Effect of dry hydrocarbons and critical point temperature on the efficiencies of organic Rankine cycle

Higher efficiencies and optimal utilization of geothermal energy require a careful selection of the working fluid in organic Rankine cycles (ORC). The objectives of this study are to analyze and explain the effect of using alternative dry fluids on the efficiencies of the ORC and compare them with other refrigerants. In addition, the effect of the critical temperature on the thermal and exergetic efficiencies will also be determined. Results showed that iso-pentane is a good replacement for R-113, while neo-pentane outperformed C5F12. In addition, n-butane showed better efficiency than RC-318, R-236fa, and R-245fa. The best working fluid in the studied system was n-hexane, while R-227ea was the worst. It was also found that efficiencies correlate with the critical temperature of the working fluid where a strong functionality was noticed in the studied range. The contribution of the evaporator to the total exergy destruction was the most relevant, while the pump contribution was marginal. It is concluded that thermodynamically, hydrocarbons are superior to some refrigerants and could be the next generation working fluids for geothermal or waste heat recovery systems.