The company, working with City, University of London, discovered a way of harnessing “wet” steam. Together they created the steam expander, which harnesses the energy from standard industrial steam to generate mechanical power.
Heliex’s first use of the expander was in the Heliex GenSet where it is used to drive a standard industrial generator, allowing businesses to produce electricity from the wet steam created in many of their processes. The company has now extended the use of the expander to drive a range of rotating equipment, such as pumps and blowers, with its Heliex SteamDrive.
The company’s second new technology, the Heliex AirComp, uses a Heliex steam expander system to drive high-efficiency compressors, providing air. Compressed air is employed in a variety of industrial applications, such as the running of control systems, cooling equipment, and drive components.
The company’s third new technology, Heliex SteamComp, uses the original steam expander system in reverse. It allows plant operators to re-energise steam which has already been through a process, instead of having to condense and evaporate it again.
Heliex Power chief Chris Armitage (pictured) said: “The launch of these three new products demonstrates the level of commitment we have to innovation and R&D, as well as developing Heliex as a company. Steam is often seen as a technology consigned to the Victorian era, but it still has huge potential and enormous benefits to offer modern industry and society.
“AirComp, SteamDrive, and SteamComp complement our existing technology, which remains a unique proposition for businesses looking to generate electricity from their wet steam. They will also open up new opportunities for us – compressed air, for example, is even more plentiful on industrial sites than steam, making the potential market very large for that system alone.
“The benefits offered by all of our technologies speak for themselves: cost savings, reduced energy consumption, and enhanced sustainability. We expect to see strong appetite from the industrial sector, both in the UK and further afield, and a wide variety of potential applications. The months ahead will be another exciting period for Heliex as we explore opportunities in new territories and industries, with huge potential across the globe.”
