Kalina Cycle®
The Kalina Cycle® is the most significant improvement in the steam power cycle since the advent of the Rankine Cycle in the mid 1800s. In a typical Rankine Cycle power plant, a pure working fluid, water or in the case of Organic Rankine, low molecular weight organic compounds, is heated in a boiler and converted into high-pressure, high temperature vapour which is then expanded through a turbine to generate electricity in a closed loop system.
The Kalina Cycle® utilises an ammonia-water mixture as a working fluid to improve system thermodynamic efficiency and provide more flexibility in various operating conditions. The Kalina Cycle® can improve power plant efficiency by 10% to 50% over the Rankine Cycle depending on the application. As plant operating temperatures are lowered, the relative gain of the Kalina Cycle® increases in comparison with the Rankine Cycle.
Kalina Cycle® Applications
Industrial Energy Efficiency
- Cement
- Glass
- Petrochemical
- Steel
- Thermal power plants
Renewable Energy
- Geothermal
- Ocean thermal
- Solar thermal
Kalina Cycle® Advantages
- Generate 10% to 50% more power than conventional steam power generation technologies
- Have lower upfront capital costs due to smaller heat exchanges and no heat transfer oil loop (compared to ORC systems)
- Are unmanned or minimally supervised and have lower plant auxiliary loads
- Use standard, easily available, and widely proven power plant components
- Superior heat transfer means lower demand for cooling water and cooling infrastructure
- Minimal downtime for maintenance
Unterhaching video
Virtual Tour of the 3.4MWe Kalina Cycle Geothermal Power plant in Unterhaching, Germany
Video Walkthrough of the plant and 3D animation of key elements for Kalina Cycle Closed Loop System.