Understanding Waste-Heat-to-Power
Across manufacturing plants, compressor stations, engines, kilns, and chemical refineries, gigajoules of thermal energy are vented into the atmosphere every working day.
Traditional steam cycles require extreme temperatures (typically >600°F / 315°C) and substantial volumes to make water vaporization economically feasible. Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology completely transforms this economic equation.
How the Organic Rankine Cycle Functions
The fundamental innovation of an ORC plant is replacing water with an organic working fluid—such as specialized hydrocarbons or fluorinated refrigerants—that exhibits a significantly lower boiling point and higher vapor pressure than water.
- Heat Extraction: A heat exchanger captures thermal energy from flue gas, radiator jacket water, or steam exhaust without modifying the core combustion process.
- Vaporization: The captured heat boils the pressurized organic fluid inside an evaporator.
- Power Generation: High-pressure organic vapor drives an expander turbine connected to an electrical generator.
- Condensation & Recirculation: The expanded vapor passes through a condenser, cools back into a liquid state, and is pumped back through the loop in a sealed system.
The $0-Capital Energy Purchase Agreement
Through Rabco's Power of Waste Heat program, qualified facilities operating over 5,250 hours annually can have a complete ORC system designed, installed, and commissioned with $0 upfront capital outlay.
Rabco finances and maintains the equipment, selling the generated electricity back to your facility at a contractually discounted rate below current utility tariffs.
Download our assessment checklist or reach out to our engineers.