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Session: Parallel Session: Operational Experience II
Session starts: Friday 23 September, 11:20
Presentation starts: 12:00
Room: Auditorium

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Ron Conry (Verdicorp Inc. )
Sankar Mohan (Verdicorp Inc. )
Randolph Dietzel (Verdicorp Inc.)
Joost Brasz (Danfoss Turbocor Compressors)

Abstract:
Verdicorp, a company focusing on next generation green technologies (www.verdicorp.com), has completed the development of an oil-free ORC turbine as a derivative of the award-winning, high-volume Danfoss-Turbocor direct-drive centrifugal HFC134a refrigeration compressor and is in the final phase of product qualification of its first three models with turbine output powers of 50, 60 and 75 kWel. The turbine is designed for low temperature heat source ORC applications. The fluid section of the turbine consists of a single-stage radial-inflow turbine using HFC245fa as its working medium. The remainder of the machine contains - just like the Danfoss Turbocor compressor - a set of active magnetic bearings, a high-speed (up to 45,000 rpm) direct-drive permanent magnet generator and a power module that converts the high-frequency power of the generator to the regional 50/60 Hz line frequency at 380/400/460/575V to satisfy local grid requirements. Turbine, generator, bearings, power conversion and control are all integrated in a single hermetically sealed unit, cooled internally by the working fluid, resulting in a very compact design. The variable-speed operation of the unit allows variation of the turbine speed to adjust for differences in available head/pressure ratio as a result of changes in ambient heat sink temperatures. The inverter section of the turbine allows grid-independent island operation of the ORC system. Prototype testing at actual operating conditions has started April 2010 and was successfully completed late last year. A number of field trial units are currently running at beta sites. Field trial qualification will be completed later this year. The similarity of this turbine with its high-volume compressor relative and their shared manufacturing base guarantees excellent product quality, favorable product cost and easy product volume ramp-up rates when needed which are important features for future market penetration. For any further request, please contact Sankar Mohan at sankar.mohan@verdicorp.com. REFERENCES 1. Brasz, J.J., Transforming a Centrifugal Compressor into a Radial Inflow Turbine, paper C060 presented at the 17th International Compressor Engineering Conference at Purdue, West Lafayette, Indiana, July 12-15, 2004 2. Brasz, J.J., Waste Heat Power Recovery using Air Conditioning Hardware, DKV-Tagungsbericht 2004, Bremen 17-19 November 2004, Band II.2 pp. 75-82, 2004