Many Industries Using CHP to Improve Energy Efficiency
It’s a way to reduce wasted heat and increase industrial efficiency
Combined heat and power (CHP) systems are being used by a wide range of applications to reduce the overall energy intensity of industrial systems. There are two types of CHP, depending on whether the system produces power first, then heat, or heat first, then power. In topping cycles, the hot exhaust of an electricity generator, such as a natural gas turbine or reciprocating engine, is used to provide process heat, hot water, or space heating for the site. According to preliminary 2015 data, topping cycles are used by 89 percent of total CHP capacity. In bottoming cycles, also referred to as waste heat to power, wasted heat from a furnace or other high-temperature industrial processes is recovered and used for power production.
Bottoming cycles typically use waste heat boilers or steam turbine systems. Ongoing research, development, and deployment efforts are focused on these systems as a way to reduce wasted heat and increase industrial energy efficiency.