Development of a waste heat recovery orc prototype using an oil-free scroll expander

The world is facing a historical increase in energy demand and energy consumption. As consequence the conventional fossil fuels are depleting faster with an inherent pollution causing severe damages to our environment. Renewable energy sources are considered as a solution to both environmental issue and energy demand. At the same time a lot of waste heat is witnessed in processes in industries. Our objective is to contribute to the development of ORC systems, that appear to us as a good solution to recover this wasted heat. In such waste heat applications, depending on the heat source flow rate and temperature, electrical power output can be as low as a few kilowatts. In this power range, there is no cost effective expansion machine available on the market. On existing prototypes, expansion devices are usually retrofitted volumetric compressors originally designed for refrigeration or air compression applications. Air compressors have the advantage to handle higher inlet temperature but tightness is often an issue in ORC application since the fluids used have a non negligible environmental impact. This paper presents the development of a small-scale WHR ORC unit at the Thermodynamic Laboratory of the University of Liège: the prototype uses a scroll expander, plate heat exchangers, a diaphragm piston pump and a liquid receiver. This system was tested with different working fluids (R123, R245fa and HFE7000) and a thermal efficiency close to 8% was obtained for a net output power of about 2 kWe. The specificity of the proposed prototype is the absence of lubrication: in order to avoid oil circulation in the ORC loop, an oil-free scroll expander is developed. This expander is originally an air scroll compressor that was modified using a magnetic coupling to ensure tightness. The experimental results highlight the good efficiency of the device, despite a relatively high internal leakage due to absence of lubrication. The necessity of using magnetic coupling is also justified by comparing the experimental results with previous ones obtained using mechanical sealing

Working fluid selection and operating maps for Organic Rankine Cycle expansion machines

peer reviewedFluid selection for the Organic Rankine Cycle has been the object of an abundant literature. Most of the scientific publications focus on the cycle thermodynamic efficiency in order to select the best candidate. However, other thermodynamics properties, such as molar mass, or vapor density condition the whole design of the cycle, and its cost. For example, the molar mass influences the number of stages required in the case of an axial turbine; the volume ratio between expander supply and exhaust conditions the possibility to use a volumetric expander (whose internal volume ratio is limited); the vapor density at the expander exhaust determine the size of the expander, and of the condenser; etc. This paper considers a whole range of ORC applications, in terms of power (from the kW-scale to the multi-MW plants), heat source temperature (from 90°C to more than 300°C) or heat source nature (solar, biomass, waste heat recovery, geothermy, etc.). For each of these applications, a screening of the available fluids is performed, and their thermodynamics performance are compared with respect to the foreseen application. A detailed analysis of the most common expansion machines is then conducted, by comparing their respective operating maps for each fluid and for each application type. The considered expansion machines are the radial-inflow turbine, the screw expander, and the scroll expander, since they are the most widely used in commercial applications and/or in scientific literature

Design of a small-scale organic Rankine cycle engine used in a solar power plant

peer reviewedUnder the economic and political pressure due to the depletion of fossil fuels and global warming concerns, it is necessary to develop more sustainable techniques to provide electrical power. In this context, the present study aims at designing, building and testing a small-scale organic Rankine cycle (ORC) solar power plant ( 3 kWe) in order to define and optimize control strategies that could be applied to larger systems. This paper presents a first step of the design of the solar power plant and focuses more specifically on the ORC engine. This design is defined on the basis of simulation models of the ORC engine and takes into account some technical limitations such as the allowed operating ranges and the technical maturity of the components. The final configuration includes a diaphragm pump, two plate heat exchangers for the regenerator and the evaporator, an air-cooled condenser, two hermetic scroll expanders in series and R245fa as the working fluid. Simulations indicate that an efficiency close to 12% for the ORC engine can be reached for evaporating and condensing temperatures of 140 and 358C, respectively

Experimental Investigation Of An ORC System For A Micro-Solar Power Plant

Because of the depletion of fossil fuels and global warming issues, the world energy sector is undergoing various changes toward increased sustainability. Among the different technologies being developed, solar energy, and more specifically CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) systems are expected to play a key role to supply centralized loads and off-grid areas in the medium-term. Major performance improvements can be achieved by implementing advanced control strategies accounting for the transient and random nature of the solar heat source. In this context, a lab-scale solar power plant has been designed and is under construction for experimental purposes and dynamic analyzes. The test rig includes an ORC unit, a field of parabolic trough collectors and a thermal energy storage. This paper presents the results of an experimental campaign conducted on the ORC module alone. This power unit, designed for a 2.8 kW net electrical output, consists of two scroll expanders in series, an air-cooled condenser, a recuperator, a volumetric pump and an oil-heated evaporator. The ORC engine is constructed using standard mass manufactured components from the HVAC industry, this practice reducing considerably the system cost. The overall unit performance and components effectiveness are presented in different operating conditions and relevant empirical correlations are derived to be implemented in a steady state model of the ORC unit

Techno-economic survey of Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems

