WASTE HEAT RECOVERY

Commercial Waste Heat Recovery Devices

Recuperators
In a recuperator, heat exchange takes
place between the flue gases and the
air through metallic or ceramic
walls. Duct or tubes carry the air for
combustion to be pre-heated, the
other side contains the waste heat
stream. A recuperator for recovering
waste heat from flue gases is shown
in Figure 1.
The simplest configuration for a
recuperator is the metallic radiation
recuperator, which consists of two
concentric lengths of metal tubing as
Figure 1 Waste Heat Recovery using Recuperator
shown in Figure 2.
The inner tube carries the hot
exhaust gases while the external annulus carries the combustion air from the atmosphere to
the air inlets of the furnace burners. The hot gases are cooled by the incoming combustion
air which now carries additional energy into the combustion chamber. This is energy which
does not have to be supplied by the fuel; consequently, less fuel is burned for a given
furnace loading. The saving in fuel also means a decrease in combustion air and therefore
 stack losses are decreased not only by lowering
the stack gas temperatures but also by discharg-
ing smaller quantities of exhaust gas. The radi-
ation recuperator gets its name from the fact that
a substantial portion of the heat transfer from the
hot gases to the surface of the inner tube takes
place by radiative heat transfer. The cold air in
the annuals, however, is almost transparent to
infrared radiation so that only convection heat
transfer takes place to the incoming air. As
shown in the diagram, the two gas flows are usu-
ally parallel, although the configuration would
be simpler and the heat transfer more efficient if
the flows were opposed in direction (or counter-
flow). The reason for the use of parallel flow is
that recuperators frequently serve the additional
function of cooling the duct carrying away the
exhaust gases and consequently extending its
service life.
Figure 2 Metallic Radiation Recuperator

A second common configuration for

recuperators is called the tube type or convective
recuperator. As seen in the figure3, the hot gases
are carried through a number of parallel small
diameter tubes, while the incoming air to be heated
enters a shell surrounding the tubes and passes
over the hot tubes one or more times in a direction
normal to their axes.
If the tubes are baffled to allow the gas to pass
over them twice, the heat exchanger is termed a
two-pass recuperator; if two baffles are used, a
three-pass recuperator, etc. Although baffling
increases both the cost of the exchanger and the
pressure drop in the combustion air path, it
increases the effectiveness of heat exchange. Shell
and tube type recuperators are generally more Figure 3 Convective Recuperator
compact and have a higher effectiveness than
radiation recuperators, because of the larger heat transfer area made possible through the use of
multiple tubes and multiple passes of the gases.

Radiation/Convective Hybrid Recuperator:

For maximum effectiveness of heat transfer, combinations of radiation and convective designs
areused, with the high-temperature radiation recuperator being first followed by convection type.
These are more expensive than simple metallic radiation recuperators, but are less bulky.
A Convective/radiative Hybrid recuperator is shown in Figure 4
 Figure 4 Convective Radiative Recuperator

Ceramic Recuperator
The principal limitation on the heat recovery of metal recuperators is the reduced life of the liner
at inlet temperatures exceeding 1100°C. In order to overcome the temperature limitations of metal
recuperators, ceramic tube recuperators have been developed whose materials allow operation on the
gas side to 1550°C and on the preheated air side to 815°C on a more or less practical basis. Early
ceramic recuperators were built of tile and joined with furnace cement, and thermal cycling caused
cracking of joints and rapid deterioration of the tubes. Later developments introduced various kinds
of short silicon carbide tubes which can be joined by flexible seals located in the air headers.
Earlier designs had experienced leakage rates from 8 to 60 percent. The new designs are
reported to last two years with air preheat temperatures as high as 700°C, with much lower leakage
rates.

