Focus on Energy Systems: Turboden | 35
involves optimization of the working fluid as a function of the thermal source, environmental conditions and regulatory requirements, contributing decisively to the reliability and industrial diffusion of ORC.
Turboden was the first company to believe
concretely that ORC cycles could be effectively used not only for low and medium temperature sources, but also for high- temperature sources, such as the thermal oil in biomass boilers. Historically, conventional steam Rankine
cycles were considered the only technologically mature solution for biomass cogeneration. Turboden instead understood that, thanks to appropriate design of the heat exchangers, the turbine and the appropriate choice of working fluid, ORC could offer decisive advantages also in this field, including: greater operational simplicity compared to steam cycles (absence of water, no chemical treatment);
high flexibility under partial load conditions; greater reliability and reduced maintenance costs.
In the case of biomass boilers with thermal oil, adoption of ORC makes it possible to valorize high temperatures (typically 280–320 °C) while maintaining a completely closed and safe cycle. This choice has made it possible to: significantly expand the application field of ORC;
make medium-small size plants economically sustainable;
facilitate integration between power generation and heat production (cogeneration). Turboden’s pioneering vision has had a significant impact on the market: what was initially considered an innovative and unconventional approach is today a recognized standard in the biomass sector, with numerous plants operating worldwide. This ability to anticipate technological
developments has consolidated Turboden’s position as a global leader in industrial ORC, demonstrating that extending ORC to high temperatures was not only possible, but also technically and economically advantageous.
In recent years, Turboden has recorded an increasing diffusion of its ORC systems in the wood panel sector, an industry characterized by complex energy needs and by strong integration between heat and power production. This trend is the result of ORC’s ability to adapt particularly effectively to the thermal profiles typical of such industrial processes.
In plants for the production of PB, OSB and MDF, the use of mineral thermal oils as heat transfer fluid is established practice,
Turboden ORC technology
www.wbpionline.com | Summer 2026 | WBPI
Overview of Turboden ORC references in Europe for wood-based panels production plants
MDF HALLEIN
I-PAN (Bonzano Group) 1 5 SIA Betula Premium SORTILEMN
Kastamonu Entegre Starwood AGT
Kunkel
Alfa Wood II Alfa Wood II
Kastamonu Entegre Kastamonu Entegre
Austria MDF Panels CHP (110°C) Italy
Latvia Romania Veneer
OSB Panels CHP (90°C) Pallet Block CHP (90°C) CHP (95°C)
Turkey MDF Panels CHP (90°C) Turkey
MDF, PB Panels
CHP (110°C)
Turkey MDF Panels Power-only France Greece
Pallet Block CHP (110°C) Furniture Power-only
Greece MDF Panels Power-only Turkey MDF Panels Power-only Turkey
Lithuania Furniture CHP (80°C) Tableros Hispanos
Spain
with maximum operating temperatures that do not exceed 280 °C. These conditions represent an ideal thermal source for ORC cycles, which allow part of the thermal energy to be converted into electricity without interfering with the continuity and stability of the production process. A distinctive element of the Turboden approach is the valorization of the cogenerated heat, which is not dissipated but used as a process resource. In the wood panel sector, this heat is particularly valuable for supplying drying systems, which significantly affect the overall energy balance of the plant. In particular:
in particleboard and OSB panel plants, the cogenerated heat in the form of hot water up to 120°C is suitable to supply belt dryers;
in MDF plants, the same heat is used for preheating the air intended for flash dryers, and the water for steam generation intended for the refiner, improving process efficiency and reducing the need for primary fuel.
PB Panels CHP (110°C) PB Panels CHP (100°C)
1,5 1
1,8 1,4 1
5,5 5
1,4 1 1
13,6 13,6 1
3,6
8 5 8 7 5
25 -
7 - - -
60 4
17,5
This integration between electricity generation and thermal use makes it possible to achieve highly efficient cogeneration, perfectly aligned with the needs of the sector. ORC fits into the process without introducing additional operational complexity, maintaining high reliability even in the presence of continuous production cycles and load variations. The growth of Turboden references in
the wood panel segment shows how ORC is not only a technology for energy recovery, but a strategic element for optimizing the industrial layout, capable of increasing the energy self-sufficiency of plants, reducing operating costs and cutting emissions associated with energy production. Thanks to this consolidated experience,
Turboden has established itself as a benchmark technology partner for the wood industry, demonstrating that the combination of high diathermic oil temperatures and intelligent use of condensation heat represents a mature, replicable and economically advantageous solution.
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