Experimental validation of an organic rankine-vapor compression cooling cycle using low GWP refrigerant R1234ze(E)

Grauberger, Alex; Young, Derek; Bandhauer, Todd

doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.118242

Experimental validation of an organic rankine-vapor compression cooling cycle using low GWP refrigerant R1234ze(E)

Journal Article · Sat Nov 27 00:00:00 EST 2021 · Applied Energy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.118242· OSTI ID:1970476

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Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States); Colorado State University
Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)

There is a significant global opportunity to capture and utilize low grade waste heat to reduce fossil fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and improve energy efficiency across a wide range of industries. In this work, an advanced type of thermally activated cooling system, an organic Rankine-vapor compression cycle (ORVC) with novel heat integration strategies, was designed and tested at a relevant scale for industrial waste heat recovery (300 kW_th cooling capacity). The ORVC linked an organic Rankine power cycle and a vapor compression cooling cycle using a turbine and compressor that shared a single shaft. The ORVC test facility absorbed waste heat from a liquid stream at 91 °C to simulate engine coolant in diesel generator sets, rejected heat to a glycol stream at 30 °C, and generated chilled water at 7 °C. A cooling capacity of 264 kW ± 3.5 kW was experimentally validated with a COP of 0.56 ± 0.01 during steady-state operation at the design temperatures. The thermal efficiency, accounting for pump work, of the Rankine cycle was 7.7% ± 0.22% and the COP of the vapor compression cycle was 5.25 ± 0.09. The centrifugal turbo-compressor operated at 31.5 kRPM ± 0.3 kRPM, with a turbine and compressor isentropic efficiencies of 76.7% ± 0.90% and 84.8% ± 0.54%, respectively, with near-perfect power transmission between these components. The pressure drop in the piping and heat exchangers were significantly larger than expected which had a detrimental impact on the performance of the ORVC. In addition, the condenser on the cooling cycle could not deliver the subcooling as specified from the design point modeling. Furthermore, the results from the sensitivity analysis showed that the higher condenser glycol outlet temperature had the largest impact on performance, which is consistent with other analytical models in the literature. When the ORVC simulations were updated with experimental values for isentropic efficiencies of the turbomachinery, the thermal COP was 0.66 which represents an estimate of the predicted performance if test facility limitations are overcome.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Contributing Organization:: Barber-Nichols, Inc.; Modine Manufacturing Co.

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0008325

OSTI ID:: 1970476

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1832965

Journal Information:: Applied Energy, Journal Name: Applied Energy Vol. 307; ISSN 0306-2619

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
Experimental Investigation
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