Scientists from NGTU NETI have proposed using a special ORC turbine to convert excess heat from urban TPPs into electricity. In summer, power plants continue to produce hot water, but after the heating season ends, a significant part of this heat simply dissipates.
ORC – Organic Rankine Cycle – allows electricity to be generated even from a relatively low-temperature heat source. Instead of water, a working fluid with a lower boiling point is used in the circuit. The heated TPP water transfers energy to it, the fluid evaporates, drives the turbine, and after cooling, returns to the cycle.
This is why such an installation can operate where a conventional steam turbine would be inefficient. For small cities, Novosibirsk researchers consider ORC as a way to simultaneously utilize excess heat and generate additional power.
The authors studied several options and rejected large thermal accumulators and active cooling systems due to their high cost. ORC turbines, according to their assessment, are easier to operate and designed for long-term use.
The economic effect will depend on local demand. With approximately equal demand for heat and electricity, the installation can be used up to 8 months a year. If the thermal load is significantly higher, the most profitable period will be summer.