• Working fluid selection of low grade heat geothermal Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC)
• Author  :  Mohammed A. Al-Weshahi , Fathi Latrash, Alexander Anderson and Brian Agnew
• Pages   :  6-12, DOI:dx.doi.org/10.14741/ijtt/mar.2014.02
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• Abstract

The paper presents working fluid selection of the ORC unit powered by geothermal source. A validated model was used to assess 25 working fluids belonging to different chemical compositions, HFC, HCFC, HC, mixture and inorganic. The selection criteria were based on: net produced power, thermal efficiency, refrigerant pump power consumption, evaporating and condensing pressure, safety and environmental consideration. The study revealed that based on the selection criteria and studied ORC unit operating conditions, R236ea, R236fa and R227ea were the preferred refrigerants. Despite R141b, R123, R245ca, R717, R600 and R245fa showed an attractive thermal performance they were discarded because they did not meet the selection criteria.

Keywords: ORC, Refrigerant, Geothermal, Selection criteria.

Article published in International Journal of Thermal Technologies, Vol.4, No.1 (March- 2014)