Publications
54 results found
Emadi MA, Chitgar N, Oyewunmi O, et al., 2020, Working-fluid selection and thermoeconomic optimisation of a combined cycle cogeneration dual-loop organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system for solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) waste heat recovery, Applied Energy, Vol: 261, Pages: 1-20, ISSN: 0306-2619
A novel combined-cycle system is proposed for the cogeneration ofelectricityand cooling, in which a dual-loop organic Rankine cycle (ORC)engine is used for waste-heat recovery from a solidoxide fuel cellsystem equipped witha gas turbine(SOFC-GT). Electricity is generated by the SOFC, its associated gas turbine, the two ORC turbines and a liquefied natural gas (LNG)turbine; the LNGsupply tothe fuel cell is also used as the heat sink to the ORC enginesandas a cooling medium for domestic applications. The performance of the system with 20 different combinationsof ORC working fluids isinvestigated by multi-objective optimisationof its capitalcostrateand exergy efficiency, using an integrationof a genetic algorithm and a neural network. The combination of R601(top cycle) and Ethane(bottom cycle)isproposed for the dual-loop ORC system, due to the satisfaction of the optimisationgoals, i.e., an optimal trade-off between efficiency and cost.With theseworking fluids, the overall system achieves an exergy efficiency of51.6%, a total electrical powergeneration of1040kW, with the ORC waste-heat recovery system supplying 20.7% of thispower,and a cooling capacityof 567kW. In addition, an economic analysisof theproposed SOFC-GT-ORCsystemshowsthat the cost of production of an electrical unit amounts to$33.2perMWh, which is 12.9%and 73.9%lowerthan the levelized cost of electricityofseparateSOFC-GT and SOFC systems,respectively. Exergy flow diagrams are usedto determine the flow rate of the exergy andthe value of exergy destructionin each component. In the waste heat recovery system,exergy destruction mainly occurs within theheat exchangers, the highestof which isin the LNG cooling unit followedby the LNG vaporiser and the evaporator ofthe bottom-cycleORCsystem, highlightingthe importance of these components’designin maximising the performance of the overall system.
Oyewunmi O, Lozano Santamaria F, Markides C, et al., 2020, Modelling two-phase flows in renewable power generation systems, 5th Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference (TFEC)
Wang Y, Song J, Oyewunmi OA, et al., 2020, Integrated optimisation of organic Rankine cycle systems considering dynamic responses, Pages: 577-588
The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) has emerged as a promising and attractive technology for power generation from low- and medium-temperature heat sources. While a considerable amount of research effort has been devoted to the optimisation of ORC system under steady operating conditions, dynamic responses to various fluctuations in the heat source conditions are generally ignored; such transients in the heat source, however, may lead to safety issues and significant performance losses. In this paper, an optimisation method integrated with system dynamic responses is proposed to achieve optimal operating parameters for ORC systems. This method is implemented to obtain the best thermodynamic performance, as well as a secure and safe operation of the ORC system, and to maintain the working fluid in a saturated or superheated state during the expansion process. The effects of different design constraints (i.e., evaporation pressure, condensation pressure, pinch-point temperature differences, and degree of superheat) on the system's dynamic response are investigated, in order to choose appropriate design constraints corresponding to different heat-source variations. Thermodynamic optimisation is implemented for an ORC system exploiting a heat source with different condition variations, and results of the system's dynamic responses are compared with those obtained without such considerations. It is found that the dynamic responses of ORC systems to heat-source fluctuations need to be carefully considered in the design stage of such systems, in order to ensure safe and efficient operation.
Pantaleo A, Simpson M, Rotolo G, et al., 2019, Thermoeconomic optimisation of small-scale organic Rankine cycle systems based on screw vs. piston expander maps in waste heat recovery applications, Energy Conversion and Management, Vol: 200, ISSN: 0196-8904
The high cost of organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems is a key barrier to their implementation in waste heat recovery (WHR) applications. In particular, the choice ofexpansion device has a significant influence on this cost, strongly affecting the economic viabilityof an installation. In this work, numerical simulations and optimisation strategies are used to compare the performance and profitability of small-scale ORC systems using reciprocating-piston orsingle/two-stage screw expanders whenre covering heat from the exhaust gases of a 185-kWinternal combustion engine operating in baseload mode. The study goes beyond previous work by directly comparingthese small-scaleexpanders fora broad range of working fluids, and by exploring the sensitivity of project viability to key parameters such as electricity price and onsite heat demand.For the piston expander, a lumped-massmodel and optimisation based on artificial neural networks are used to generate performance maps, while performance and cost correlations from the literature are used for the screw expanders. The thermodynamic analysisshows that two-stage screw expanders typically deliver more power than either single-stage screw or piston expanders due to their higher conversion efficiencyat the required pressure ratios. The best fluids areacetone and ethanol, as these provide a compromise between the exergy losses in the condenser and in the evaporatorin this application. The maximum net power output isfound to be 17.7kW, from an ORC engine operating withacetone anda two-stage screw expander. On the other hand, the thermoeconomic optimisation shows that reciprocating-piston expandersshow a potential for lowerspecific costs, and sincesuchan expander technology is not mature, especially at these scales, this finding motivates further consideration of this component. A minimum specific investment cost of 1630€/kW is observed for an ORC engine with a pisto
Simpson M, Chatzopoulou M, Oyewunmi O, et al., 2019, Technoeconomic analysis of internal combustion engine - organic Rankine cycle systems for combined heat and power in energy-intensive buildings, Applied Energy, Vol: 253, Pages: 1-13, ISSN: 0306-2619
