DES PLAINES, ILL. — Technology for industrial boilers, commercial boilers and industrial processes that captures waste heat and water vapor from exhaust/flue gas for reuse — resulting in increased operating efficiency and lower overall energy costs — will soon be commercially available as a result of a licensing agreement signed between the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and Cannon Boiler Works Inc., New Kensington, Pa.
The transport membrane condenser (TMC) technology allows the capture and beneficial use of sensible and latent waste heat and water vapor from exhaust/flue gas and can be applied to elevated-temperature industrial processes as well as boilers. When used with industrial and commercial boilers, the TMC is the cornerstone of a state-of-the-art heat recovery system that can provide an increase in fuel-to-steam efficiency of as much as 15% (up to 95% fuel-to-steam efficiency), and up to 20% water capture and reuse without the need for water treatment.
Transport membrane condensers are typically applied in conjunction with economizers. As a supplier of boiler economizers, Cannon's existing product line is synergistic with the TMC technology. Cannon and its network of sales representatives will support applications to both new boilers and retrofits, and a suite of TMC models, covering a range of boiler sizes, is expected to be available for commercial sale in 2010. Cannon will initially manage applications of the technology for other industrial processes on an application-engineering basis.
“Cannon's business focus on providing heat recovery solutions to increase system energy efficiency in a variety of commercial and industrial markets makes them particularly well-suited to commercialize the TMC technology,” noted Dan Willems, GTI director of end-use solutions. “They are well known and respected in the industry, and we're pleased to partner with them to bring a solution that reduces fuel consumption, water usage and greenhouse gas emissions.”
“There is a certain amount of waste heat within flue gases that other recovery technologies don't put to beneficial use, but the TMC does,“ said Art Skelley, Cannon CEO. “This, along with the TMC's ability to recover water from the moisture in flue gas and reuse it, sets the TMC apart.”
GTI is the inventor and patent-holder of the TMC technology, which has been licensed exclusively to Cannon for certain fields of use. GTI is working to expand applications for the technology in power plants and residential furnaces.
The technology is a key element of the U.S. Department of Energy's Super Boiler program, and was developed with funding from DOE; Utilization Technology Development NFP; California Energy Commission; California Air Resources Board; South Coast Air Quality Management District; Southern California Gas (a Sempra Energy Co.); and GTI and its Sustaining Membership Program.