a corresponding device.

Device and method for recognizing leaks in closed circular processes

The invention relates to a method for regulating a condenser in a thermal cycle apparatus, in particular in an ORC apparatus, wherein the thermal cycle apparatus comprises a feed pump for conveying liquid working medium with an increase in pressure to an evaporator, the evaporator for evaporating and optionally additionally superheating the working medium with a supply of heat, an expansion machine for generating mechanical energy by expansion of the evaporated working medium, a generator for at least partially converting the mechanical energy into electrical energy, and the condenser for condensing the expanded working medium, and wherein the method comprises the following steps: determining a rotational speed of the generator or of the expansion machine; determining, without the use of a temperature sensor, a temperature of cooling air supplied from the condenser; determining from the determined generator or expansion machine rotational speed and the determined cooling air temperature, a condensation setpoint pressure at which the net electrical power of the thermal cycle apparatus is at a maximum; and controlling or regulating the condensation pressure, with the condensation setpoint pressure as target value, in particular by adjusting a condenser fan rotational speed.

Sensorless condenser regulation for power optimization for ORC systems

The invention relates to a thermodynamic cycle apparatus, comprising: a working medium; an evaporator for evaporating the working medium; an expansion machine; a condenser, and a pump, wherein the geometrical arrangement of the evaporator is selected such that the condensed working medium can flow from the condenser to the evaporator by force of gravity and the working medium can circulate in a closed circuit via the evaporator and the condenser wherein a predetermined head height of the liquid working medium can be provided at the pump. The invention additionally relates to a method of starting the thermodynamic cycle apparatus the method comprising the following steps: applying heat to the evaporator and evaporating the working medium in the evaporator, wherein the working medium is caused to flow to the condenser; condensing the working medium in the condenser; starting the pump when a predetermined head height of the working medium at the pump is reached or exceeded.

Device and method for reliably starting ORC systems

The invention relates to a thermodynamic circuit process device comprising a working medium having a lubricant additive; an expansion machine () for converting enthalpy in the working medium into mechanical energy; a multi-stage pressure-increasing apparatus () for the step-by-step pressurization of the working medium; a means () for branching a part of the working medium between two stages of the multi-stage pressure-increasing apparatus (); and a means () for feeding the branched off part of the working medium to one or a plurality of bearing points of the expansion machine. The invention further relates to a corresponding method for lubricating an expansion machine in a thermodynamic circuit process device.

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Munich, Germany

Jens-Patrick Springer