Energy recovery

Energy recovery includes any technique or method of minimizing the input of energy to an overall system by the exchange of energy from one sub-system of the overall system with another. The energy can be in any form in either subsystem, but most energy recovery systems exchange thermal energy in either sensible or latent form.

A common utilization of this principle is in systems which have a "exhaust stream" or "waste stream" which is transferred from the system to its surroundings. Some the energy in that flow of material (often gasesous or liquid) may be transferred to the "make-up" or "input" material flow. This "input" mass flow is often comes from the system's surroundings, which often being at ambient conditions, are at a lower temperature than the "waste stream". This temperature differential allows heat transfer and thus energy transfer, or in this case, recovery.

Thermal energy is often recovered from liquid or gaseous waste streams to "fresh" "make-up" air and water intakes in buildings, such as for the HVAC systems, or process systems.

External references

* "26 Projects Funded: Energy Recovery Methods Studied with ASHRAE Undergraduate Grants" [http://www.ashrae.org/pressroom/detail/13575]
* Heat Recovery in Industry [http://www.seav.vic.gov.au/manufacturing/sustainable_manufacturing/resource.asp?action=show_resource&resourcetype=2&resourceid=44]