High Temperature Heat Exchanger for Natural Gas-Based Heat Pump Technology and Modular Power Generation

The project team, led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), will design, manufacture, and demonstrate a high-temperature heat exchanger that can effectively operate under extremely high operating temperatures (~1000 C) for typical gas-fired applications while withstanding extremely corrosive environments.

Project Impact

Unavailability of heat exchangers to provide sustainable performance at elevated temperatures for corrosive working fluids has been a major technological barrier to achieve improved efficiency. The advanced heat exchanger technology developed under the current project will enable cost-effective and feasible implementation of combined heat and power; and thermally driven heat pump applications. Heat exchangers are critical components for a wide range of applications such as modular power generation, waste heat recovery, and energy harvesting. The project team will provide a comprehensive infrastructure for the design, materials selection, and manufacturing process, which will influence multiple technology sectors. Such efforts will open a substantial job market and will enable U.S. manufacturers to lead the market in advanced energy conversion processes.