For buildings with low heat-to-power demand ratios, installation of internal combustion engines (ICEs) for combined heat and power (CHP) results in large amounts of unused heat. In the UK, such installations risk being ineligible for the CHP Quality Assurance (CHPQA) programme and incurring additional levies. A technoeconomic optimisation of small-scale organic Rankine cycle (ORC) engines is performed, in which the ORC engines recover heat from the ICE exhaust gases to increase the total efficiency and meet CHPQA requirements. Two competing system configurations are assessed. In the first, the ORC engine also recovers heat from the CHP-ICE jacket water to generate additional power. In the second, the ORC engine operates at a higher condensing temperature, which prohibits jacket-water heat recovery but allows heat from the condenser to be delivered to the building. When optimised for minimum specific investment cost, the first configuration is initially found to deliver 20% more power (25.8 kW) at design conditions, and a minimum specific investment cost (1600 £/kW) that is 8% lower than the second configuration. However, the first configuration leads to less heat from the CHP-ICE being supplied to the building, increasing the cost of meeting the heat demand. By establishing part-load performance curves for both the CHP-ICE and ORC engines, the economic benefits from realistic operation can be evaluated. The present study goes beyond previous work by testing the configurations against a comprehensive database of real historical electricity and heating demand for thirty energy-intensive buildings at half-hour resolution. The discounted payback period for the second configuration is found to lie between 3.5 and 7.5 years for all of the buildings considered, while the first configuration is seen to recoup its costs for only 23% of the buildings. The broad applicability of the second configuration offers attractive opportunities to increase manufacturing volumes an
van Kleef L, Oyewunmi O, Markides C, 2019, Multi-objective thermo-economic optimization of organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power systems in waste-heat recovery applications using computer-aided molecular design techniques, Applied Energy, Vol: 251, Pages: 1-21, ISSN: 0306-2619
In this paper, we develop a framework for designing optimal organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power systems that simultaneously considers both thermodynamic and economic objectives. This methodology relies on computeraided molecular design (CAMD) techniques that allow the identification of an optimal working fluid during the thermo-economic optimization of the system. The SAFT-γ Mie equation of state is used to determine the necessary thermodynamic properties of the designed working fluids, with critical and transport properties estimated using empirical group-contribution methods. The framework is then applied to the design of sub-critical and non-recuperated ORC systems in different applications spanning a range of heat-source temperatures. When minimizing the specific investment cost (SIC) of these systems, it is found that the optimal molecular size of the working fluid is linked to the heat-source temperature, as expected, but also that the introduction of a minimum pinch point constraint that is commonly employed to account for inherent trade-offs between system performance and cost is not required. The optimal SICs of waste-heat ORC systems with heat-source temperatures of 150 °C, 250 °C and 350 °C are £10,120/kW, £4,040/kW and £2,910/kW, when employing propane, 2-butane and 2- heptene as the working fluids, respectively. During a set of MINLP optimizations of the ORC systems with heatsource temperatures of 150 °C and 250 °C, it is found that 1,3-butadiene and 4-methyl-2-pentene are the bestperforming working fluids, respectively, with SICs of £9,640/kW and £4,000/kW. These substances represent novel working fluids for ORC systems that cannot be determined a priori by specifying any working-fluid family or by following traditional methods of testing multiple fluids. Interestingly, the same molecules are identified in a multi-objective optimization considering both the total investment cost and net power output
Ibrahim D, Oyewunmi O, Haslam A, et al., 2019, Computer-aided working fluid design and optimisation of organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems under varying heat-source conditions, 32ND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EFFICIENCY, COST, OPTIMIZATION, SIMULATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF ENERGY SYSTEMS
Simpson M, Schuster S, Ibrahim D, et al., 2019, Small-scale, low-temperature ORC systems intime-varying operation: Turbines orreciprocating-piston expanders?, 32ND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EFFICIENCY, COST, OPTIMIZATION, SIMULATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF ENERGY SYSTEMS
Simpson M, Chatzopoulou MA, Oyewunmi O, et al., 2019, Technoeconomic analysis of internal combustion engine – organic Rankine cycle cogeneration systems in energy-intensive buildings, 10th International Conference on Applied Energy, Publisher: Elsevier, Pages: 2354-2359, ISSN: 1876-6102
Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems are a promising technology for converting heat to useful power, especially in combined heat and power (CHP) applications with significant quantities of surplus heat that would otherwise be wasted. Beyond the technical performance of these systems, their economic feasibility is crucially important for their wider deployment. In this study, a technoeconomic optimisation of CHP systems is performed in which ORC engines convert heat recovered from internal combustion engines (ICEs), and specifically from both the ICE hot-water output and exhaust-gas stream. The overall aim is to evaluate the impact of the ORC power output and of the components’ design and capital cost on the financial viability of a relevant project, while evaluating a range of candidate working fluids. Results indicate that ORC designs optimised for maximum power output correspond to higher specific investment cost (SIC), with the best performing fluids achieving a SIC of £2100 per kW. In contrast, optimisation for minimum SIC returns values as low as £1700 per kW, or 20% lower. For systems designed and optimised for maximum power, a large fraction of jacket water heat is recovered, while for minimum SIC the utilisation drops to minimise the size and cost of the heat exchangers. The best-performing ORC designs for minimum SIC have discounted payback periods (DPPs) of 4 – 5 years, while those optimised for power output have DPPs of 6 – 7 years, however, the net present values (NPVs) of the latter designs are up to 27% higher than the former. Therefore, there is a trade-off to consider over the project life between high-capacity ORC engines with a high SIC and longer DPP, and designs with minimal SIC but lower power output, shorter DPP and lower NPV. The effect of increasing the amount of hot water required by the building is also analysed, and the ORC engine is shown to be sensitive to this factor for some work
