In cogeneration or “combined heat and power” (CHP) plants, heat recovered from the engine’s exhaust gases, coolant, lubricant and charge-air coolers can be used to heat water, in stages or for separate purposes and generate steam.
Common municipal applications are heating of dwellings, office blocks, factories, and shopping malls – so-called district heating – or as an energy source for spas, leisure centres and swimming pools.
In this way, the energy extracted from the engine’s fuel can be more than doubled where there are uses for steam and/or hot water at a range of temperatures.