Objectives

 The overall objective of the project is the development of highly replicable, cost-effective and high-energy efficiency large scale energy generation systems that will allow sustainable urban planning of very low energy city districts.

Specifically the Pitagoras project works on the development of two system concepts:

  1. Waste heat recovery from a steel mill coupled with an ORC unit and heat delivery to the city district heating network

  2. Solar assisted STES concept integration into an industrial site for a double purpose of supplying solar heat to the industry as well as to the city through the district heating network.

The Pitagoras concept for waste heat recovery is being demonstrated in a real scale pilot plant in the city of Brescia (north of Italy), in concrete in the steel foundry of ORI MARTIN. Waste heat is recovered from the fumes of an Electric Arc Furnace and an ORC unit (1,8MWe) has been installed for power generation in summer season. In winter time the pilot plant produces district heat (10MW) which is supplied to the citizens through the local district heating network.

WHRB + Steam Drum

Steam Accumulator 

 Turbo generator with Organic Rankine Cycle

Exchange unit with the Brescia District Heating network

The Pitagoras concept based on industrial integration of solar thermal energy has been applied to the real case study in the city of Kremsmünster at the facilities of RAG. The concept comprises the integration of solar heat (9377m2 of solar field) with the waste heat that is produced in the CHP unit that is the main heating equipment of the industrial site. In addition, the reconversion of an existing oil storage tank (60,000m3 of storage volume) into a water tank to be used as STES (Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage) is considered.

Hydraulic diagram for solar system

 Although the implementation of a real scale pilot plant in Kremsmünster was one of the initial objectives of the PITAGORAS Project, unfortunately it will not be able to implement it within the PITAGORAS timeframe. Even RAG confirmed that this solar thermal Project is without doubt a very appealing and pioneering Project for them, the Company is heavily hit by the current decline of oil and gas Price and all the new projects and investments have been stopped. Despite the fact that the management board was in favor of the solar Project, it has to be postponed for an extended period and will not be part of PITAGORAS.