New heat conversion technologies need to be developed and improved to take advantage of the necessary increase in the supply of renewable energy. The Organic Rankine Cycle is well suited for these applications, mainly because of its ability to recover low-grade heat and the possibility to be implemented in decentralized lower-capacity power plants. In This paper, an overview of the different ORC applications is presented. A market review is proposed including cost figures for several commercial ORC modules and manufacturers. An in-depth analysis of the technical challenges related to the technology, such as working fluid selection and expansion machine issues is then reported. Technological constraints and optimization methods are extensively described and discussed. Finally, the current trends in research and development for the next generation of Organic Rankine Cycles are presented

Improving the performance of μ-ORC systems

This thesis contributes to the knowledge and the characterization of micro Organic Rankine Cycles (ORC). It is based on experimental data and simulation models. An oil-free scroll expander is tested in a wide range of operating conditions in order to better characterize its performance. Particular attention is paid to the tightness of the machine which is obtained using a magnetic coupling. The measured isentropic efficiency reaches 75% which is higher than typical values reported in the literature. From the experimental results, a performance map of the expander is generated. This performance map can be used to provide fast and accurate calculation of the volumetric and isentropic performance of the expander in a wide range of operating conditions. Five displacement pumps adapted to μ-ORC systems are also tested. These pumps are diaphragm, piston, plunger and gear types. The measured values include the overall efficiency, the volumetric efficiency and the NPSH. A deep analysis of the performance is performed to quantify the losses of each pump, of their electric motor and of their frequency drive. This analysis shows that the weakness of the overall effectiveness (max. 46%) of the pumps tested is mainly due to the low efficiency of the electric motor. A semi-empirical model of the diaphragm pump is proposed and validated based on manufacturer data. This model can predict the mechanical power of the pump and the flow delivered with a good accuracy. The simulation models developed for the expander and the pump are used to simulate a configuration including the pump, the generator and the expander on a single shaft. This configuration aims to avoid the use of a motor and a frequency drive whose performance is poor in the range of power consumed by the pump of a μ-ORC system. The results show a significant increase in the net power produced using the integrated configuration Finally, performance of a prototype of μ-ORC suitable for recovering heat from a two-stage screw compressor are measured and analyzed. The prototype allows generating maximum 3.9% of the electrical power consumed by the compressor. Several optimization options of the prototype are evaluated numerically, showing that the power generation could be increased up to 5.4% of the compressor consumption. These options include using the integrated configuration and optimizing the intercooler boiler design

Evaluation du potentiel de récupération d’énergie à l’échappement d’un moteur TDI à l’aide d’un cycle de Rankine organique (ORC)

Une étude expérimentale a été menée sur un cycle de Rankine organique de faible puissance (2,5kW). Les résultats expérimentaux ont permis de calibrer un modèle du cycle qui a ensuite été utilisé afin d’évaluer le potentiel de récupération d’énergie à l’échappement d’un moteur TDI pour 13 points de fonctionnement représentatifs. Les résultats montrent la possibilité de produire jusqu’à 2,4kW de puissance mécanique additionnelle. La fraction d’énergie récupérée (ERR) pouvant atteindre 6,8% de la puissance à l’arbre moteur

Experimental Investigation on a Reversible Heat Pump for a Passenger Car

This paper summarizes the first results of a research project dealing with the development of a reversible heat pump for a passenger car. Heat pump systems appear to be a more efficient alternative to electrical resistance heaters for the purpose of heating the car indoor environment. Heat pump systems could be easily implemented into cars by allowing the air-conditioning system to run in reverse. In order to check the technical feasibility of a reversible heat pump system, and to point out technical barriers, a prototype was built and tested. Experimental data was also used to calibrate and validate simulation models of components. A heat pump system model was finally built to investigate the operating conditions of the system. The first part of the paper describes the test rig (architecture, components, and measurement devices) and the experimental campaign. Performance of components (compressor, evaporator, condenser and heater core) is evaluated in terms of variation with the operating conditions. The second part of the paper presents the steady-state semi-empirical models of the components. Such lumped models retain and concentrate the main physical phenomena inherent to the components into successive elementary processes (pressure losses, heat transfers, etc.). They require a limited number of parameters that can be identified based on experimental data. The calibration and the validation of the proposed component models are detailed. Finally, an overall simulation model of the reversible heat pump system is proposed and used to evaluate the energy performance of the system as function of the operating conditions

A comparison of piston, screw and scroll expanders for small scale Rankine cycle systems

peer reviewedThis paper aims at helping the designer of micro-scale Rankine Cycle heat engines to best select the expander among piston, screw and scroll machines. The first part of the paper presents a state of the art of these three technologies of positive displacement machines. The technical constraints inherent to each machine (rotational speed, pressure ratios, maximum temperatures, volumetric expansion ratios, etc.) are listed and the performance mentioned in the open technical and scientific literature is presented. The second part of the paper deals with the modeling of such expanders. Different simulation models are proposed: black-box, grey-box and white-box models. These three categories of modeling are specifically adapted to different purposes: design of the expander, design of the micro-CHP system, and dynamic simulation/control of the CHP unit. The last part of the paper presents a graphical methodology of selection of expansion machines and working fluids based on operating maps. It is stressed that the selections of both the expansion machine and working fluid should be conducted simultaneously