Regenerator
The Regeneration which is preferable for
large capacities has been very widely used in
glass and steel melting furnaces. Important
relations exist between the size of the regener-
ator, time between reversals, thickness of
brick, conductivity of brick and heat storage
ratio of the brick.
In a regenerator, the time between the
reversals is an important aspect. Long
periods would mean higher thermal storage
and hence higher cost. Also long periods of
reversal result in lower average temperature
of preheat and consequently reduce fuel
economy. (Refer Figure5).
Accumulation of dust and slagging on
the surfaces reduce efficiency of the heat
transfer as the furnace becomes old. Figure 5 Regenerator
Heat losses from the walls of the regenerator and air in leaks during the gas period and out-
leaks during air period also reduces the heat transfer.

Heat Wheels
A heat wheel is finding increasing applications in low to medium temperature waste heat recov-
ery systems. Figure 6 is a sketch illustrating the application of a heat wheel.

Figure 6 Heat Wheel

It is a sizable porous disk, fabricated with material having a fairly high heat capacity, which
rotates between two side-by-side ducts: one a cold gas duct, the other a hot gas duct. The axis
of the disk is located parallel to, and on the partition between, the two ducts. As the disk slow-
ly rotates, sensible heat (moisture that contains latent heat) is transferred to the disk by the hot
air and, as the disk rotates, from the disk to the cold air. The overall efficiency of sensible heat
transfer for this kind of regenerator can be as high as 85 percent. Heat wheels have been built
as large as 21 metres in diameter with air capacities up to 1130 m3 / min.
A variation of the Heat Wheel is the rotary regenerator where the matrix is in a cylinder
rotating across the waste gas and air streams. The heat or energy recovery wheel is a rotary gas
heat regenerator, which can transfer heat from exhaust to incoming gases.
Its main area of application is where heat exchange between large masses of air having
small temperature differences is required. Heating and ventilation systems and recovery of heat
from dryer exhaust air are typical applications.

Case Example
A rotary heat regenerator was installed on a two colour printing press to recover some of the
heat, which had been previously dissipated to the atmosphere, and used for drying stage of the
process. The outlet exhaust temperature before heat recovery was often in excess of 100°C.
After heat recovery the temperature was 35°C. Percentage heat recovery was 55% and payback
on the investment was estimated to be about 18 months. Cross contamination of the fresh air
from the solvent in the exhaust gases was at a very acceptable level.
Case Example
A ceramic firm installed a heat wheel on the preheating zone of a tunnel kiln where 7500
m3/hour of hot gas at 300°C was being rejected to the atmosphere. The result was that the flue
gas temperature was reduced to 150°C and the fresh air drawn from the top of the kiln was pre-
heated to 155°C. The burner previously used for providing the preheated air was no longer
required. The capital cost of the equipment was recovered in less than 12 months.

Heat Pipe
A heat pipe can transfer up to 100 times more thermal energy than copper, the best known con-
ductor. In other words, heat pipe is a thermal energy absorbing and transferring system and have
no moving parts and hence require minimum maintenance.

Figure 7 Heat Pipe

The Heat Pipe comprises of three elements - a sealed container, a capillary wick structure
and a working fluid. The capillary wick structure is integrally fabricated into the interior sur-
face of the container tube and sealed under vacuum. Thermal energy applied to the external
surface of the heat pipe is in equilibrium with its own vapour as the container tube is sealed
under vacuum. Thermal energy applied to the external surface of the heat pipe causes the work-
ing fluid near the surface to evaporate instantaneously. Vapour thus formed absorbs the latent
heat of vapourisation and this part of the heat pipe becomes an evaporator region. The vapour
then travels to the other end the pipe where the thermal energy is removed causing the vapour
to condense into liquid again, thereby giving up the latent heat of the condensation. This part
of the heat pipe works as the condenser region. The condensed liquid then flows back to the
evaporated region. A figure of Heat pipe is shown in Figure 7

