Technovative Solutions Ltd (TVS) has successfully completed all the Deliverables of the ReComp (Recovery and Reuse of Waste Heat Energy for Energy-Intensive Manufacturing) Project at the beginning of January. The project was funded by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero under the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund.
The ReComp project has demonstrated how advanced waste heat recovery can significantly improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and support the transition towards net zero in the composite manufacturing sector.
Led by Atlas Composite Technologies (ATL) in Derbyshire, UK, the ReComp project represents a strong example of how digital tools, systems engineering, and rigorous techno-economic and environmental evaluation can enable practical decarbonisation in energy-intensive industries, providing a practical, scalable solution to reduce energy waste and operational costs while maintaining productivity and competitiveness.
Technovative Solutions Ltd (TVS) worked closely with the project lead, Atlas Composite Technologies (ATL) and other consortium partners, Brunel University London and J&A Engineering Services to develop the digital intelligence and performance assessment capabilities that underpin the ReComp Solution.
Addressing Energy Waste in Composite Manufacturing
Composite manufacturing is inherently energy-intensive. A substantial proportion of the energy consumed during production is lost as waste heat from thermal processes, leading to inefficiencies, higher energy bills, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. With growing regulatory and market pressure to decarbonise, manufacturers urgently need solutions that address energy intensity without disrupting core operations.
The ReComp Project was developed to address these challenges directly. Its central aim was to capture and reuse waste thermal energy generated on site and repurpose it for useful thermal applications within the same facility. By doing so, ReComp tackles energy waste at the source while delivering measurable economic and environmental benefits.
The ReComp Waste Heat Recovery Solution
At the heart of the project is the ReComp Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) system, a fully integrated and flexible solution designed to harness waste heat from multiple sources within composite manufacturing facilities. The recovered energy is stored and reused exclusively on site, improving overall process efficiency.
In the ReComp project, a waste heat recovery (WHR) system is designed to capture waste heat from two autoclaves in Atlas Composite Technologies and reuse it on the same premise. The WHR system has two independent subsystems: (i) Surplus Air Storage (SAS) tank and (ii) Staging Table (ST). The surplus air storage (SAS) tank is used to capture the hot pressurised air from the autoclaves, which is at present released into the air at the end of any curing cycle. A heat pipe heat exchanger is also used to extract heat from hot flue gas to provide additional heating to the surplus air storage tank. On the other hand, the staging table (ST) is used to preheat the mould before curing it in the autoclave. This preheating is done from the heated cooling water during the autoclave cooling cycle.
The combination of these two subsystems forms the ReComp waste heat recovery (WHR) system, a relatively low-cost retrofit intervention, which is able to enhance the sustainability of composite manufacturing, providing a transferable framework for wider adoption across energy-intensive, autoclave-based industries.
A Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system was also designed with two finite state machines, one for the surplus air storage tank subsystem and another for the staging table. The SCADA system performs the automated operation of the ReComp WHR system while ensuring fully synced operation with the autoclaves control systems.
Complementing the physical system is the ReComp tool, an intelligent optimisation and decision-support platform that assesses the technical, financial, and environmental performance of waste heat recovery solutions. The tool is designed to support replicability and scalability across different sites and sectors, extending the project’s impact well beyond the initial demonstration.
TVS’ Contribution and Technical Leadership
Technovative Solutions Ltd (TVS) played a pivotal role in the successful delivery of the ReComp Project. TVS was responsible for the development of the ReComp tool and the SCADA system, as well as for conducting comprehensive techno-economic, financial, and environmental performance evaluations.
The project was initiated in January 2024 under the leadership of Dr Mahfuza Ahmed from the TVS side, and Mohammad Anis Uz Zaman in the later phases, both of whom helped establish the project roadmap and technical direction.
Despite operational constraints at the demonstration site that required revisions to the original project plan and late finalisation of the system configuration, the TVS team responded with agility. Under a significantly compressed timeline, the ReComp tool was developed from scratch within two months. This effort was supported by effective resource sharing across projects, reflecting a strong collaborative culture and commitment to delivery.
Key contributions included life cycle assessment of the ReComp WHR system, full SCADA configuration documentation with detailed state machine elaborations, and a complete financial analysis with budgetary recommendations. The successful demonstration of the ReComp tool during the project’s closing meeting highlighted the robustness and maturity of the final outputs.
Alignment with Circular Economy and Net-Zero Goals
The ReComp project is strongly aligned with circular economy principles and the UK’s Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy. By capturing and reusing waste heat, the project promotes more efficient use of energy resources, reduces unnecessary losses, and supports lower material and energy inputs per unit of production.
The deployed solution is expected to deliver a 10 to 15 per cent improvement in energy efficiency at the ATL site, with the potential for even greater gains as the system is optimised further. These improvements translate directly into lower energy consumption, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and enhanced resilience for manufacturers facing volatile energy markets.
Through its focus on scalability and replicability, ReComp also provides a blueprint for wider adoption of waste heat recovery across the composite sector and other energy-intensive industries in the UK and beyond.
Successful Project Completion and Looking Ahead
All project deliverables were completed on time, and the ReComp Project formally concluded with a successful closing meeting with the Monitoring Officer. The project received positive feedback and appreciation from consortium partners, recognising both the technical achievements and the collaborative effort behind them.
The ReComp Project demonstrates how targeted innovation, strong partnerships, and effective leadership can deliver tangible progress towards net-zero industrial manufacturing. As energy efficiency and decarbonisation continue to gain more traction in the industrial sectors, the outcomes of ReComp provide valuable insights and practical tools to support the next generation of sustainable manufacturing solutions.
With the ReComp tool now live and the system successfully demonstrated, the project leaves behind a lasting legacy that will continue to inform and inspire future waste heat recovery and industrial decarbonisation initiatives.
The ReComp Project is being funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, UK.
