Access Energy Reaches Distributor Agreement with Daiichi Jitsugyo for Incineration Market in Japan

April 11, 2013

Cerritos, Calif. – Access Energy has granted exclusive rights to Daiichi Jitsugyo to sell its Thermapower™ ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) Modules for incineration applications in Japan. Daiichi Jitsugyo installed a Thermapower™ Module at a private incineration facility in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan in October of last year. The system is generating clean power from the hot flue gas produced by the incineration process.

“Rather than using energy to cool the flue gas, an incineration facility can remove the heat while producing energy in the form of electric power with the Thermapower™ Module,” said Access Energy Vice President Herman Artinian. “We are excited to be working with Daiichi and their highly qualified engineering team to make our technology available to incineration plants throughout Japan.”

During the incineration process, waste materials are combusted at very high temperatures, resulting in flue gas and particulates. The particulates, such as ash and other inorganic particles, must be filtered from the flue gas before it is released into the atmosphere. One method of filtration is the use of a bag house. This requires the temperature of the gas to be reduced to below 450 F (232 C). Access Energy’s Thermapower™ ORC Module can be used to remove the heat from the flue gas and convert it into electric power, which can be used onsite or sold to the local utility.

“We are very impressed by the Thermapower™ system and are happy with how the current installation has been running thus far,” said Susumu Igarashi, General Manager of Daiichi Jitsugyo’s Energy Development Projects Division. “We are looking forward to growing our relationship with Access Energy and establishing a significant installation base to help supplement the power supply in Japan.”

Access Energy and Daiichi Jitsugyo will showcase the Thermapower™ ORC system for the first time in Japan at the N-Expo to be held May 21 to May 24 in the Tokyo Big Sight Convention Center.

Access Energy’s Thermapower™ heat recovery system employs a Carefree™ Integrated Power Module (IPM), engineered and produced by Access Energy’s parent company Calnetix Technologies. The Carefree™ IPM consists of a high-speed turbo expander and generator in a single, hermetically sealed unit with only one moving part, to produce up to 125 kWeg of utility grade power from a medium or low temperature heat source. The Carefree™ IPM and its inner components also will be on display at the N-Expo.

In addition to the Carefree™ IPM, the ORC module includes Calnetix’s proprietary power electronics unit and magnetic bearing controller, a variable speed controlled pump and associate piping, and an organic working fluid. In operation, the heat source transfers energy into the ORC system, which evaporates and pressurizes an organic working fluid. The pressurized fluid enters the Carefree™ IPM, where expansion of the fluid drives a turbine to generate electrical power. Following expansion, the working fluid is condensed and fed to the pump to repeat the cycle. View video to see how it works.

Access Energy is offering its Thermapower™ product for sale to experienced end users in geothermal, marine, incineration and other industrial processes that produce waste heat or to equipment OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) for integration into end products for these applications.

The core technologies comprising the Thermapower™ ORC Module have been used for heat recovery in various applications in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Asia since 2009 under Calnetix and its distributors and licensees. Over 18 MW of capacity has been sold worldwide.