ME-113 · Thermodynamics
Waste Heat Recovery from Industry
A coursework literature review of heat recovery in cement, steel, and food production. I compared recovery technologies and industrial cases to examine where waste heat can be reused.
ME-113 Thermodynamics · May 12, 2025
Instructor: Dr. Ernest Thurlow
Study overview
I reviewed how industrial processes recover heat from exhaust gases and hot surfaces. The paper connects thermodynamic principles with examples from cement, steel, and food production.
Question
Which heat-recovery technologies suit different industrial processes, and what affects their practical and economic value?
Approach
I compared heat exchangers, Organic Rankine Cycle systems, and regenerators using published industrial cases. I considered the temperature of the heat source, the process requirements, and reported recovery performance.
What the review showed
The cases illustrate different uses for recovered heat: supplying process heat or generating electricity. The paper reports a cement example meeting roughly 30% of plant electricity demand and a steel example generating 2.2 MW. Those are case-specific figures, not expected results for every plant. Technology selection depends on the available heat and where it can be used.
ThermodynamicsHeat RecoveryORC CyclesIndustrial Systems