Co-generation, also known as heat and power (CHP), is the generation of electricity plus the recovery of heat that would otherwise be discharged to the environment. This heat is used for space heating in buildings, drying, producing hot water or steam and in various industrial processes. CHP uses internal combustion gas or diesel engines and is a growing industry as the demand for decentralized heat and power generation accelerates in a world increasingly dependent on solar and wind power.
Modular product platforms
SWEP heat exchangers are effective circuit breakers for all the primary cooling circuits: jacket water, oil and exhaust gas. At higher capacities, separate oil coolers are increasingly used.
Multiple usage
Co-generation systems can achieve efficiencies over 80%, whilst separate systems have combined efficiencies of only 45%. Co-generation plants increase their total efficiency, thereby reducing operating costs with highly efficient heat exchangers that utilize more of the available high-grade heat.
Co-generation plants also collect thermal energy from the jacket water, lubrication oil and exhaust gas via heat exchangers to produce hot water, allowing for a total energy utilization efficiency of up to 90%. SWEP BPHEs are suitable for cogeneration systems with rated power capacities up to 10-15 MW.
Robustness and compactness combined
In addition to our long-time technology for lower capacity (kW scale) installations, we’ re also able a wider range of products with a larger capacity suitable for larger systems, like the 320, 35T, 427 and 633 units.
Our industrial handbook is a powerful tool for learning. Chapter 6 is about Co-generation.
