Pratt & Whitney Power Systems Receives Order for Two Turboden ORC Systems from Sopogy, Inc.

EAST HARTFORD, Conn., Jan. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney Power Systems signed a contract with Sopogy, Inc., of Hawaii for two Turboden Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems. These two units will operate in conjunction with solar collectors that concentrate the sun's energy to create heat, which is captured by the ORC units to generate electricity. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.

"Combining our Organic Rankine Cycle unit with Sopogy's solar collectors is a powerful step in energy efficiency," says Chuck Levey, vice president of sales and marketing, Pratt & Whitney Power Systems. "This duo is an attractive alternative to photovoltaic cells and solar steam plants."

For this 5.5 MW application in Hawaii, the two Turboden TD 27 HR Organic Rankine Cycle systems will take heat energy from Sopogy's MicroCSP solar collectors into a receiver tube that will heat up a transfer fluid to create the high-temperature thermal resource. The heated fluid then becomes the fuel to power the ORC units. This is the first application of the PWPS's ORC systems in this solar-thermal application. Installation is expected to begin during the fourth quarter of 2011.

With Turboden, Pratt & Whitney Power Systems offers a spectrum of ORC products ranging in output power from about 280 kW to about 10 MW of renewable power. The ORC power system employs a closed-cycle process that uses relatively low- to moderate-temperature heat resources to generate electricity. These ORC systems are driven by a simple evaporation process and are entirely enclosed, which means they produce virtually no emissions.

PWPS is also an industry leader in providing solutions to the power generation market through its industrial gas turbines and aftermarket services. Its gas turbines serve as mobile, easily-assembled and highly-efficient power generation systems. These systems can deliver as much as 60 MW of safe electric power. PWPS has installed more than 2,000 industrial gas turbines in more than 50 countries worldwide.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries.

SOURCE Pratt & Whitney