Investigating the System Behaviors of a 10 kW Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) Prototype Using Plunger Pump and Centrifugal Pump

Xin Wang, Yong-qiang Feng, Tzu-Chen Hung, Zhi-xia He, Chih-Hung Lin and Muhammad Sultan
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Xin Wang: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Yong-qiang Feng: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Tzu-Chen Hung: Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 350118, Taiwan
Zhi-xia He: Institute for Energy Research, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Chih-Hung Lin: Department of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Energy Engineering, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taipei 350118, Taiwan
Muhammad Sultan: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Bosan Road, Multan 60800, Pakistan

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-18

Abstract: Based on a 10-kW organic Rankine cycle (ORC) experimental prototype, the system behaviors using a plunger pump and centrifugal pump have been investigated. The heat input is in the range of 45 kW to 82 kW. The temperature utilization rate is defined to appraise heat source utilization. The detailed components’ behaviors with the varying heat input are discussed, while the system generating efficiency is examined. The exergy destruction for the four components is addressed finally. Results indicated that the centrifugal pump owns a relatively higher mass flow rate and pump isentropic efficiency, but more power consumption than the plunger pump. The evaporator pressure drops are in the range of 0.45–0.65 bar, demonstrating that the pressure drop should be considered for the ORC simulation. The electrical power has a small difference using a plunger pump and a centrifugal pump, indicating that the electric power is insensitive on the pump types. The system generating efficiency for the plunger pump is approximately 3.63%, which is 12.51% higher than that of the centrifugal pump. The exergy destruction for the evaporator, expander, and condenser is almost 30%, indicating that enhancing the temperature matching between the system and the heat (cold) source is a way to improve the system performance.

Keywords: organic Rankine cycle (ORC); plunger pump; centrifugal pump; pressure drop; temperature utilization rate; system generating efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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