Ibrahim D, Oyewunmi O, Haslam A, et al., 2019, COMPUTER-AIDED WORKING FLUID DESIGN AND POWER SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION USING THE SAFT-γ MIE EQUATION OF STATE, 4th Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference (TFEC)
White M, Oyewunmi OA, Chatzopoulou M, et al., 2018, Computer-aided working-fluid design, thermodynamic optimisation and technoeconomic assessment of ORC systems for waste-heat recovery, Energy, Vol: 161, Pages: 1181-1198, ISSN: 0360-5442
The wider adoption of organic Rankine cycle (ORC) technology for power generation or cogeneration from renewable or recovered waste-heat in many applications can be facilitated by improved thermodynamic performance, but also reduced investment costs. In this context, it is suggested that the further development of ORC power systems should be guided by combined thermoeconomic assessments that can capture directly the trade-offs between performace and cost with the aim of proposing solutions with high resource-use efficiency and, importantly, improved economic viability. This paper couples, for the first time, the computer-aided molecular design (CAMD) of the ORC working-fluid based on the statistical associating fluid theory (SAFT)-γ Mie equation of state with thermodynamic modelling and optimisation, in addition to heat-exchanger sizing models, component cost correlations and thermoeconomic assessments. The resulting CAMD-ORC framework presents a novel and powerful approach with extended capabilities that allows the thermodynamic optimisation of the ORC system and working fluid to be performed in a single step, thus removing subjective and pre-emptive screening criteria that exist in conventional approaches, while also extending to include cost considerations relating to the resulting optimal systems. Following validation, the proposed framework is used to identify optimal cycles and working fluids over a wide range of conditions characterised by three different heat-source cases with temperatures of 150 °C, 250 °C and 350 °C, corresponding to small- to medium-scale applications. In each case, the optimal combination of ORC system design and working fluid is identified, and the corresponding capital costs are evaluated. It is found that fluids with low specific-investment costs (SIC) are different to those that maximise the power output. The fluids with the lowest SIC are isoheptane, 2-pentene and 2-heptene, with SICs of £5620, £2760 an
McTigue JD, Markides C, White AJ, 2018, Performance response of packed-bed thermal storage to cycle duration perturbations, Journal of Energy Storage, Vol: 19, Pages: 379-392, ISSN: 2352-152X
Packed-bed thermal stores are integral components in numerous bulk electricity storage systems and may also be integrated into renewable generation and process heat systems. In such applications, the store may undergo charging and discharging periods of irregular durations. Previous work has typically concentrated on the initial charging cycles, or on steady-state cyclic operation. Understanding the impact of unpredictable charging periods on the storage behavior is necessary to improve design and operation. In this article, the influence of the cycle duration (or ‘partial-charge’ cycles) on the performance of such thermal stores is investigated. The response to perturbations is explained and provides a framework for understanding the response to realistic load cycles.The packed beds considered here have a rock filler material and air as the heat transfer fluid. The thermodynamic model is based on a modified form of the Schumann equations. Major sources of exergy loss are described, and the various irreversibility generating mechanisms are quantified.It is known that repeated charge-discharge cycles lead to steady-state behavior, which exhibits a trade-off between round-trip efficiency and stored exergy, and the underlying reasons for this are described. The steady state is then perturbed by cycles with a different duration. Short duration perturbations lead to a transient decrease in exergy losses, while longer perturbations increase it. The magnitude of the change in losses is related to the perturbation size and initial cycle period, but changes of 1–10 % are typical. The perturbations also affect the time to return to a steady-state, which may take up to 50 cycles. Segmenting the packed bed into layers reduces the effect of the perturbations, particularly short durations.Operational guidelines are developed, and it is found that packed beds are more resilient to changes in available energy if the store is not suddenly over-charged (i.e. longer
Pantaleo AM, de palma P, Fordham J, et al., 2018, Integrating cogeneration and intermittent waste-heat recovery in food processing: Microturbines vs. ORC systems in the coffee roasting industry, Applied Energy, Vol: 225, Pages: 782-796, ISSN: 0306-2619
Coffee roasting is a highly energy intensive process wherein a large quantity of heat is discharged from the stack at medium-to-high temperatures. Much of the heat is released from the afterburner, which is required to remove volatile organic compounds and other pollutants from the flue gases. In this work, intermittent waste-heat recovery via thermal energy storage (TES) and organic Rankine cycles (ORCs) is compared to combined heat and power (CHP) based on micro gas-turbines (MGTs) for a coffee roasting plant. With regard to the former, a promising solution is proposed that involves recovering waste heat from the flue gas stream by partial hot-gas recycling at the rotating drum coffee roaster, and coupling this to a thermal store and an ORC engine for power generation. The two solutions (CHP + MGT prime mover vs. waste-heat recovery + ORC engine) are investigated based on mass and energy balances, and a cost assessment methodology is adopted to compare the profitability of three system configurations integrated into the selected roasting process. The case study involves a major Italian roasting plant with a 500 kg per hour coffee production capacity. Three options are investigated: (i) intermittent waste-heat recovery from the hot flue-gases with an ORC engine coupled to a TES system; (ii) regenerative topping MGT coupled to the existing modulating gas burner to generate hot air for the roasting process; and (iii) non-regenerative topping MGT with direct recovery of the turbine outlet air for the roasting process. The results show that the profitability of these investments is highly influenced by the natural gas and electricity prices and by the coffee roasting production capacity. The CHP solution via an MGT appears as a more profitable option than waste-heat recovery via an ORC engine primarily due to the intermittency of the heat-source availability and the high electricity cost relative to the cost of natural gas.
