ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Heat Recovery Steam Generator

Alright, kiddo! Are you ready to learn about a heat recovery steam generator?

A heat recovery steam generator, or HRSG for short, is a special machine that helps make electricity for our homes and businesses.

You know how when we use things like cars and computers, they get really hot? That's because they're using energy, and energy causes heat. Well, big machines that make electricity also get really hot when they use energy.

The cool thing about an HRSG is that it takes that extra heat and turns it into more energy! It works kind of like a magic trick.

First, the hot air and gases from the electricity-making machine are sent through some special pipes. These pipes are filled with water, but the water doesn't touch the hot air and gas. Instead, the heat from the air and gas is transferred to the water through the pipes.

Once the water gets hot enough, it turns into steam. And when you have steam, you can make even more energy! The steam is sent through a special machine called a turbine, which spins and creates even more electricity.

So, in summary, an HRSG is a machine that turns extra heat from electricity-making machines into more energy. It does this by using special pipes to transfer the heat to water, which turns into steam, and then that steam is used to make even more electricity. It's a really cool way to help us use energy more efficiently!