Parametric Study of a Combined Power and Cooling Thermodynamic Cycle for Low Temperature Heat Sources

Abstract

A combined power/cooling cycle, which combines the Rankine and absorption refrigeration cycles, uses ammonia-water mixture as a working fluid and produces power and refrigeration while power is the primary goal. This cycle, also known as the Goswami Cycle, can be used as a bottoming cycle using waste heat from a conventional power cycle or as an independent cycle using low temperature sources such as geothermal and solar energy. This paper presents a parametric analysis of the combined cycle. Parametric study of the cycle was carried out in the commercial software Chemcad 6.1. The thermodynamic property data used in simulations were validated with experimental data. Chemcad model was also compared with simulations previously carried out in the process simulator Aspen Plus. The agreement between the two sets has proved the accuracy of the model developed in Chemcad. Then, optimum operating conditions were found for a range of ammonia concentration in the basic solution, isentropic expander efficiency and boiler pressure. It is shown that the cycle can be optimized for net work, cooling output, effective first and exergy efficiencies.