Thermodynamic analysis of a Kalina-based combined cooling and power cycle driven by low-grade heat source

This paper investigates a Kalina-based combined cooling and power (CCP) cycle driven by low-grade heat source. The proposed cycle consists of a Kalina cycle and an absorption refrigeration cycle. By establishing the mathematical model, numerical simulation is conducted and parametric analysis is performed to examine the effects of five key parameters on the thermodynamic performances of Kalina-based CCP cycle. A performance optimization is conducted by genetic algorithm to obtain the optimum exergy efficiency. According to parametric analysis, an optimum expander inlet pressure can be achieved; exergy efficiency increases with expander inlet pressure and concentration of ammonia-water basic solution, but exergy efficiency decreases when terminal temperature difference of high-temperature recuperator and low-temperature recuperator increases. Refrigeration exergy increases with expander inlet pressure and decreases as expander inlet temperature and concentration of ammonia-water basic solution rise. However, the refrigeration exergy keeps constant as the terminal temperature difference of high-temperature recuperator and low-temperature recuperator vary. Furthermore, the optimized Kalina-based CCP cycle is compared with a separate generation system which is also optimized. The optimization results show that the exergy efficiency and net power output of Kalina-based CCP are higher than those of separate generation system.