Articles tagged with "waste-heat-recovery"
World's largest particle accelerator heats thousands of homes in France
Since mid-January, CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s largest particle accelerator, has been supplying heat to thousands of homes and businesses in the French town of Ferney-Voltaire. This initiative uses a newly activated heat-exchange system that captures waste heat from the accelerator’s cooling circuits and feeds it into the town’s district heating network. By repurposing the hot water that would normally be cooled and released into the atmosphere, CERN is providing up to five megawatts (MW) of thermal energy, with potential to double this when the accelerator is fully operational. This effort significantly reduces CO2 emissions by replacing traditional heating sources. The heat-recovery system is connected at Point 8 of the LHC, located near the French-Swiss border, where cryogenic equipment requires continuous cooling. Even during the upcoming multi-year Long Shutdown 3 (LS3) for upgrades, CERN will continue supplying between one and five MW of heat, except for a few months.
energyrenewable-energywaste-heat-recoveryLarge-Hadron-Colliderdistrict-heatingthermal-energycarbon-emissions-reductionChina Built A Supercritical CO₂ Generator. That Doesn’t Mean It Will Last. - CleanTechnica
China has recently commissioned a supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO₂) power generator, named Chaotan One, at a steel plant in Guizhou province. This system is designed to recover industrial waste heat and convert it into electricity, with each unit rated at about 15 MW and combined configurations around 30 MW. The technology claims efficiency improvements of 20% to over 30% compared to conventional steam-based waste heat recovery systems, marking a potentially significant advancement in thermal power generation. The sCO₂ cycle uses carbon dioxide above its critical temperature and pressure, where it exhibits unique properties that allow for more compact and efficient turbomachinery. However, the article urges caution in interpreting this deployment as a definitive breakthrough. While China often pioneers new technologies due to its capacity to experiment and learn through trial and error, many such first-of-a-kind projects do not necessarily prove durable, economically viable, or scalable. The article highlights that China’s limited deployment of other advanced technologies—such as small modular nuclear
energysupercritical-CO2-generatorwaste-heat-recoveryindustrial-energy-efficiencyChina-energy-technologypower-generationclean-energy-innovationChina's new tech could turn sunlight into high-grade industrial heat
Chinese researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed an innovative ultra-high-temperature thermoacoustic Stirling heat pump capable of converting low-grade heat sources, such as sunlight or industrial waste heat, into much higher temperatures than conventional heat pumps. Their prototype achieved an output temperature of 518°F (270°C) using a heat source at 293°F (145°C), surpassing the previous practical limit of about 392°F (200°C) that has constrained industrial heat pump technologies for decades. Unlike traditional vapor-compression systems, this heat pump operates without moving mechanical parts, using sound waves to transfer thermal energy, making it suitable for upgrading waste heat from solar collectors, nuclear reactors, or industrial exhaust into high-grade heat for industries like ceramics, petrochemicals, and metallurgy. This advancement addresses a significant industrial challenge, as many processes require heat between 392°F and over 1,832°F (1,000°C), a range difficult for existing heat pumps to reach efficiently. The technology could reduce
energyindustrial-heat-pumpthermoacousticssolar-thermal-energywaste-heat-recoverydecarbonizationhigh-temperature-heatingYour heating may soon come from a data center
Data centers consume a significant and growing share of global electricity—currently about 1–1.5 percent and projected to reach 3 percent by 2030—with nearly all this energy eventually dissipated as heat. Traditionally, this waste heat has been released into the environment, but a new trend is emerging where operators capture and repurpose it for local heating needs, such as district heating, industrial processes, or greenhouse agriculture. This approach reduces cooling costs, lowers carbon emissions, and can generate additional revenue by selling heat to local utilities. European governments and cities like Stockholm, Helsinki, and regions in Finland are actively encouraging and mandating waste heat reuse, integrating data centers into urban energy ecosystems. The business case for heat valorization is strong. Capturing waste heat can reduce a data center’s electricity demand by 10–30 percent by lowering cooling requirements, while also displacing fossil fuel use in local heating systems, especially in cold climates. For instance, Microsoft’s data centers in Finland are expected to
energydata-centerswaste-heat-recoverydistrict-heatingsustainabilityenergy-efficiencycarbon-emissions-reductionChina debuts world-first generator to boost steel plant heat recovery
China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has successfully connected the world’s first commercial supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) power generator to the grid at a steel production plant in Guizhou province. This 15 MW system uses CO2 instead of steam to transfer heat, harnessing high-temperature waste heat (over 1,292°F) from the steel sintering process to generate electricity. The technology is reported to be at least 50% more efficient than traditional steam-based power systems, with efficiencies exceeding 50% compared to the typical 40% of steam plants. Additionally, due to the higher density of supercritical CO2, these generators are more compact and suitable for smaller spaces. The breakthrough has significant implications for clean energy, particularly in nuclear power, where the technology could replace steam turbines and be scaled to utility-level sizes. The compact nature of the system also opens possibilities for use in mobile nuclear reactors, spacecraft, and solar plants. Meanwhile, a similar 10 MW supercritical
energyclean-energysupercritical-carbon-dioxidewaste-heat-recoverypower-generatorsteel-plantChina-energy-innovationUS Army to test tech that turns thin air into clean drinking water
