About Energy Concepts

Energy Concepts specializes in the development of heat powered absorption cycle equipment, both heat pumps and refrigeration cycles, and has over thirty years of experience in this field. ECC performs all stages of process development, ranging from initial conceptualization and feasibility analysis, through prototype testing and economic analysis, system design and manufacturing, and culminating in field installation and patent licensing. ECC also supplies large project-based industrial absorption units using a network of partners and subcontractors. In conjunction with the advanced cycle work, ECC focuses on the development of new components with innovative designs to best exploit the potential of and reduce the cost of these absorption cycles.

As a small company our focus has been “custom-engineered” products with the goal of providing financial and environmental benefits to clients whether it be a 3RT or 2000RT chiller for cogen, or a geothermal-powered chiller for a ice-hotel in energy-strapped Alaskan, or a 220% efficient dual acting chiller and heat-pump for a food processer, or a minus 40°F chiller that eliminates flaring at a refinery. We have worked on a huge range of applications for absorption cycles, integrating them into the process, and maximizing energy efficiency. This has the effect of spreading knowledge of the absorption technology to engineers in many other industries, who had no previous knowledge of the potential benefits of the heat activated cycles.

ECC has a well-equipped workshop to fabricate components, assemble absorption units, and test equipment. The ECC test stand includes all utilities, instrumentation, and controls to fully characterize the performance of individual heat and mass transfer components, as well as bench- or full-scale absorption units.

All our work is to the highest technical qualifications and safety standards. Our staff gets regular training in all aspect of fabrication, manufacturing, design, controls, safety, and compliance. We are subscribers to ISNetworld.

History

Donald C. Erickson founded ECC in 1974 to “provide practical solutions to pressing world energy problems” (the mission statement he created for Energy Concepts).

ECC's initial focus in the mid-seventies was on high temperature chemically reactive absorption cycles, using molten salts or molten metals. In the late seventies, the focus shifted to physical absorption cycles at more modest temperatures. Substantial work was done on absorption heat pumps, for temperatures up to 260°C. One licensed unit was installed in Japan. We developed new absorbents such as Alkitrate and Tridroxide.

In the early 1980's, we developed our first ammonia-water absorption refrigeration technology – the ISAAC solar icemaker for off-grid sunbelt locations. In the mid-eighties through mid-nineties, we had a heavy concentration on advanced GAX absorption cycles using the ammonia-water pair. This effort targeted higher efficiency gas-fired heat pumping at light commercial scale (5-tons). Numerous prototypes of the branched GAX cycle and the VX-GAX cycle were built and operated. Some of those still hold the world record for ammonia-water absorption cycle COP.

Starting in the mid-1990's, we began targeting the industrial market for ammonia water absorption refrigeration. The first installation was a twelve ton per day flake icemaker powered by engine jacket waste heat, in Kotzebue Alaska. Next was a 700 kW light ends recovery unit at a Denver refinery, providing -30°C refrigeration from our 150°C waste heat. The Association of Energy Engineers named one of the refinery projects “Environmental Project of the Year” in 1998.

In the opening decade of the twenty first century, our primary focus has been on developing and commercializing the Thermosorber – a thermally activated heat pump/chiller. At the same time, we have pursued demonstration opportunities for the related products Thermochiller, Thermocharger, Thermal Amplifier, Helichiller, and Helisorber. Energy Concepts fielded a proof-of-principle prototype of a solar thermal three-effect MED desalination plant with an integrated thermal heat pump of our design.

The Energy Concepts advancements in absorption cycles, components, and new applications have been awarded 80 U.S. Patents and a variety of other awards and recognitions. ECC has authored over 30 technical reports, 85 technical articles, Mr. Erickson was awarded the Georg Alefeld lifetime achievement award in the area of absorption heat pumps/ heat activated technology in 2014.