van Kleef LMT, Oyewunmi OA, Harraz AA, et al., 2018, Case studies in computer-aided molecular design (CAMD) of low- and medium-grade waste-heat recovery ORC systems, ECOS 2018 - 31st International Conference on Efficiency, Cost, Optimization, Simulation and Environmental Impact of Energy Systems, Publisher: ECOS
Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) engines are suitable for theconversion oflow-grade heat into useful power. While numerous substances are available asORC working-fluid candidates, computer-aided molecular design (CAMD) techniques allow the rigorous selection of an optimal working fluid during system optimisation. The aim of this present study is to extend an existing CAMD-ORC framework [1,2] by incorporating, in addition to thermodynamic performance objectives, economic objectives when determining the optimal systemdesign, while maintaining the facility of selecting optimal working fluids. The SAFT-γ Mie equation of state is used to predictthethermodynamic properties of theworking fluids(here, hydrocarbons)that are relevant to the systems’economic appraisalsand critical/transport properties are estimated using empirical group-contribution methods. System investment costs are estimated with equipment cost correlations for the key system components, andthe stochastic NSGA-II solver is used for system optimisation. From a set of NLP optimisations, it is concluded that the optimal molecular size of the working fluid is linked to the heat-source temperature. The optimal specific investment cost (SIC) values were £10,120/kW and£4,040/kW when using heat-source inlet temperatures of 150°Cand250°C (representative of low-and medium-gradeheat) respectively, andthe corresponding optimal working fluids were propane, 2-butane and 2-heptene.
Pantaleo AM, Fordham J, Oyewunmi OA, et al., 2017, Intermittent waste heat recovery via ORC in coffee torrefaction, 9th International Conference on Applied Energy, ICAE2017, Publisher: Elsevier, Pages: 1714-1720, ISSN: 1876-6102
Coffee torrefaction is carried out by means of hot air at average temperature of 200-240°C and with intermittent cycles where a lot of heat is discharged from the stack. CHP systems have been investigated to provide heat to the process. However, much of the heat released in the process is from the afterburner that heats up the flue gas to higher temperatures to remove volatile organic compounds and other pollutants. In this paper, the techno-economic feasibility of utilising waste heat from a rotating drum coffee roasting with partial hot gas recycling is assessed. A cost analysis is adopted to compare the profitability of two systems configurations integrated into the process. The case study of a major coffee torrefaction firm with 500 kg/hr production capacity in the Italian energy framework is taken. The CHP options under investigation are: (i) regenerative topping micro gas turbine (MGT) coupled to the existing modulating gas burner to generate hot air for the roasting process; (ii) intermittent waste heat recovery from the hot flue gas through an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) coupled to a thermal storage buffer. The results show that the profitability of these investments is highly influenced by the natural gas/electricity cost ratio, by the coffee torrefaction production capacity and intermittency level of discharged heat. In this case study, MGT seems to be more profitable than waste heat recovery via ORC due to the intermittency of the heat source and the relatively high electricity/heat cost ratio.