The US Army has partnered with Montana-based AirJoule Technologies to develop and test a novel technology that converts waste heat into clean drinking water from ambient air, aiming to enhance water self-sufficiency for troops in challenging environments. Under a three-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement signed on October 7, 2025, the collaboration leverages the Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) expertise in energy systems alongside AirJoule’s patented atmospheric water generation platform. This system uses advanced sorbent materials to absorb water vapor even at low humidity, then employs a vacuum and waste heat to release and condense the vapor into potable water, operating efficiently by reusing internal heat through simultaneous capture and release cycles. This technology promises to reduce the logistical burden and risks associated with traditional water resupply missions, which often require fuel-intensive transport and expose personnel to danger. By harnessing waste heat from tactical generators, the system could provide soldiers with a reliable source of distilled water in deserts, disaster zones
energymaterialsatmospheric-water-generationwaste-heat-recoverymilitary-technologysustainable-water-productionsorbent-materialsThermodynamic limits surpassed with quantum energy-harvesting method
Japanese researchers have developed a novel quantum energy-harvesting method that surpasses traditional thermodynamic efficiency limits by exploiting non-thermal quantum states. Their approach utilizes a non-thermal Tomonaga-Luttinger (TL) liquid—a one-dimensional electron system that resists thermalization and retains high-energy quantum states instead of distributing heat evenly. By directing waste heat from a quantum point contact transistor into this TL liquid, the team demonstrated significantly higher electrical voltage generation and improved energy conversion efficiency compared to conventional quasi-thermalized systems. The researchers supported their experimental findings with a theoretical model based on a binary Fermi distribution, showing that their method can exceed classical efficiency boundaries such as the Carnot and Curzon-Ahlborn limits. This breakthrough highlights the potential of non-thermal quantum states as sustainable energy resources, enabling more efficient low-power electronics and advancing quantum computing technologies. The study suggests that waste heat from quantum devices and electronics could be effectively recycled into usable power, paving the way for next-generation energy-har
energyquantum-energy-harvestingthermodynamicswaste-heat-recoverylow-power-electronicsquantum-technologyenergy-efficiencyThermoelectric material achieves 13% waste heat conversion rate
Researchers at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have developed a new thermoelectric material that achieves a record-high waste heat-to-electricity conversion efficiency of over 13%. By doping manganese into a silver-copper-telluride (AgCuTe) compound, the team enhanced the material’s electronic band structure, resulting in significantly improved thermoelectric performance. The prototype device demonstrated that for every 100 units of heat energy input, about 13 units were converted into electricity—an efficiency notably higher than typical thermoelectric materials, which usually convert only a few percent. The study, published in Energy & Environmental Science, reports a high dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) of approximately 1.88 at 773 K for the manganese-doped polycrystalline AgCuTe, one of the highest values recorded for this class of materials. This improvement is attributed to band convergence and valence band flattening, which enhance the power factor while maintaining low thermal conductivity through increased lattice defects.
energythermoelectric-materialswaste-heat-recoveryclean-energymanganese-dopingelectronic-band-structurepower-conversion-efficiency'Solar bump' tech recovers 80% more electricity from US data centers
Researchers at Rice University have developed a novel system that significantly enhances electricity recovery from waste heat generated by data centers, increasing annual recovery by 60 to 80 percent. This innovation addresses the challenge that data center waste heat is typically too low in temperature for efficient power generation. By integrating solar thermal energy with an organic Rankine cycle (ORC)—a closed-loop system that converts heat into electricity—the team uses flat-plate solar collectors to pre-heat the data center’s liquid coolant. This "solar bump" raises the temperature of the waste heat, boosting the ORC’s efficiency without adding to the facility’s electrical load. Modeling the system’s performance in two major U.S. data center hubs, Ashburn, Virginia, and Los Angeles, showed a 60 percent and 80 percent increase in electricity recovery, respectively, along with reductions in the cost per unit of recovered electricity by 5.5 percent and 16.5 percent. The hybrid system also demonstrated over 8 percent higher
energysolar-powerdata-centerswaste-heat-recoveryorganic-Rankine-cyclerenewable-energyenergy-efficiencyNew polymer tubes help Finland store 14 GWh of heat a mile underground
A waste-to-energy plant in Salo, Finland, has implemented an innovative underground heat storage system using glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) tubes to capture and store up to 14 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of excess heat a mile (1.2 miles) underground in granite bedrock. Developed through a collaboration between the Lounavoima plant, Exel Composites, and geothermal firm QHeat, this system preserves surplus heat generated from waste incineration during warmer months and releases it in winter to heat approximately 700 detached houses. This approach reduces reliance on fossil fuels, particularly oil burners previously used during Finland’s harsh winters, thereby lowering emissions and improving energy efficiency. The GFRP tubes are specially engineered to withstand the high pressure and temperatures of underground storage while providing enhanced thermal insulation. Lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and designed for easy assembly and sustainable end-of-life reuse, the tubes exemplify advanced engineering solutions to energy storage challenges. The project addresses broader energy issues
energythermal-storagewaste-heat-recoveryglass-fiber-reinforced-polymerunderground-heat-storagerenewable-energyenergy-efficiency