Open Access
ARTICLE
Thermal Analysis of the Transcritical Organic Rankine Cycle Using R1234ze(E)/R134a Mixtures as Working Fluids
Panpan Zhao1,*, Dongdong Wang2, Dao Zhou1, Huan Zhang1, Yun Sun1
1 Hefei General Machinery Research Institute, Hefei, 230088, China
2 Anhui Vacree Technologies Co., Ltd., Hefei, 230088, China
* Corresponding Author: Panpan Zhao. Email:
Energy Engineering 2020, 117(4), 209-224. https://doi.org/10.32604/EE.2020.010567
Received 10 March 2020; Accepted 29 June 2020; Issue published 31 July 2020
Abstract
A R1234ze(E) based mixture was investigated as a promising environmental solution to enhance system performance of a transctitical organic Rankine
cycle(TORC). The main purpose of this study is to research the thermodynamic
properties of TORC system using R1234ze(E)/R134a mixtures with various mass
fraction of R1234ze(E) when recovering engine exhaust heat. R1234ze(E) was
selected due to its zero ozone depletion potential, relative lower global warming
potential and it can remedy the thermodynamic properties of traditional working
fluid R134a. Thermal analysis and optimization about expander inlet temperature
and pressure of TORC, mass fraction of R134a in R134a/R1234ze(E) mixtures
are carried out. According to the results, the designed parameters have great effect
on the performance of TORC system, there is an optimal pressure to maximize the
system performance, and the optimal pressure increases as temperature increases.
However, when the expander inlet pressure is relatively lower, the TORC system
working with pure R1234ze(E) has a best energy and exergy efficiency than working
with other mixtures. When the expander inlet pressure is relatively higher, the
TORC system working with pure R134a has a maximum energy and exergy effi-
ciency than working with other mixtures. That is to say, the working conditions
should be optimized and regulated in actual cycling system so as to recover more
engine exhaust heat and obtain maximum expander output power, a best energy and
exergy efficiency.
Keywords
Cite This Article
Zhao, P., Wang, D., Zhou, D., Zhang, H., Sun, Y. (2020). Thermal Analysis of the Transcritical Organic Rankine Cycle Using R1234ze(E)/R134a Mixtures as Working Fluids.
Energy Engineering, 117(4), 209–224. https://doi.org/10.32604/EE.2020.010567