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Abstract:We present a thermo-economic evaluation of binary power plants based on the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) for geothermal power generation. The focus of this study is to analyse if an efficiency increase by using zeotropic mixtures as working fluid overcompensates additional requirements regarding the major power plant components. The optimization approach is compared to systems with pure media. Based on process simulations, heat exchange equipment is designed and cost estimations are performed. For heat source temperatures between 100 and 180 °C selected zeotropic mixtures lead to an increase in second law efficiency of up to 20.6% compared to pure fluids. Especially for temperatures about 160 °C, mixtures like propane/isobutane, isobutane/isopentane, or R227ea/R245fa show lower electricity generation costs compared to the most efficient pure fluid. In case of a geothermal fluid temperature of 120 °C, R227ea and propane/isobutane are cost-efficient working fluids. The uncertainties regarding fluid properties of zeotropic mixtures, mainly affect the heat exchange surface. However, the influence on the determined economic parameter is marginal. In general, zeotropic mixtures are a promising approach to improve the economics of geothermal ORC systems. Additionally, the use of mixtures increases the spectrum of potential working fluids, which is important in context of present and future legal requirements considering fluorinated refrigerants.

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Thermo-economic analysis of zeotropic mixtures and pure working fluids in organic Rankine cycles for waste heat recovery. In

Abstract:The application of the Organic Rankine Cycle to high temperature heat sources is investigated on the case study of waste heat recovery from a selected biogas plant. Two different modes of operation are distinguished: pure electric power and combined heat and power generation. The siloxanes hexamethyldisiloxane (MM) and octamethyltrisiloxane (MDM) are chosen as working fluids. Moreover, the effect of using mixtures of these components is analysed. Regarding pure electricity generation, process simulations using the simulation tool Aspen Plus show an increase in second law efficiency of 1.3% in case of 97/03 wt % MM/MDM-mixture, whereas for the combined heat and power mode a 60/40 wt % MM/MDM-mixture yields the highest efficiency with an increase of nearly 3% compared to most efficient pure fluid. Next to thermodynamic analysis, measurements of heat transfer coefficients of these siloxanes as well as their mixtures are conducted and Kandlikar's correlation is chosen to describe the results. Based on that, heat exchanger areas for preheater and evaporator are calculated in order to check whether the poorer heat transfer characteristics of mixtures devalue their efficiency benefit due to increased heat transfer areas. Results show higher heat transfer areas of 0.9% and 14%, respectively, compared to MM. OPEN ACCESSEnergies 2014, 7 5549