With isopentane as working fluid, the heat transfer performances for corrugated, nodal and horizontal grain tubes are simulated. The structural parameters of the three kinds of tubes are compared with those of the plain tube. The numerical results using computational fluid dynamics are validated with theoretical values. For the corrugated, nodal and horizontal grain tubes, the heat transfer enhancements(HTEs) are 2.31—2.53, 1.18—1.86 and 1.02—1.31 times of those of the plain tube, respectively. However, the improved HTEs are at the expense of pressure losses. The drag coefficients are 6.10—7.09, 2.06—11.03 and 0.53—1.83 higher, respectively. From the viewpoint of comprehensive heat transfer factor, the corrugated tube is recommended for engineering applications, followed by the horizontal grain tube.
A comparison on subcritical and transcritical organic Rankine cycle(ORC) system with a heat source of 110 °C geothermal water was presented. The net power output, thermal and exergy efficiencies and the products of the heat transfer coefficient(U) and the total heat exchange area(A)(UA values) were calculated for parametric optimization. Nine candidate working fluids were investigated and compared. Under the given conditions, transcritical systems have higher net power outputs than subcritical ones. The highest net power output of transcritical systems is 18.63 k W obtained by R218, and that of subcritical systems is 13.57 k W obtained by R600 a. Moreover, with the increase of evaporating pressure, the thermal and exergy efficiencies of transcritical systems increase at first and then decrease, but the efficiencies of subcritical ones increase. As a result, the efficiencies of transcritical systems cannot always outperform those of the subcritical ones. However, the subcritical systems have lower minimum UA values and lower expansion ratios than the transcritical ones at the maximum net power output. In addition, the transcritical cycles have higher expansion ratios than the subcritical ones at their maximum net power output.
In order to select the appropriate working fluids and optimize parameters for medium-temperature geothermally-powered organic Rankine cycle(ORC), R245 fa is mixed with R601 a at geothermal water temperature of 110 ℃. Based on thermodynamics, the characteristics of mixture and its influence on the performance of ORC under different evaporating temperatures and composition proportions are analyzed. Results show that the zeotropic mixture R245fa/R601a(0.4/0.6) has the highest performance. When the evaporating temperature reaches 67 ℃, the outlet temperature of geothermal water is 61 ℃, the net power output is the highest and the thermal efficiency is about 9%.