Performance and Advantage

The heat pipe exchanger (HPHE) is a lightweight compact heat recovery system. It virtually
does not need mechanical maintenance, as there are no moving parts to wear out. It does not
need input power for its operation and is free from cooling water and lubrication systems. It
also lowers the fan horsepower requirement and increases the overall thermal efficiency of the
system. The heat pipe heat recovery systems are capable of operating at 315°C. with 60% to
80% heat recovery capability.
Typical Application
The heat pipes are used in following industrial applications:
a. Process to Space Heating: The heat pipe heat exchanger transfers the thermal energy
from process exhaust for building heating. The preheated air can be blended if required.
The requirement of additional heating equipment to deliver heated make up air is dras-
tically reduced or eliminated.
b. Process to Process: The heat pipe heat exchangers recover waste thermal energy from
the process exhaust and transfer this energy to the incoming process air. The incoming
air thus become warm and can be used for the same process/other processes and reduces
process energy consumption.
c. HVAC Applications:
Cooling: Heat pipe heat exchangers precools the building make up air in summer and
thus reduces the total tons of refrigeration, apart from the operational saving of the cool-
ing system. Thermal energy is supply recovered from the cool exhaust and transferred
to the hot supply make up air.
Heating: The above process is reversed during winter to preheat the make up air.
The other applications in industries are:
• Preheating of boiler combustion air
• Recovery of Waste heat from furnaces
• Reheating of fresh air for hot air driers
• Recovery of waste heat from catalytic deodorizing equipment
• Reuse of Furnace waste heat as heat source for other oven
• Cooling of closed rooms with outside air
• Preheating of boiler feed water with waste heat recovery from flue gases in the heat pipe
economizers.
• Drying, curing and baking ovens
• Waste steam reclamation
• Brick kilns (secondary recovery)
• Reverberatory furnaces (secondary recovery)
• Heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems

Case Example
Savings in Hospital Cooling Systems
Volume 140 m3/min Exhaust
Recovered heat 28225 kCal/hr
Plant capacity reduction 9.33 Tons of Refrigeration
Electricity cost (operation) Rs. 268/Million kCal (based on 0.8 kW/TR)
Plant capacity reduction cost (Capital) Rs.12,000/TR
Capital cost savings Rs. 1,12,000/-
Payback period 16570 hours
Economiser
In case of boiler system, economizer can be
provided to utilize the flue gas heat for pre-
heating the boiler feed water. On the other
hand, in an air pre-heater, the waste heat is
used to heat combustion air. In both the
cases, there is a corresponding reduction in
the fuel requirements of the boiler.
An economizer is shown in Figure.8.
For every 22°C reduction in flue gas
temperature by passing through an
economiser or a pre-heater, there is 1%
saving of fuel in the boiler. In other Figure 8 Economiser
words, for every 6°C rise in feed water
temperature through an economiser, or
20°C rise in combustion air temperature through an air pre-heater, there is 1% saving of fuel in
the boiler.

Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger:

When the medium containing waste heat is a liquid or a vapor which heats another liquid,
then the shell and tube heat exchanger must be used since both paths must be sealed to contain
the pressures of their respective fluids. The shell contains the tube bundle, and usually internal
baffles, to direct the fluid in the shell over the tubes in multiple passes. The shell is inherently
weaker than the tubes so that the higher-pressure fluid is circulated in the tubes while the lower
pressure fluid flows through the shell. When a vapor contains the waste heat, it usually
condenses, giving up its latent heat to the liquid being heated. In this application, the vapor is
almost invariably contained within the shell. If the reverse is attempted, the condensation of
vapors within small diameter parallel tubes causes flow instabilities. Tube and shell heat
exchangers are available in a wide range of standard sizes with many combinations of
materials for the tubes and shells. A shell and tube heat exchanger is illustrated in Figure 9.

Figure 9 Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger

Typical applications of shell and tube heat exchangers include heating liquids with the heat
contained by condensates from refrigeration and air-conditioning systems; condensate from
process steam; coolants from furnace doors, grates, and pipe supports; coolants from engines,
air compressors, bearings, and lubricants; and the condensates from distillation processes