Pure and Hydrocarbon Binary Mixtures as Possible Alternatives Working Fluids to the Usual Organic Rankine Cycles Biomass Conversion Systems

Costante M. Invernizzi, Abubakr Ayub, Gioele Di Marcoberardino and Paolo Iora
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Costante M. Invernizzi: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Abubakr Ayub: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Gioele Di Marcoberardino: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Paolo Iora: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 21, 1-17

Abstract: This study investigates the use of pure and hydrocarbons binary mixtures as potential alternatives working fluids in a usual biomass powered organic Rankine cycle (ORC). A typical biomass combined heat and power plant installed in Cremona (Italy) is considered as the benchmark. Eight pure hydrocarbons (linear and cyclic) and four binary mixtures of linear hydrocarbons were selected. The critical points of the binary mixtures at different composition were calculated using an in-house code developed in MATLAB © (R2018b) environment. Based on the critical point of a working fluid, supercritical and subcritical cycle configurations of ORC were analysed. A detailed thermodynamic comparison with benchmark cycle was carried out in view of cycle efficiency, maximum operating pressure, size of the turbine and heat exchangers. The supercritical cycles showed 0.02 to 0.03 points lower efficiency, whereas, subcritical cycles showed comparable efficiencies than that of the benchmark cycle. The cycles operating with hydrocarbons (pure and mixtures) exhibited considerably lower volume flow ratios in turbine which indicates lower turbine size. Also, size parameter of regenerator is comparatively lower due to the lower molecular complexity of the hydrocarbons. A noticeable increase in turbine power output was observed with change in composition of the iso-octane/n-octane binary mixture at the same thermodynamic efficiency.

Keywords: Rankine cycle; ORC; biomass; fluid mixtures; hydrocarbons (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: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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