Thermodynamic Optimization of Irreversible Power Cycles With Constant External Reservoir Temperatures

1991 ◽  
Vol 113 (4) ◽  
pp. 505-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. W. Swanson

An extended version of the Bejan model of irreversible power plants is proposed using a log-mean temperature difference (LMTD) representation for both the high and low-temperature heat exchangers. The analysis focuses on minimizing the irreversibilities associated with the hot and cold heat exchangers. The results indicate that the maximum power output, external conductance allocation ratio, and second law efficiency are functions of the number total heat exchanger transfer units (N), and are asymptotic to Bejan’s original results as N → O. This asymptote represents a global power output maximum and occurs for either extremely high cycle flow rates or cycle phase change processes in both heat exchangers. The LMTD representation also shows that under optimal conditions, more conductance should be allocated to the low-temperature heat exchanger as N increases.

Entropy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 1285
Author(s):  
Tan Wang ◽  
Yanlin Ge ◽  
Lingen Chen ◽  
Huijun Feng ◽  
Jiuyang Yu

Using finite-time thermodynamics, a model of an endoreversible Carnot cycle for a space power plant is established in this paper. The expressions of the cycle power output and thermal efficiency are derived. Using numerical calculations and taking the cycle power output as the optimization objective, the surface area distributions of three heat exchangers are optimized, and the maximum power output is obtained when the total heat transfer area of the three heat exchangers of the whole plant is fixed. Furthermore, the double-maximum power output is obtained by optimizing the temperature of a low-temperature heat sink. Finally, the influences of fixed plant parameters on the maximum power output performance are analyzed. The results show that there is an optimal temperature of the low-temperature heat sink and a couple of optimal area distributions that allow one to obtain the double-maximum power output. The results obtained have some guidelines for the design and optimization of actual space power plants.


Entropy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 1143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Fontaine ◽  
Takeshi Yasunaga ◽  
Yasuyuki Ikegami

Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) uses the natural thermal gradient in the sea. It has been investigated to make it competitive with conventional power plants, as it has huge potential and can produce energy steadily throughout the year. This has been done mostly by focusing on improving cycle performances or central elements of OTEC, such as heat exchangers. It is difficult to choose a suitable heat exchanger for OTEC with the separate evaluations of the heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop that are usually found in the literature. Accordingly, this paper presents a method to evaluate heat exchangers for OTEC. On the basis of finite-time thermodynamics, the maximum net power output for different heat exchangers using both heat transfer performance and pressure drop was assessed and compared. This method was successfully applied to three heat exchangers. The most suitable heat exchanger was found to lead to a maximum net power output 158% higher than the output of the least suitable heat exchanger. For a difference of 3.7% in the net power output, a difference of 22% in the Reynolds numbers was found. Therefore, those numbers also play a significant role in the choice of heat exchangers as they affect the pumping power required for seawater flowing. A sensitivity analysis showed that seawater temperature does not affect the choice of heat exchangers, even though the net power output was found to decrease by up to 10% with every temperature difference drop of 1 °C.


2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (18n19) ◽  
pp. 3497-3499 ◽  
Author(s):  
LAN PENG ◽  
YOU-RONG LI ◽  
SHUANG-YING WU ◽  
BO LAN

Based on the analyzing of the thermodynamic performance of the heat transfer process in the low temperature heat exchangers, the exergy efficiency of the heat transfer process is defined and a general expression for the exergy efficiency is derived, which can be used to discuss the effect of heat transfer units number and heat capacity ratio of fluids on the exergy efficiency of the low temperature heat exchanger. The variation of the exergy efficiency for several kinds of flow patterns in the low heat exchangers is compared and the calculating method of the optimal values of heat capacity ratio for the maximum exergy efficiency is given.


2021 ◽  
Vol 313 ◽  
pp. 03002
Author(s):  
Linda Hasanovich ◽  
David Nobes

The Stirling engine is capable of converting any source of thermal energy into kinetic energy, which makes it an attractive option for utilizing low-temperature sources such as geothermal or waste heat below 100 °C. However, at these low temperatures, the effects of losses are proportionally higher due to the lower thermal potential available. One such significant loss is excess dead volume, wherein a significant contributor is the heat exchangers. The heat exchangers must be selected to optimize power output by minimizing the dead volume loss while maximizing the heat transfer to and from the engine. To better understand what the optimal geometry of the heat exchanger components is, a Stirling engine is modelled using a third-order commercial modelling software (Sage) and trends of engine properties of power, temperature, and pressure for different heat exchanger geometries are observed. The results indicate that there is an optimum heat exchanger volume and geometry for low temperature Stirling engines. This optimum is also affected by other engine properties, such as regenerator size and engine speed. These results provide insight into the optimal geometry of these components for low-temperature Stirling engines, as well as providing design guidance for future engines to be built.


