SD 2050 e 2013-10 Dimensions and illustrations without obligation. Subject to modifications.

Waste Heat Recovery Systems

Waste Heat Recovery

for Cogeneration Units.
SteamTrac/SteamDrive

The utilization of waste heat can lead to significantly

increased energy efficiencies of cogeneration units. With
the SteamDrive and SteamTrac system, cogene
ration
plants can be operated much more economically and
eco-friendly, independent of the fuel type and/or the
applied combustion process.
SteamDrive GmbH
Zoeppritzstrasse 73
89522 Heidenheim, Germany
Tel. +49 7321 37 8341
Fax +49 7321 37 7683
info@steamdrive.de
www.steamdrive.de

Waste Heat Recovery Systems

SteamTrac system with R2/800 piston expander, integrated in a sewage gas cogeneration unit.

SteamTrac and SteamDrive

Modern combustion engines have a mechanical efficiency of
approximately 40%. This means that 60% of the energy
remain unused and are dissipated in the form of waste heat
via exhaust gases and cooling water. With the waste heat
recovery system developed by SteamDrive GmbH, some of
this energy can be recuperated.

SteamDrive 30 with cover panel

Energy flow of a combustion engine

100% Q

~19%

QCooler

~5%

QConvection

~36%

QExhaust gas
QExhaust gas
recirculation

Waste heat
recovery

Function
The operating medium is pressurized by a feed pump and
delivered to the operating cycle. In a heat exchanger which is
integrated in the exhaust gas system, the operating medium
is heated, evaporated and superheated by the heat from the
exhaust gas. The superheated steam is expanded in a piston
expansion machine. This generates mechanical power, which
can be transferred directly in the combustion engine or fed
into the electricity network via a generator. The expanded
operating medium is condensed in the condensation heat exchanger and redirected to the operating medium tank in a
closed cycle. The condensation heat exchanger is integrated
in the cooling circuit of the cogeneration plant. This residual
heat can be utilized further via a combined heat and power
cycle, since the condensation takes place at the temperature
level of the flow line of the cogeneration system. The entire
process and the integration into the cogeneration unit is
controlled and monitored by the systems control.

~40%

PUseful

Operating principle of the SteamTrac system

Congeneration unit control
Expander

Condenser
system control

Evaporator

Exhaust gas

Integration
into the co
generation unit
cooling system

SteamTrac
The SteamTrac is the solution with the least installation space
for integration into new cogeneration units. In the SteamTrac,
the expander delivers power straight into the driveline of the
cogeneration unit via a clutch and a torsionally flexible connection. The recuperated energy is thus directly converted into
electric energy by the main generator of the cogeneration unit,
and then fed into the grid together with the output of the combustion engine. Its design is more compact than that of the
SteamDrive. The unit can be directly integrated into the frame
of the cogeneration plant. Due to the clutch, the SteamTrac is
an add-on system that can also be decoupled. The exhaust
heat exchanger is directly integrated in the exhaust gas system.

SteamDrive
The SteamDrive has been developed specifically for retrofitting
existing cogeneration units and accordingly its the solution for
units where a direct link-up to the combustion engine is not
possible. In order to save space, all components are arranged
in the compact module, which consists of steam engine with
generator, feed pump and feed water tank, condensation heat
exchanger, as well as control cabinet with control system and
power electronics. Thereby its a closed system with little
and clear defined interfaces. The compact module is
equipped with its own cover. Here too, the exhaust gas heat
exchanger is directly integrated in the exhaust gas system of
the cogernation unit.

Technical data SteamTrac

Technical data SteamDrive

Designation

SteamTrac 20

SteamTrac 30

Designation

SteamDrive 20

SteamDrive 30

Nominal output

20 kW

30 kW

Nominal output

20 kW

30 kW

Expander type

R2/800

R2/800

Expander type

R2/800

R2/800

Max. operating pressure 60 bar

60 bar

Max. operating pressure

60 bar

60 bar

Nominal speed

1500 rpm

Nominal speed

1500 rpm

1500 rpm

1500 rpm

Application-specific integration into cogeneration unit

Dimensions of exhaust gas heat exchanger: plant-specific design

Exhaust
gas

Feed pump

Media tank

Width = 2000 mm
Height = 1900 mm
Depth = 800 mm

SteamDrive 30 with R2/800 piston expander