BorgWarner‘s Organic Rankine Cycle converts waste heat into electrical energy
Ever-stringent US emissions regulations
In conventional applications, almost 50
“At BorgWarner, we constantly aim to drive the latest advancements in efficient mobility,” said Joe Fadool, president and general manager, BorgWarner Emissions & Thermal Systems. “By converting wasted exhaust heat into usable electrical energy, we support our customers and protect the environment at the same time.”
BorgWarner‘s ORC waste heat recovery system generates electrical energy by converting energy from the fuel that would be typically wasted as heat. The system takes advantage of the phase change characteristics of fluids similar to air conditioning or refrigeration systems. The cycle can be divided into four steps. First, the cool working fluid from the condenser is pumped to high pressure. Then, waste heat from the engine heats the working fluid to a superheated vapour, which in turn drives the turbine expander and generates electrical power. Finally, the low-pressure vapour is cooled back to a liquid state by the condenser, and the process repeats itself.
Featuring a 48-volt electrical output, BorgWarner‘s innovative ORC turbine expander is not only well-suited for combustion vehicles but supports mild hybrid commercial vehicles, an emerging trend expected for the next five to 10 years. Its oil-free bearing system and aerospace-inspired turbine allow for best-in-class efficiency. BorgWarner‘s evaporators enable