Thermodynamic performance analysis of sequential Carnot cycles using heat sources with finite heat capacity

Hansaem Park and Min Soo Kim

Energy, 2014, vol. 68, issue C, 592-598

Abstract: The maximum efficiency of a heat engine is able to be estimated by using a Carnot cycle. Even though, in terms of efficiency, the Carnot cycle performs the role of reference very well, its application is limited to the case of infinite heat reservoirs, which is not that realistic. Moreover, considering that one of the recent key issues is to produce maximum work from low temperature and finite heat sources, which are called renewable energy sources, more advanced theoretical cycles, which can present a new standard, and the research about them are necessary. Therefore, in this paper, a sequential Carnot cycle, where multiple Carnot cycles are connected in parallel, is studied. The cycle adopts a finite heat source, which has a certain initial temperature and heat capacity, and an infinite heat sink, which is assumed to be ambient air. Heat transfer processes in the cycle occur with the temperature difference between a heat reservoir and a cycle. In order to resolve the heat transfer rate in those processes, the product of an overall heat transfer coefficient and a heat transfer area is introduced. Using these conditions, the performance of a sequential Carnot cycle is analytically calculated. Furthermore, as the efforts for enhancing the work of the cycle, the optimization research is also conducted with numerical calculation.

Keywords: Sequential Carnot cycle; Work maximization; Performance analysis; Finite heat source (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:68:y:2014:i:c:p:592-598

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2014.02.073

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