Pantaleo AM, Chatzopoulou MA, Oyewunmi O, et al., 2017, THERMO-ECONOMIC OPTIMIZATION OF SMALL-SCALE ORC SYSTEMS FOR HEAT RECOVERY FROM NATURAL GAS INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES FOR STATIONARY POWER GENERATION, 4TH ANNUAL ENGINE ORC CONSORTIUM WORKSHOP FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE AND STATIONNARY ENGINE INDUSTRIES
Pantaleo AM, markides C, fordham J, et al., 2017, Intermittent waste heat recovery: Investment profitability of ORC cogeneration for batch, gas-fired coffee roasting, ICAE 2017, Publisher: Elsevier, Pages: 575-582, ISSN: 1876-6102
Coffee roasting is a highly energy intensive process with much of the energy being lost in intermittent cycles as discharged heatfrom the stack. In this work, combined heat and power (CHP) systems based on micro gas-turbines (MGT) are investigated forproviding heat to the roasting process. Much of the heat released in a coffee roaster is from the afterburner that heats up the fluegases to high temperatures in order to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other pollutants. An interesting solutionfor utilizing waste heat is assessed through energy and material balances of a rotating drum coffee roasting with partial hot gasrecycling. A cost assessment methodology is adopted to compare the profitability of three proposed system configurationsintegrated into the process. The case study of a major coffee torrefaction plant with 500 kg/h production capacity is assumed tocarry out the thermo-economic assessment, under the Italian energy framework. The CHP options under investigation are:(i) regenerative topping MGT coupled to the existing modulating gas burner to generate hot air for the roasting process;(ii) intermittent waste-heat recovery from the hot flue-gases through an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) engine coupled to athermal storage buffer; and (iii) non-regenerative topping MGT with direct recovery of turbine outlet air for the roasting processby means of an afterburner that modulates the heat demand of the roasting process. The results show that the profitability of theseinvestments is highly influenced by the natural gas/electricity cost ratio, by the coffee torrefaction production capacity and by theintermittency level of discharged heat. The MGT appears as a more profitable option than waste-heat recovery via the ORCengine due to the intermittency of the heat source and the relatively high electricity/heat cost ratio.
Pantaleo AM, markides, Oyewunmi, et al., 2017, Integrated computer-aided working-fluid design and thermoeconomic ORC system optimisation, ORC-2017, Publisher: Elsevier, Pages: 152-159, ISSN: 1876-6102
The successful commercialisation of organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems across a range of power outputs and heat-source temperatures demands step-changes in both improved thermodynamic performance and reduced investment costs. The former can be achieved through high-performance components and optimised system architectures operating with novel working-fluids, whilst the latter requires careful component-technology selection, economies of scale, learning curves and a proper selection of materials and cycle configurations. In this context, thermoeconomic optimisation of the whole power-system should be completed aimed at maximising profitability. This paper couples the computer-aided molecular design (CAMD) of the working-fluid with ORC thermodynamic models, including recuperated and other alternative (e.g., partial evaporation or trilateral) cycles, and a thermoeconomic system assessment. The developed CAMD-ORC framework integrates an advanced molecular-based group-contribution equation of state, SAFT-γ Mie, with a thermodynamic description of the system, and is capable of simultaneously optimising the working-fluid structure, and the thermodynamic system. The advantage of the proposed CAMD-ORC methodology is that it removes subjective and pre-emptive screening criteria that would otherwise exist in conventional working-fluid selection studies. The framework is used to optimise hydrocarbon working-fluids for three different heat sources (150, 250 and 350 °C, each with mcp = 4.2 kW/K). In each case, the optimal combination of working-fluid and ORC system architecture is identified, and system investment costs are evaluated through component sizing models. It is observed that optimal working fluids that minimise the specific investment cost (SIC) are not the same as those that maximise power output. For the three heat sources the optimal working-fluids that minimise the SIC are isobutane, 2-pentene and 2-heptene, with SICs of 4.03, 2.22 and 1.84 £/W res
Oyewunmi OA, Lecompte S, De Paepe M, et al., 2017, Thermoeconomic analysis of recuperative sub- and transcritical organic Rankine cycle systems, 4th International Seminar on ORC Power Systems, Publisher: Elsevier, Pages: 58-65, ISSN: 1876-6102
There is significant interest in the deployment of organic Rankine cycle (ORC) technology for waste-heat recovery and power generation in industrial settings. This study considers ORC systems optimized for maximum power generation using a case study of an exhaust flue-gas stream at a temperature of 380°C as the heat source, covering over 35 working fluids and also considering the option of featuring a recuperator. Systems based on transcritical cycles are found to deliver higher power outputs than subcritical ones, with optimal evaporation pressures that are 4-5 times the critical pressures of refrigerants and light hydrocarbons, and 1-2 times those of siloxanes and heavy hydrocarbons. For maximum power production, a recuperator is necessary for ORC systems with constraints imposed on their evaporation and condensation pressures. This includes, for example, limiting the minimum condensation pressure to atmospheric pressure to prevent sub-atmospheric operation of this component, as is the case when employing heavy hydrocarbon and siloxane working fluids. For scenarios where such operating constraints are relaxed, the optimal cycles do not feature a recuperator, with some systems showing more than three times the generated power than with this component, albeit at higher investment costs.
