Cerritos, Calif. – Access Energy and Seika Sangyo have agreed to work together to supply industrial plants in Japan with Access Energy’s Thermapower™ ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) systems, which utilize small-scale heat sources to produce electric power.

“Japan is home to the most efficient industrial processing facilities in the world, and yet, we have found that there is still valuable energy being wasted,” said Herman Artinian, Vice President of Access Energy. “Up until now, heat 200 degrees Celsius or below had no value, however our ORC systems have proven that heat as low as 80 degrees Celsius has significant value in terms of electricity production.”

“Seika has a large industrial customer base and is very knowledgeable of that market. We are looking forward to working with them to make our technology available to industrial businesses throughout Japan,” said Artinian.

“A large amount of low-temperature exhaust heat is lost in the manufacturing process at factories in all kinds of industries including steel, cement, glass, petrochemical, and food,” said Takao Miyoshi, Senior Managing Executive Officer and Director of Business Control Division, Seika Corporation. “We would like to help customers reduce electricity costs by delivering electricity through highly efficient binary power generation (ORC) using low-temperature waste heat at 80 – 200 degrees Celsius, while also contributing to solving energy-saving and environmental issues in Japan. We will promote Access Energy’s Thermapower™ system in industries in Japan, through which we expect to be able to meet our customers’ needs.”

Access Energy’s Thermapower™ heat recovery systems employ 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.

In addition to the Carefree™ IPM, the ORC modules include 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™ products for sale to experienced end users in geothermal, marine, incineration and other industrial processes that produce waste heat or to OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) for integration into end products for these applications. Multiple OEM companies have selected Thermapower™ waste heat recovery systems after reviewing other available technologies.

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 20 MW of capacity has been sold worldwide.