Waste heat recovery system using a cascade of ORC systems

摘要

A waste heat recovery system includes multiple (e.g. three, four or five) organic Rankine cycle ORC systems 14, 16, 18 arranged in a cascade configuration. Each ORC system also includes an integrated power module 20, 22, 24 that expands the working fluid to generate electricity. The integrated power module comprises a turbine 26, 28, 30 and a generator 32, 34, 36 within a unitary housing. The expanded fluid exiting the turbine may flow over the generator, and generator windings may have a protective covering or sleeve to protect them from the working fluid (figure 4). One or more of the ORC systems may include a further cooling system, e.g. to cool the fluid for providing additional cooling of the generator. One of the systems may use toluene or cyclohexane as the working fluid.