Exergy developed and completed the R&D “Smart ORC” project thanks to the grant obtained from the Lombardy “Regional Operational Programme” (ROP) under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
The ERDF ROP promotes a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth model in line with the objectives identified in the “Europe 2020” strategy and with the regional government’s development policies promoting the productivity and competitiveness of its businesses and the entire economy of the Region.
Exergy’s project inserts in the Priority Axis 1 of the ERDF ROP Financial Plan which target is “Strengthen technological research, development and innovation”.
Through this project Exergy has developed a technological innovation that will allow to broaden the application of the Radial Outflow Turbine to ORC systems of very small power size (micro and mini ORC) for electricity production from diesel engines, exhaust gases and waste heat available in several industrial processes.
In details Exergy designed and manufactured a prototype of a squeeze film damper (SFD) to control the rotor stability of very high-speed Radial Outflow Turbines (from 3600 RPM to 20000 RPM). In addition, the R&D department developed specific models and calculation methods for high-speed rotors design.
This R&D improvement could be efficiently applied to Exergy’s turbines to increase the efficiency of mini and micro ORC systems in a range from 5 to15 %.
