Entropea Labs Limited Public Funding

Development of a patented 10KWe free piston gas expander (FPGE) for low-cost off-grid power generation from locally available heat sources. The FPGE is an Organic Rankine Cycle sub-system that can be integrated into a wide range of distributed power generation applications including biogas/biomass to power, exhaust waste heat to power (new and retrofit) and concentrated solar power systems. The objective of this mid-stage project is to demonstrate a modular 10KWe FPGE prototype and verify efficiency & performance through lab testing. The close integration of multiple components within the gas expander module improves system efficiency, packaging and cost. The 25 month project involves: System design & simulation; Component development; System integration; Lab testing & model validation. Final output will include the design & testing of an opposed free piston gas expander sub-system whose many applications will assist in meeting all aspects of the energy trilemma and are of direct relevance to the energy access needs of developing countries.

Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) technologies aim at recovering part of the otherwise wasted heat in the exhaust of a combustion engine and convert it to useful power, resulting in lower fuel consumption and pollutant emissions. Brunel University and Entropea Labs jointly with Thermadynamics Rail in the US, have optimized WHR technologies, to be retrofitted in Diesel-electric locomotives. Experience gained in the selection, sizing, design and manufacturing of the components of a Steam and Organic Rankine Cycle Waste Heat Recovery system for large displacement diesel engines will be applied to increase the OHV diesel engine fuel economy by up to 10%. The proposed technology will be modular, non-invasive and reversible enabling it to be scaled to across the range of new engine production irrespective of manufacturer while also being retrofittable to the large number of OHV engines already in service. Moreover, the technology and expertise will be further exploited by adapting it and scaling it to other transport and stationery power generation applications.

Awaiting Public Project Summary