ORC POWER
GENERATORS
ORC Power Expander
Kaishan is a leading manufacturer of organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power generation systems. Our products currently generate nearly 100 MW of power in facilities around the world, where they play a key role in curbing CO2 emissions and reducing overall environmental impact.
The Rankine cycle is the scientific name for the idealized thermodynamic cycle of a heat engine. In these products, heated fluid from a customer process is exchanged with a refrigerant, then expanded back into a cold liquid through a rotary screw airend, similar to those used in our rotary screw air compressors. This refrigerant expansion to liquid creates rotational energy through the screws, turning an electrical generator, thus converting heat energy to electrical energy. In these generators, energy is produced from lower temperature sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Kaishan’s ORC power plants feature a patented screw expander system capable of improving isentropic efficiency by as much as 90% compared to conventional turbines. Our ORC expanders are versatile and easy to fit into your existing workflow, with multiple condenser options and power generation capabilities ranging from 50kW to multi-megawatts.
ORC Power Generator Benefits
- Low Capital Costs: ORC generators provide the opportunity to recover heat from lower temperature sources compared to traditional steam turbines. This opportunity can provide significant cost savings for your organization. Compared to other renewable power solutions, the combined cost of purchasing and running an ORC system is relatively low, making it one of the best values for organizations looking to improve their environmental credentials.
- High Efficiency: The simplified system and lower operating speeds of a rotary screw ORC expander offers high reliability in smaller waste heat recovery applications. Maintenance is typically limited to servicing valves and maintaining the lubrication system.
- Reduced CO2 Emissions: ORC power generation is a 100% clean solution with no emissions or byproducts. Depending on where they are used, these systems may help companies qualify for carbon or renewable energy credits. These credits can further help reduce operational costs.
- Less Maintenance: The rotary screw ORC runs under less pressure and rotates more slowly for improved worker safety. Pump components do not experience continual exposure to water, so they are less likely to rust or erode—which increases their operational life.
Performance Suited for Your Application
ORC power generation technology is suitable for use in a variety of applications. Our products can be configured to produce energy from any of the following sources:
- Water used for engine cooling circuits
- Geothermal hot water (brine)
- Ethanol, gasoline, thermal oil, and other chemicals
- Exhaust gasses produced by conventional turbines or gas or diesel IC engines
- Hot gasses from kilns and furnaces used in cement, glass, and other manufacturing processes
- Any application where heat can be transferred to a fluid
ORC is a novel technology that is continuously being refined. As the technology evolves, Kaishan will remain at the forefront and continue to offer innovative products. Reach out today to learn more about ORC power generators or to request a quote for a power generation system that’s customized to the needs of your facility. Contact us today.
Frequently Asked Questions
An Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) generator transfers heat from a customer's industrial process to a refrigerant fluid. The heated refrigerant expands through a rotary screw expander, converting expansion energy into rotational mechanical energy, which drives an electrical generator to produce power. The refrigerant is then condensed back to liquid and recirculated. The process recovers useful electricity from heat sources — such as exhaust gases, cooling circuits, or geothermal brine — that would otherwise be discarded as waste.
Kaishan ORC systems can extract energy from a wide variety of industrial heat sources, including engine cooling circuit water, geothermal hot water (brine), ethanol and thermal oil, exhaust gases from gas or diesel internal combustion engines and conventional turbines, and hot gases from kilns and furnaces used in cement and glass manufacturing. Essentially, any application where industrial process heat can be transferred to a working fluid represents a potential power recovery opportunity for an ORC system.
Kaishan ORC power generation systems are available in configurations ranging from 50 kW up to multi-megawatt capacities, with multiple condenser options to match different site conditions and heat rejection requirements. This scalability allows ORC systems to be cost-effectively deployed in smaller industrial facilities recovering modest waste heat, as well as in large process plants where significant energy volumes are available for recovery. Kaishan configures each system to match the specific thermal conditions and power targets of the site.
Yes. Kaishan ORC power generation is a 100% clean process with no direct emissions or combustion byproducts. Depending on the jurisdiction, ORC installations may qualify for carbon reduction credits or renewable energy incentive schemes, as they recover energy that would otherwise be lost as waste heat. These credits can meaningfully reduce the total cost of ownership and improve the financial return on investment for facilities deploying ORC technology as part of their energy efficiency or ESG strategy.
Kaishan ORC power plants feature a patented screw expander system capable of improving isentropic efficiency by as much as 90% compared to conventional turbines in smaller waste heat recovery applications. This high efficiency is enabled by the positive displacement characteristics of the rotary screw expander, which operates reliably at lower pressures and slower rotational speeds than a conventional turbine — improving overall system thermal performance and significantly reducing mechanical wear and maintenance requirements over the system's operating life.
ORC systems using Kaishan's rotary screw expander operate at lower pressures and rotate more slowly than conventional steam turbines, substantially reducing mechanical stress and component wear. Pump components are not continuously exposed to water, minimizing corrosion and erosion and extending operational life. Maintenance is typically limited to periodic valve servicing and lubrication system upkeep, making ORC systems considerably simpler and less costly to maintain than high-pressure turbine alternatives in comparable waste heat recovery applications.
