Demonstrating Replicable, Innovative, Large-Scale Heat Recovery in the Industrial Sector
Trevi is developing a large low-cost polymeric (plastic) heat exchanger for low-level heat recovery that could yield payback periods of less than a year.
Trevi Systems Inc.
Recipient
Rohnert Park, CA
Recipient Location
3rd
Senate District
4th
Assembly District
$1,567,387
Amount Spent
Completed
Project Status
Project Result
Trevi installed a polymer heat exchanger at Old Caz brewery and Black Kite winery. The heat exchangers are going through testing and have began the measurement and verification process. There have been issues discovered in the capture of heat from the exhaust stack at Old Caz and an over pressurization of the polymer heat exchanger (P-HEX) at Black Kite due to an operational error. These issues are currently being resolved, and the project should meet the original deadlines.
The Issue
Most heat exchangers within the marketplace are metal, which are costly to manufacture and may not offer adequate payback periods for use in systems to recover low-temperature, low-value waste heat streams. Industrial plants produce waste heat streams that have recoverable heat; however, these waste streams are often contaminated with corrosive chemicals, rendering metal heat exchangers useless due to their reactivity. Metal heat exchangers are heavy and packaged in bulky frames, which can create unique installation issues. Cheaper, smaller, lighter weight, and chemically resistant heat exchangers would enable industrial plants to recover waste heat from more process streams.
Project Innovation
This project results in the development of large, low-cost polymeric (plastic) heat exchangers for low-level heat recovery that aims to have a payback period of less than a year, including installation. Once fully developed, these heat exchangers will be installed at a brewery and winery to demonstrate their feasibility and test their performance. The goal is to create a manufacturing process that will allow for high-speed mass production with an 80 percent reduction in cost compared to equivalent metal heat exchangers.
Project Benefits
This project validates the technical performance of polymeric heat exchangers with the goal of recovering 70-95% of otherwise unrecoverable waste heat. Full deployment of this technology could potentially lead to a 10 percent reduction in gas usage within the industrial sector. Plastic heat exchangers will increase California's energy self-sufficiency and reduce imported energy expenses by reducing demand.
Consumer Appeal
Industrial waste heat streams are underutilized. The DOE estimates that 20-50% of industrial energy input is lost as waste heat in the form of hot exhaust gases, cooling water, and heat loss from hot equipment surfaces
Affordability
This project will create a manufacturing process that will allow for high-speed mass production with an 80 percent reduction in unit cost over metal heat exchangers.
Key Project Members
John Webley
Subrecipients
T2M Global LLC
Match Partners
Trevi Systems Inc.
T2M Global LLC