Unamba CK, White M, Sapin P, et al., 2017, Experimental investigation of the operating point of a 1-kW ORC system, 4th International Seminar on ORC Power Systems (ORC), Publisher: Elsevier Science BV, Pages: 875-882, ISSN: 1876-6102
The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is a promising technology for the conversion of waste heat from industrial processes as well as heat from renewable sources. Many efforts have been channeled towards maximizing the thermodynamic potential of ORC systems through the selection of working fluids and the optimal choice of operating parameters with the aim of improving overall system designs, and the selection and further development of key components. Nevertheless, experimental work has typically lagged behind modelling efforts. In this paper, we present results from tests on a small-scale (1 kWel) ORC engine consisting of a rotary-vane pump, a brazed-plate evaporator and a brazed-plate condenser, a scroll expander with a built-in volume ratio of 3.5, and using R245fa as the working fluid. An electric oil-heater acted as the heat source, providing hot oil at temperatures in the range 120-140 °C. The frequency of the expander was not imposed by an inverter or the electricity grid but depended directly on the attached generator load; both the electrical load on the generator and the pump rotational speed were varied in order to investigate the performance of the system. Based on the generated data, this paper explores the relationship between the operating conditions of the ORC engine and changes in the heat-source temperature, pump and expander speeds leading to working fluid flow rates between 0.0088 kg/s and 0.0337 kg/s, from which performance maps are derived. The experimental data is, in turn, used to assess the performance of both the individual components and of the system, with the help of an exergy analysis. In particular, the exergy analysis indicates that the expander accounts for the second highest loss in the system. Analysis of the results suggests that increased heat-source temperatures, working-fluid flow rates, higher pressure ratios and larger generator loads improve the overall cycle efficiency. Specifically, a 46% increase in pressure ratio from 2.4
Pantaleo, Fordham J, Oyewunmi OA, et al., 2017, Optimal sizing and operation of on-site combined heat and power systems for intermittent waste-heat recovery, 9th International Conference on Applied Energy (ICAE2017), Publisher: Elsevier, ISSN: 1876-6102
Coffee roasting is a highly energy intensive process with much of the energy being lost in intermittent cycles as discharged heatfrom the stack. In this work, combined heat and power (CHP) systems based on micro gas-turbines (MGT) are investigated forproviding heat to the roasting process. Much of the heat released in a coffee roaster is from the afterburner that heats up the fluegases to high temperatures in order to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other pollutants. An interesting solutionfor utilizing waste heat is assessed through energy and material balances of a rotating drum coffee roasting with partial hot gasrecycling. A cost assessment methodology is adopted to compare the profitability of three proposed system configurationsintegrated into the process. The case study of a major coffee torrefaction plant with 500 kg/h production capacity is assumed tocarry out the thermo-economic assessment, under the Italian energy framework. The CHP options under investigation are:(i) regenerative topping MGT coupled to the existing modulating gas burner to generate hot air for the roasting process;(ii) intermittent waste-heat recovery from the hot flue-gases through an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) engine coupled to athermal storage buffer; and (iii) non-regenerative topping MGT with direct recovery of turbine outlet air for the roasting processby means of an afterburner that modulates the heat demand of the roasting process. The results show that the profitability of theseinvestments is highly influenced by the natural gas/electricity cost ratio, by the coffee torrefaction production capacity and by theintermittency level of discharged heat. The MGT appears as a more profitable option than waste-heat recovery via the ORCengine due to the intermittency of the heat source and the relatively high electricity/heat cost ratio.
Oyewunmi OA, Kirmse CJW, Pantaleo AM, et al., 2017, Performance of working-fluid mixtures in ORC-CHP systems for different heat-demand segments and heat-recovery temperature levels, Energy Conversion and Management, Vol: 148, Pages: 1508-1524, ISSN: 0196-8904
In this paper, we investigate the adoption of working-fluid mixtures in ORC systems operating in combined heat and power (CHP) mode, with a power output provided by the expanding working fluid in the ORC turbine and a thermal energy output provided by the cooling water exiting (as a hot-water supply) the ORC condenser. We present a methodology for selecting optimal working-fluids in ORC systems with optimal CHP heat-to-electricity ratio and heat-supply temperature settings to match the seasonal variation in heat demand (temperature and intermittency of the load) of different end-users. A number of representative industrial waste-heat sources are considered by varying the ORC heat-source temperature over the range 150–330 °C. It is found that, a higher hot-water outlet temperature increases the exergy of the heat-sink stream but decreases the power output of the expander. Conversely, a low outlet temperature (~30 °C) allows for a high power-output, but a low cooling-stream exergy and hence a low potential to heat buildings or to cover other industrial thermal-energy demands. The results demonstrate that the optimal ORC shaft-power outputs vary considerably, from 9 MW up to 26 MW, while up to 10 MW of heating exergy is provided, with fuel savings in excess of 10%. It also emerges that single-component working fluids such as n-pentane appear to be optimal for fulfilling low-temperature heat demands, while working-fluid mixtures become optimal at higher heat-demand temperatures. In particular, the working-fluid mixture of 70% n-octane + 30% n-pentane results in an ORC-CHP system with the highest ORC exergy efficiency of 63% when utilizing 330 °C waste heat and delivering 90 °C hot water. The results of this research indicate that, when optimizing the global performance of ORC-CHP systems fed by industrial waste-heat sources, the temperature and load pattern of the cogenerated heat demand are crucial factors affecting the selection of the working fl
Oyewunmi OA, Pantaleo AM, markides CN, 2017, ORC cogeneration systems in waste-heat recovery applications, 9th International Conference on Applied Energy (ICAE2017), Publisher: Elsevier, ISSN: 1876-6102
The performance of organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems operating in combined heat and power (CHP) mode is investigated. TheORC-CHP systems recover heat from selected industrial waste-heat fluid streams with temperatures in the range 150 °C – 330 °C. Anelectrical power output is provided by the expanding working fluid in the ORC turbine, while a thermal output is provided by the coolingwater exiting the ORC condenser and also by a second heat-exchanger that recovers additional thermal energy from the heat-sourcestream downstream of the evaporator. The electrical and thermal energy outputs emerge as competing objectives, with the latter favouredat higher hot-water outlet temperatures and vice versa. Pentane, hexane and R245fa result in ORC-CHP systems with the highest exergyefficiencies over the range of waste-heat temperatures considered in this work. When maximizing the exergy efficiency, the second heatexchangeris effective (and advantageous) only in cases with lower heat-source temperatures (< 250 °C) and high heat-delivery/demandtemperatures (> 60 °C) giving a fuel energy savings ratio (FESR) of over 40%. When maximizing the FESR, this heat exchanger isessential to the system, satisfying 100% of the heat demand in all cases, achieving FESRs between 46% and 86%.
