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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

Hybrid Locomotive Waste Heat Recovery System (L-WHRS) Safety and Field Demonstration

Document Series:
Technical Reports
Author:
  • Federal Railroad Administration
Report Number
DOT/FRA/ORD-22/38
Office
RDI-22
Subject:
Rolling Stock
Keywords:
locomotive, waste heat recovery, efficiency, fuel consumption reduction, emissions reductions, augmented powergeneration, decarbonization, Energy Storage System, ESS, Locomotive-Waste Heat Recovery Systems, L-WHRS, heating, ventilation, air condition

ThermaDynamics Rail LLC (TDR) developed the Locomotive-Waste Heat Recovery Systems (L-WHRS) formed by high-pressure heat exchangers coupled to a closed-loop Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). The L-WHRS can be configured to be non-invasively retrofitted onto different types of locomotive engines to recover and convert locomotive waste thermal energy into conditioned, pollutant-free, electrical power. Under the sponsorship of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), TDR successfully completed a series of demonstration phases that increased the technology readiness level to a full-scale operational system. Full-scale L-WHRS testing involved static tests using simulator and dynamic over-the-road locomotive tests under various operational conditions. This report describes the design and testing of the L-WHRS electrical system configured to supply electric power to selected locomotive electrical loads and to an advanced Energy Storage System (ESS). These tests demonstrated feasibility to utilize the L-WHRS as an electric generator that can simultaneously supply power to the ESS and locomotive electrical loads.


Last updated: Monday, November 7, 2022