Thermodynamic and Economic Analysis for the pre-feasibility study of a binary geothermal power plant

Type of content
Journal Article
Thesis discipline
Degree name
Publisher
University of Canterbury. Mechanical Engineering
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
Date
2015
Authors
Budisulistyo, D.
Krumdieck, S.
Abstract

Maximum power output and thermal conversion efficiency are the goals of ORC thermodynamic analysis. Co-optimization of energetic performance and system cost is needed for pre-feasibility design analysis. This paper presents a pre-feasibility design investigation for a binary geothermal power plant using a typical geothermal resource in New Zealand. Thermodynamic and economic analyses were conducted for key cycle design options, a range of working fluids and component selection parameters. The net electrical power output (Wnet) and the ratio of Wnet to total Purchased Equipment Cost (PEC) are used as the objective function to select the most thermo-economical designs. Three working fluids n-pentane, R245fa and R134a are investigated. The thermodynamic analysis shows that the net electrical power output (Wnet) of cycle design achieves a maximum level at a certain optimum turbine inlet pressure and mass flow rate of working fluid. Two-stage designs produce higher Wnet and thermal and exergy efficiencies than one-stage designs. Economic comparison indicates that the type of working fluid and cycle configurations have a great effect on economic performance as measured by PEC. The profitability analysis was conducted for the top five options. The results indicate that a standard Rankine cycle with a two-stage turbine using n-pentane is the most thermo-economical design for the particular brine resource and re-injection conditions.

Description
Citation
Budisulistyo, D., Krumdieck, S. (2015) Thermodynamic and Economic Analysis for the pre-feasibility study of a binary geothermal power plant. Energy Conversion and Management, 103, pp. 639-649.
Keywords
Organic Rankine cycle, pre-feasibility study, thermodynamic cycle design, binary geothermal power plant
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
Field of Research::09 - Engineering::0906 - Electrical and Electronic Engineering::090608 - Renewable Power and Energy Systems Engineering (excl. Solar Cells)
Fields of Research::40 - Engineering::4017 - Mechanical engineering::401703 - Energy generation, conversion and storage (excl. chemical and electrical)
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