Pantaleo, Rotolo G, De Palma P, et al., 2017, Thermo-economic optimization of small-scale ORC systems for heat recovery from natural gas internal combustion engines for stationary power generation, 4th Annual Engine ORC Consortium Workshop for the Automotive and Stationary Engine Industries
Lecompte S, Oyewunmi OA, Markides C, et al., 2017, Case study of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) for waste heat recovery from an electric arc furnace (EAF), Energies, Vol: 10, ISSN: 1996-1073
The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is a mature technology for the conversion of waste heat to electricity. Although many energy intensive industries could benefit significantly from the integration of ORC technology, its current adoption rate is limited. One important reason for this arises from the difficulty of prospective investors and end-users to recognize and, ultimately, realise the potential energy savings from such deployment. In recent years, electric arc furnaces (EAF) have been identified as particularly interesting candidates for the implementation of waste heat recovery projects. Therefore, in this work, the integration of an ORC system into a 100 MWe EAF is investigated. The effect of evaluations based on averaged heat profiles, a steam buffer and optimized ORC architectures is investigated. The results show that it is crucial to take into account the heat profile variations for the typical batch process of an EAF. An optimized subcritical ORC system is found capable of generating a net electrical output of 752 kWe with a steam buffer working at 25 bar. If combined heating is considered, the ORC system can be optimized to generate 521 kWe of electricity, while also delivering 4.52 MW of heat. Finally, an increased power output (by 26% with combined heating, and by 39% without combined heating) can be achieved by using high temperature thermal oil for buffering instead of a steam loop; however, the use of thermal oil in these applications has been until now typically discouraged due to flammability concerns.
Lecompte S, Oyewunmi OA, Markides CN, et al., 2017, Potential of organic Rankine Cycles (ORC) for waste heat recovery on an electric arc furnace (EAF), 13th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics (HEFAT2017), Publisher: ICHMT
The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is a mature technology to convert low temperature waste heat to electricity. While several energy intensive industries could benefit from the integration of an ORC, their adoption rate is rather low. One important reason is that the prospective end-users find it difficult to recognize and realise the possible energy savings. In more recent years, the electric arc furnaces (EAF) are considered as a major candidate for waste heat recovery. Therefore, in this work, the integration of an ORC coupled to a100 MWe EAF is investigated. The effect of working with averaged heat profiles, a steam buffer and optimized ORC architectures is investigated. The results show that it is crucial to take into account the heat profile variations for the typical batch process of an EAF. An optimized subcritical ORC(SCORC) can generate an electricity output of 752 kWe with a steam buffer working at 25 bar. However, the use of a steam buffer also impacts the heat transfer to the ORC. A reduction up to 61.5% in net power output is possible due to the additional isothermal plateau of the steam
White MT, Oyewunmi OA, Haslam A, et al., 2017, Exploring optimal working fluids and cycle architectures for organic Rankine cycle systems using advanced computer-aided molecular design methodologies, 13th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics (HEFAT2017), Publisher: ICHMT
The combination of computer-aided molecular design(CAMD) with an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power-systemmodel presents a powerful methodology that facilitates an in-tegrated approach to simultaneous working-fluid design andpower-system thermodynamic or thermoeconomic optimisation.Existing CAMD-ORC models have been focussed on simplesubcritical, non-recuperated ORC systems. The current workintroduces partially evaporated or trilateral cycles, recuperatedcycles and working-fluid mixtures into the ORC power-systemmodel, which to the best knowledge of the authors has not beenpreviously attempted. A necessary feature of a CAMD-ORCmodel is the use of a mixed-integer non-linear programming(MINLP) optimiser to simultaneously optimise integer working-fluid variables and continuous thermodynamic cycle and eco-nomic variables. In this paper, this feature is exploited by in-troducing binary optimisation variables to describe the cycle lay-out, thus enabling the cycle architecture to be optimised along-side the working fluid and system conditions. After describingthe models for the alternative cycles, the optimisation problemis completed for a defined heat source, considering hydrocar-bon working fluids. Two specific case studies are considered,in which the power output from the ORC system is maximised.These differ in the treatment of the minimum heat-source outlettemperature, which is unconstrained in the first case study, butconstrained in the second. This is done to replicate scenariossuch as a combined heat and power (CHP) plant, or applicationswhere condensation of the waste-heat stream must be avoided.In both cases it is found that a working-fluid mixture can per-form better than a pure working fluid. Furthermore, it is foundthat partially-evaporated and recuperated cycles are optimal forthe unconstrained and constrained case studies respectively.
