Research & Development
We create new technologies for a constantly changing society.
Beyond refrigeration
Ammonia absorption technology extends beyond refrigeration plants, enabling innovative applications such as the Kalina cycle for low-temperature power generation, akin to organic Rankine cycles (ORC), as well as various configurations for heat pumps—particularly when integrated with compressors to achieve high-temperatures with enhanced efficiency. Additionally, this technology can be utilized in desalination plants to boost operational efficiency, among numerous other potential applications.
This is why, from the very beginning of our venture, we have dedicated a significant part of our efforts to research and development activities. Due to our commitment and the high degree of innovation in these efforts, we have been rewarded with mentoring support and funding from the German government.
The Kalina cycle
The Kalina process is a thermodynamic cycle that uses a binary mixture of ammonia and water to generate electricity from heat. This cycle is comparable to the Rankine process, which is used, for example, in coal-fired power plants. The differences between these processes arise from the use of different working fluids. The Rankine process uses water as its working fluid, while in the case of the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), an organic chemical is used.
The Kalina cycle is particularly applicable for utilizing energy from industrial waste heat, geothermal heat, and solar thermal heat, allowing for higher thermodynamic efficiency than the Rankine cycle at moderate temperature differences and low-temperature heat sources. On the other hand, it provides greater flexibility than the Organic Rankine Cycle due to its ability to achieve dynamic concentration shifts, thereby enabling flexible adjustments to the boiling and absorption temperatures within the process.
