Study on thermal efficiency of low- to medium-temperature organic Rankine cycles using HFO−1234yf

Noboru Yamada, Md Nor Anuar Mohamad and Trinh Trung Kien

Renewable Energy, 2012, vol. 41, issue C, 368-375

Abstract: HFO−1234yf is a new refrigerant with a nearly zero global warming potential (GWP) and ozone depletion potential (ODP); it exhibits thermodynamic properties similar to HFC−134a. The potential of HFO−1234yf as a working fluid for organic Rankine cycles (ORC) is elucidated through a first-order simulation. A fundamental thermodynamic model of ORC with five types of cycles—trilateral, saturated, superheated, sub-critical, and supercritical—is used to compare the thermal efficiency of HFO−1234yf with that of other working fluids. HFO−1234yf was found to offer a thermal efficiency that was comparable to that of HFC−134a. This paper provides a useful map that clearly shows the best possible thermal efficiency among the five types of cycles for various expander inlet and condensation temperatures. The highest thermal efficiency range (8.8%–11.4%) was obtained when the supercritical ORC was used at an expander inlet temperature of 170 ± 10 °C and a condensation temperature range of 20–40 °C for the given pump and expander efficiency. It is concluded that HFO−1234yf is a potential working fluid for ORC applications, especially for those with low- to medium-temperature heat sources.

Keywords: HFO–1234yf; Organic Rankine cycle; Thermal efficiency; Working fluid; Global warming potential; Ozone depletion potential (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (24)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:41:y:2012:i:c:p:368-375

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2011.11.028

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