Analysis of a supercritical organic Rankine cycle for low-grade waste heat recovery Available to Purchase

The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is an important method of producing electricity from industrial waste heat and renewable energy resources. This paper presents a thermo-economic analysis of a supercritical ORC for low-grade waste heat recovery using four working fluids. Based on the first law of thermodynamics, R152a was found to be the best performing fluid, producing the highest values for net power production and thermal efficiency. When the mass flow of waste heat is about 1 t/h and at an evaporation temperature of 136°C, the petroleum saved is 12·3 m³/year and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 41·2 t/year.