2005 ◽  
Vol 19 (01n03) ◽  
pp. 517-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Y. WU ◽  
Y. R. LI ◽  
D. L. ZENG

Based on the exergo-economic analysis of low temperature heat exchanger heat transfer and flow process, a new exergo-economic criterion which is defined as the net profit per unit heat flux for cryogenic exergy recovery low temperature heat exchangers is put forward. The application of criterion is illustrated by the evaluation of down-flow, counter-flow and cross-flow low temperature heat exchangers performance.


2013 ◽  
Vol 483 ◽  
pp. 315-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcin Wołowicz ◽  
Jarosław Milewski ◽  
Kamil Futyma ◽  
Wojciech Bujalski

This article presents an analysis on possible ways of utilizing low-temperature waste heat. If well-designed, this could contribute to increasing the efficiency of power plants without introducing many complex changes to the whole system. The main analysis focuses on the location of the regenerative heat exchanger in the facility. This could differ with varying temperatures of working media in the system. The base for investigations was a 800 MW-class power unit operating in off-design conditions and supplied with steam from an BB2400 boiler. Modifications to the model were made using commercially available software and by applying the Stodola equation and the SCC method. It allowed to determine the most suitable position for installing the low-temperature heat exchanger. Calculations for off-design conditions show that, after making some modifications to the system, both heat and electricity generation could be increased through the addition of a low-temperature heat exchanger.


Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel Neuberger ◽  
Radomír Adamovský

The efficiency of a heat pump energy system is significantly influenced by its low-temperature heat source. This paper presents the results of operational monitoring, analysis and comparison of heat transfer fluid temperatures, outputs and extracted energies at the most widely used low temperature heat sources within 218 days of a heating period. The monitoring involved horizontal ground heat exchangers (HGHEs) of linear and Slinky type, vertical ground heat exchangers (VGHEs) with single and double U-tube exchanger as well as the ambient air. The results of the verification indicated that it was not possible to specify clearly the most advantageous low-temperature heat source that meets the requirements of the efficiency of the heat pump operation. The highest average heat transfer fluid temperatures were achieved at linear HGHE (8.13 ± 4.50 °C) and double U-tube VGHE (8.13 ± 3.12 °C). The highest average specific heat output 59.97 ± 41.80 W/m2 and specific energy extracted from the ground mass 2723.40 ± 1785.58 kJ/m2·day were recorded at single U-tube VGHE. The lowest thermal resistance value of 0.07 K·m2/W, specifying the efficiency of the heat transfer process between the ground mass and the heat transfer fluid, was monitored at linear HGHE. The use of ambient air as a low-temperature heat pump source was considered to be the least advantageous in terms of its temperature parameters.


2009 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 41-48
Author(s):  
Zheshu Ma ◽  
Zhenhuan Zhu

Indirectly or externally-fired gas-turbines (IFGT or EFGT) are novel technology under development for small and medium scale combined power and heat supplies in combination with micro gas turbine technologies mainly for the utilization of the waste heat from the turbine in a recuperative process and the possibility of burning biomass or 'dirty' fuel by employing a high temperature heat exchanger to avoid the combustion gases passing through the turbine. In this paper, by assuming that all fluid friction losses in the compressor and turbine are quantified by a corresponding isentropic efficiency and all global irreversibilities in the high temperature heat exchanger are taken into account by an effective efficiency, a one dimensional model including power output and cycle efficiency formulation is derived for a class of real IFGT cycles. To illustrate and analyze the effect of operational parameters on IFGT efficiency, detailed numerical analysis and figures are produced. The results summarized by figures show that IFGT cycles are most efficient under low compression ratio ranges (3.0-6.0) and fit for low power output circumstances integrating with micro gas turbine technology. The model derived can be used to analyze and forecast performance of real IFGT configurations.


2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arash Saidi ◽  
Daniel Eriksson ◽  
Bengt Sundén

Abstract This paper presents a discussion and comparison of some heat exchanger types readily applicable to use as intercoolers in gas turbine systems. The present study concerns a heat duty of the intercooler for a gas turbine of around 17 MW power output. Four different types of air-water heat exchangers are considered. This selection is motivated because of the practical aspects of the problem. Each configuration is discussed and explained, regarding advantages and disadvantages. The available literature on the pressure drop and heat transfer correlations is used to determine the thermal-hydraulic performance of the various heat exchangers. Then a comparison of the intercooler core volume, weight, pressure drop is presented.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document