Analyses and optimization of a supercritical N2O Rankine cycle for low-grade heat conversion

Jahar Sarkar

Energy, 2015, vol. 81, issue C, 344-351

Abstract: Analyses and operating pressure optimization of the supercritical Rankine cycles with and without regenerator and reheating for low-grade heat conversion have been conducted using N2O as a working fluid and compared with its counterpart CO2 based on various performance indicators. N2O is better in terms of net power output, thermal efficiency and exergetic efficiency and N2O works at much lower pressures at optimum operation; whereas, CO2 is advantageous in terms of turbine size, expansion ratio and heat transfer requirement. The choice of optimum operating conditions will differ depending on the chosen performance indicator. Hence, there is a need of trade-off between various indicators. Component wise irreversibility distribution shows the similar trends for both working fluids. With the increase in cycle temperature lift, both turbine shape parameter and heat transfer requirement decrease, leading to more compactness. Higher pump and turbine isentropic efficiencies yield higher optimum turbine inlet pressure, and lower heat transfer requirement and turbine size. Uses of internal heat exchanger and reheating in the supercritical Rankine cycle not only improve the performances, it also constitutes an excellent compromise between various performance indicators based optimizations. Present study reveals that N2O is a potential option for the supercritical Rankine cycle.

Keywords: Supercritical Rankine cycle; Working fluids; Nitrous oxide; Exergetic performance; Component compactness; Optimization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544214014194
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:81:y:2015:i:c:p:344-351

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2014.12.047

Access Statistics for this article

Energy is currently edited by Henrik Lund and Mark J. Kaiser

More articles in Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().