Author : Suyog S. Bajaj, Harshal B. Patil, Gorakh B. Kudal and S. P. Shisode

Renewed interest in waste heat power recovery has resulted in the development of Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). An ORC is a technology that can convert thermal energy at relative low temperatures in the range of 80 °C to 350 °C into mechanical work and finally into electricity. It can play an important role to improve the energy efficiency of new or existing energy-intensive applications. It accounts for actual efficiencies of turbine and pump. It also accounts for refrigerant line pressure losses and finite boiler and condenser surface area. Depending on the industrial process the waste energy is rejected at different temperatures, which makes the optimal choice of the working fluid of great importance. This cycle program allows the use of different organic working fluids and various sources of waste heat. The current paper includes the study of ORC with due consideration to the working fluid and its application to waste recovery system.

Keywords: Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), energy efficiency, working fluid