Exergoeconomic and Exergetic Sustainability Analysis of a Combined Dual-Pressure Organic Rankine Cycle and Vapor Compression Refrigeration Cycle

• Published in: Sustainability Vol. 15; no. 8; p. 6987
• Main Authors: Özdemir Küçük, Esra, Kılıç, Muhsin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.04.2023
• Subjects: Alternative energy sources; Analysis; Boiling; Cold storage; Compression; Cooling; Design; Efficiency; Electric power generation; Electric power production; Electricity; Energy development; Energy efficiency; Energy resources; Energy utilization; Environmental effects; Exergy; Fluids; Force and energy; Heat exchangers; Parametric analysis; Rankine cycle; Refrigeration; Renewable resources; Sustainability; Sustainable development; Thermodynamic cycles; Thermodynamics; Turbines; Vapor compression refrigeration; Vapors; Turkey
• ISSN: 2071-1050; 2071-1050
• DOI: 10.3390/su15086987

In this paper, an exergoeconomic and exergetic sustainability analysis of a dual-pressure organic Rankine cycle (ORC) and vapor compression refrigeration cycle (VCRC) driven by waste heat is performed for power generation and cooling production. In addition, the most suitable fluid couple among the thirty-five different fluid pairs was investigated for the proposed combined system. The results indicate that the highest energy utilization factor, exergy efficiency, the system coefficient of performance, and net power are calculated for the R123-R141b fluid pair. In terms of exergetic sustainability indicators, the best performance results are obtained for the R123-R141b fluid combination. The minimum unit electricity generation cost and the shortest payback period are calculated as 0.0664 $/kWh and 2.5 years, respectively, for the R123-R290 fluid pair. The system component with the highest exergy destruction is the boiler, with 21.67%. The result of the parametric analysis showed that the thermodynamic performance parameters increase with the increment of the ORC’s boiling temperature. In addition, with the increasing boiling temperature, the environmental effect factor of the system decreases, while the exergetic sustainability index increases. Additionally, as the boiling temperature increases, the total system cost increases, while the unit electricity production cost and payback period decrease. It is suggested to use a R123-R141b fluid couple among fluid pairs created as a result of thermodynamic, exergoeconomic and sustainability analysis.