Innovative integrated Micro-Hybrid Turbine
Partnership opportunities
-The technology can be can be licensed or transferred.
-Collaborations for further development are explicitly welcomed.
For Contact:
Technology Transfer:
INNOVECTIS GmbH
Altenhöferallee 5
60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Phone: +49 15157283682
matthias.goetz@innovectis.de
Technology
This innovative Micro-Hybrid Turbine mechanically integrates a micro gas turbine based on the Brayton cycle with an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) expansion turbine on a single common shaft. The system combines a compressor, recuperator, combustion chamber, gas turbine, residual-heat exchanger and ORC turbine with a shared generator.
Exhaust heat is used twice: first to preheat the compressed combustion air in the recuperator, and subsequently to evaporate a low-boiling ORC working medium. By directly coupling both turbines, the system reduces bearing losses, creates operational synergies such as vacuum-assisted ORC condensation, and enables a particularly compact, high-power-density design.
Two design concepts are available: a separate ORC heat exchanger downstream of the recuperator, or a compact hybrid heat exchanger that combines recuperation and ORC evaporation in one unit. Suitable ORC media include, for example, ethanol, methanol, acetone, ammonia, hydrocarbons or refrigerants.
Applications
-The technology is designed for decentralized and mobile electricity generation from a broad range of gaseous and liquid fuels, including biogas, landfill gas and other renewable or conventional fuels.
-It is suitable for combined heat and power applications in small settlements, industrial sites, agricultural operations, wastewater-treatment facilities and district-heating systems.
-The compact system can support grid stabilization where fluctuating renewable generation requires flexible local power capacity.
-Further potential applications include mobile power generation, emergency generators and ship propulsion systems.
Technology stage
-Extensive component and prototype testing is being carried out at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (h_da).
-The technology has been developed for continuous full-load operation, addressing a key limitation of earlier mechanically coupled microturbine concepts.
-The Micro-Hybrid Turbine targets electrical efficiencies of more than 40%, combined with high compactness, multi-fuel capability, low emissions and long maintenance intervals.
-The intended design lifetime is approximately 60,000 operating hours.
Patents
-US patent US 12,252,994 B2 was granted on 18 March 2025.
-The corresponding European patent application EP 4 237 668 A1 is pending, Priority date 28 Oct 2020