White MT, Oyewunmi OO, Haslam AJ, et al., 2017, Industrial waste-heat recovery through integrated computer-aided working-fluid and ORC system optimisation using SAFT-γ Mie, Energy Conversion and Management, Vol: 150, Pages: 851-869, ISSN: 0196-8904
A mixed-integer non-linear programming optimisation framework is formulated and developed that combines a molecular-based, group-contribution equation of state, SAFT-γγ Mie, with a thermodynamic description of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power system. In this framework, a set of working fluids is described by its constituent functional groups (e.g., since we are focussing here on hydrocarbons: single bondCH3, single bondCH2single bond, etc. ), and integer optimisation variables are introduced in the description the working-fluid structure. Molecular feasibility constraints are then defined to ensure all feasible working-fluid candidates can be found. This optimisation framework facilitates combining the computer-aided molecular design of the working fluid with the power-system optimisation into a single framework, thus removing subjective and pre-emptive screening criteria, and simultaneously moving towards the next generation of tailored working fluids and optimised systems for waste-heat recovery applications. SAFT-γγ Mie has not been previously employed in such a framework. The optimisation framework, which is based here on hydrocarbon functional groups, is first validated against an alternative formulation that uses (pseudo-experimental) thermodynamic property predictions from REFPROP, and against an optimisation study taken from the literature. The framework is then applied to three industrial waste-heat recovery applications. It is found that simple molecules, such as propane and propene, are the optimal ORC working fluids for a low-grade (150 °C) heat source, whilst molecules with increasing molecular complexity are favoured at higher temperatures. Specifically, 2-alkenes emerge as the optimal working fluids for medium- and higher-grade heat-sources in the 250–350 °C temperature range. Ultimately, the results demonstrate the potential of this framework to drive the search for the next generation of ORC systems, and to
Oyewunmi OA, white MT, Chatzopoulou M, et al., 2017, Integrated Computer-Aided Working-Fluid Design and Power System Optimisation: Beyond Thermodynamic Modelling, 30th International Conference on Efficiency, Cost, Optimization, Simulation and Environmental Impact of Energy Systems (ECOS 2017), Publisher: ECOS-2017
Improvements in the thermal and economic performance of organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems are requiredbefore the technology can be successfully implemented across a range of applications. The integration ofcomputer-aided molecular design (CAMD) with a process model of the ORC facilitates the combinedoptimisation of the working-fluid and the power system in a single modelling framework, which should enablesignificant improvements in the thermodynamic performance of the system. However, to investigate theeconomic performance of ORC systems it is necessary to develop component sizing models. Currently, thegroup-contribution equations of state used within CAMD, which determine the thermodynamic properties of aworking-fluid based on the functional groups from which it is composed, only derive the thermodynamicproperties of the working-fluid. Therefore, these do not allow critical components such as the evaporator andcondenser to be sized. This paper extends existing CAMD-ORC thermodynamic models by implementinggroup-contribution methods for the transport properties of hydrocarbon working-fluids into the CAMD-ORCmethodology. Not only does this facilitate the sizing of the heat exchangers, but also allows estimates of systemcosts by using suitable cost correlations. After introducing the CAMD-ORC model, based on the SAFT-γ Mieequation of state, the group-contribution methods for determining transport properties are presented alongsidesuitable heat exchanger sizing models. Finally, the full CAMD-ORC model incorporating the componentmodels is applied to a relevant case study. Initially a thermodynamic optimisation is completed to optimise theworking-fluid and thermodynamic cycle, and then the component models provide meaningful insights into theeffect of the working-fluid on the system components.
Oyewunmi OA, Lecompte S, De Paepe M, et al., 2017, Thermodynamic Optimization of Recuperative Sub- and Transcritical Organic Rankine Cycle Systems, 30th International Conference on Efficiency, Cost, Optimization, Simulation and Environmental Impact of Energy Systems (ECOS 2017), Publisher: ECOS-2017
There is significant interest in the deployment of organic Rankine cycle (ORC) technology for waste-heatrecovery and power generation in industrial settings. This study considers ORC systems optimized formaximum power generation using a case study of an exhaust flue-gas stream at a temperature of 380 °C asthe heat source, covering over 30 working fluids and also considering the option of featuring a recuperator.Systems based on transcritical cycles are found to deliver higher power outputs than subcritical ones, withoptimal evaporation pressures that are 4-5 times the critical pressures of refrigerants and light hydrocarbons,and 1-2 times those of siloxanes and heavy hydrocarbons. For maximum power production, a recuperator isnecessary for ORC systems with constraints imposed on their evaporation and condensation pressures. Thisincludes, for example, limiting the minimum condensation pressure to atmospheric pressure to prevent subatmosphericoperation of this component, as is the case when employing heavy hydrocarbon and siloxaneworking fluids. For scenarios where such operating constraints are relaxed, the optimal cycles do not featurea recuperator, providing some capital cost savings, with some cycles showing more than three times thegenerated power than with this component, making investments in sub-atmospheric components worthwhile.
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