RePolyGen

NEWPOLYGEN Department of the MEEC Group (Israel) has completed the first phase of developing its unique technology, intended for a drastic improvement in performance of the reciprocating engine-based polygeneration systems, such as the distributed generation (DG) and industrial and commercial cogeneration / trigeneration (CHP / CCHP) plants. A new REPOLYGEN technology is the result of a long-term activity of the Group’s scientists in the field of profitable use of an excess energy contained in the reciprocating engine exhaust, as well as of a high-temperature part of waste energy from the engine cooling system.

With use of the REPOLYGEN technology, a power output of the electric generator operated in the simple cycle (SC) mode may be increased by 7 – 8% with a corresponding improvement in its fuel efficiency and reduction in its CO₂ emissions level. Alternatively, in the combined cycle (CC) applications, an extremely high level of fuel-to-power conversion efficiency, achieving 55-57%, may be demonstrated. Finally, employing the REPOLYGEN technology makes possible to increase a steam capacity of the combined heat (steam) and power plants at a factor of 1.5 – 2.5 with enhancement of their total efficiency up to 77 – 88%. As a whole, the new technology significantly extends a commercial potential of the reciprocating engines and provides a complete agreement with the customer requirements for the high efficient, environmentally friendly energy supply systems.

It should be particularly emphasized that the mentioned benefits may be obtained without any changes in the basic design of a reciprocating engine and with the moderate changes in its turbocharging and heat recovery systems only. Any kind of gaseous fuel (natural gas, wood gas, syngas, mining gas, etc.) or their combination may be used to operate a new system. Moreover, a new technology is applicable also to the medium-to-large engines, using any kind of liquid fuel, including HFO, DO, biodiesel, etc.

The main advantages of the REPOLYGEN technology are exemplified below by the performance of 9.5MWe natural gas-fired system, as likened to the competitive technologies in the comparable power range. As evident from this comparison, the REPOLYGEN technology could be a system of choice for the CHP plants in the range between 1MWe and 20MWe and for the CC plants in the power diapason from 5MWe up to 50MWe. Our investigations show these are precisely those power ranges, wherein the basic part of the technical and market penetration potential is concentrated. The mentioned market volumes may be markedly increased, taking into consideration that REPOLYGEN technology could be successfully employed at the new DG facilities, during modernization of the old gas turbine and engine-based CHP plants, in conversion of the existing engine-based DG facilities into CHP/CCHP those, and in the process of the ESCO projects realization.

By now, the theoretical substantiation and detailed computed verification of the new technology have been conducted. The developer's rights are protected by a number of the pending patent applications. As the next step of technology development, the NEWPOLYGEN Dept. of the MEEC Group (Israel) with the interested partners are initiating the design, construction and demonstration of a pilot CHP plant based on a 1MWe gas engine. The NEWPOLYGEN is intended to apply for the grants and financing within the framework of the different international and bi-national R&D programs (EU FP7, Eurogia+, etc) and looking forward to technical and financial support of the interested companies.

The MEEC Group is ready to present to the interested companies some more details of our innovation and discuss with them the nearest and long-term goals and steps of our possible collaboration.