Heat Transformers: Present State of a New Technology

Abstract

The problem of making use of low-level calories is a general one, in the light of the amount of thermal waste in numerous sectors. It is important both in the utilization of new energy sources available in thermal form and in the industrial field. In these cases, the low-level heat recovered can be utilized by means of systems operating on trithermal absorption cycles without compression and expansion devices. Recent progress in this field suggests that the extensive development of such techniques is likely. The performance attained with a new heat transformer developed by the Institut Français du Petrole is described. Various examples of industrial applications are presented and the economics are discussed.