Ormat REG solutions
Our REG Technology
Ormat is leading the way by creating a greener tomorrow thanks to our waste heat recovery projects. The Ormat Recovered Energy Generation (REG®) unit is based on Organic Rankine Cycle technology to take waste heat from industrial processes and convert it to power – power that can be consumed on-site or sold to the grid. Our REG® is simple and proven based on our OEC (Ormat Energy Conversion) technology. Ormat has developed and implemented waste heat recovery projects worldwide and owns a variety of its own plants in the U.S.
Ormat is leading the way by creating a greener tomorrow thanks to our waste heat recovery projects. The Ormat Recovered Energy Generation (REG®) unit is based on Organic Rankine Cycle technology to take waste heat from industrial processes and convert it to power – power that can be consumed on-site or sold to the grid. Our REG® is simple and proven based on our OEC (Ormat Energy Conversion) technology. Ormat has developed and implemented waste heat recovery projects worldwide and owns a variety of its own plants in the U.S.
Our REG Technology
The attached diagram illustrates the operation of an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system, which is used to convert geothermal energy into electrical power. The ORC system utilizes geothermal fluid to heat an organic working fluid, which then drives a turbine to generate electricity. Here is a detailed description of the process:
1. Production Pump and Production Well:
- The process begins with the production pump extracting hot geothermal fluid from deep underground through the production well. This geothermal fluid is rich in thermal energy due to the high temperatures found beneath the Earth's surface.
2. Heat Exchanger (Preheater and Vaporizer):
- The hot geothermal fluid is then directed to a heat exchanger, which consists of two main components: the preheater and the vaporizer.
- In the preheater, the geothermal fluid transfers its heat to the organic working fluid, causing the working fluid to increase in temperature.
- The heated working fluid then moves to the vaporizer, where it absorbs more heat from the geothermal fluid and vaporizes into a high-pressure gas.
3. Turbine:
- The high-pressure vaporized working fluid is then directed to a turbine. As the vapor expands through the turbine, it drives the turbine blades, converting thermal energy into mechanical energy.
- The mechanical energy from the turbine is used to generate electricity through a connected generator.
4. Condenser:
- After passing through the turbine, the working fluid exits as a low-pressure vapor. It then enters the condenser, where it is cooled and condensed back into a liquid state.
- The cooling process in the condenser is facilitated by a cooling medium, often air or water, which absorbs the heat from the working fluid.
5. Injection Pump and Injection Well:
- The cooled geothermal fluid, which has transferred its heat to the working fluid, is then pumped back into the ground through the injection well by the injection pump. This reinjection process helps maintain the sustainability of the geothermal reservoir.
6. Closed Loop System:
- The ORC system operates in a closed loop, ensuring that the organic working fluid is continuously cycled through the system. After condensation, the liquid working fluid is pumped back to the preheater to begin the cycle anew.
7. Cooling System:
- The cooling system, which includes a fan and cooling medium, ensures that the condenser effectively cools the working fluid, maintaining the efficiency of the cycle.
The diagram uses colour coding to differentiate between the geothermal fluid (red and orange) and the organic working fluid (blue). The geothermal fluid is shown as hot when extracted and cooled when reinjected, while the organic working fluid is depicted in its liquid and vapor states throughout the cycle.
Overall, the ORC system efficiently converts geothermal energy into electrical power by utilizing the thermal energy of the Earth's subsurface to drive a turbine, with the organic working fluid playing a crucial role in the energy conversion process.