330180-91-05-05 From the beginning of the 20th century, Norkoping, Sweden, has been home to major turbine and pump manufacturers. More than a hundred years later, they were joined in 2013 by a small company called Againity, which is now upending the world of energy production in pursuit of a greener future.
Againity’s story begins in a small way, rooted in the personal dreams of its founder, David Frykeras. To make the most of the energy lost in industrial processes, he founded Againity. The company found a way to convert hot water into electricity and district heating with a system efficiency of 99 percent.
Againity’s patented ORC turbine takes advantage of various types of low-temperature waste heat and converts it into stable, renewable electricity. Whether it is the hot water boiler in the heating plant or the waste heat in the industrial process, it can become the energy source of its power generation. Even if the temperature330180-91-05-05 difference is only 30 degrees Celsius, this special type of ORC turbine can be driven to generate electricity. Moreover, Againity’s ORC turbine power generation system is modular in design, with electrical power ranging from 100kWe to 560kWe.
Cutting-edge technology enabling turbine power generation system
Againity is committed to investing in high-quality products, knowing that the failure of any small device can affect the normal operation of the entire system. ABB’s reputation for high-quality products and professional technical support provided Againity with a solid foundation to use ABB’s complete automation portfolio. In Againity’s ORC turbo power system, almost all components are supplied by ABB, including low-voltage products, frequency drives, ABB Jokab Pluto safe programmable logic controllers (PLCS), and AC500 PLCS with CP600 control panels. These products have excellent synergies and form a complete ABB portfolio, making them ideal for Againity.
The AC500 CPU needs to consider a large number of parameters to meet grid specifications and synchronize the turbine with the grid during start-up. Using Modbus TCP as the primary communication protocol, the turbine not only facilitates data exchange between the two AC500 cpus, but also connects other components in the cabinet such as ABB converters, level switches, and other important equipment.
The unit is equipped with an ACS380 mechanical drive and an ACS580 universal drive to control the speed of the motor powering the pump for better flow control throughout the process. In some applications, the ACS880 feedback industrial inverter is connected to a specially designed ABB motor, which acts as a generator and is driven by a turbine responsible for generating electricity. In addition, the device has a CP600 control panel installed for local operation. All equipment is integrated into the existing on-site SCADA solution, through which most of the monitoring is done.
