Performance of binary zeotropic mixtures in organic Rankine cycles (ORCs)

Abstract

Compared to pure fluids, zeotropic mixtures have the potential to lower the irreversibilities in low temperature Rankine cycles by better temperature profile matching of the working fluid with the heat source/sink. However, having a gliding temperature does not guarantee performance boost over pure fluids, as many factors influence the exergy efficiency of the cycle. In this study, 25 pure fluids and 104 binary mixtures of natural working fluids are analyzed in subcritical ORCs with heat source temperature range of 125–300 ℃ and different condensing conditions and the results are investigated within two frameworks: (1) comparing the mixtures to their pure constituents, (2) comparing the mixtures to the best performing pure fluid. In one behavior type, the performance of the mixture falls between the performance of its pure constituents for all evaporator pressure range, and the mixture provides no benefit. However, some mixtures could provide performance boost in a specific evaporator range. Therefore, the maximum allowable evaporator pressure plays an important role in the performance comparison of zeotropic mixtures to their pure constituents. Mixtures which outperform their pure constituents in the first perspective, are further analyzed in the second perspective. Finally, a screening method is presented to map the binary mixtures with performance boost compared to their pure constituents and high absolute exergy efficiency. This method is based on the key thermophysical properties of the fluids including critical temperature and normal boiling point, as well as working conditions such as heat source and heat sink temperature and PPTD in the evaporator and the condenser.