A 7 combined heat and power plant (CHP) based on an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) with 5.3 and 1 nominal output is analyzed. A district heating system serves as heat sink; the entire system is heat-led. Two examples for winter and summer operation are shown. The observed characteristics of the condenser are compared to results of a theoretical model. Variable mass flows, temperature levels (72 °C–95 °C) and temperature spreads result in varying condensation temperatures and pressure levels in the condenser (90 mbar to 150 mbar). High mass flows on the secondary side and related low temperature spreads improve the heat transfer and increase the condensation rate in the condenser. The monitoring data support the findings of a steady-state condenser model. As a consequence, advantageous load profiles according to the pressure characteristic of the system can be reached. Live steam pressure, pressure difference across the turbine, and flow rate increase. The effect on the electric efficiency is one percentage point in summer and 1.5 percentage points in winter, which translates to a difference in the electric yield of the cycle of about 10%. Furthermore, the data show that the transient sink conditions cause unsteady operation for the entire cycle.
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April 2013
Research-Article
Influence of Condenser Conditions on Organic Rankine Cycle Load Characteristics
Tobias G. Erhart,
Tobias G. Erhart
1
Researcher
e-mail: tobias.erhart@hft-stuttgart.de
e-mail: tobias.erhart@hft-stuttgart.de
1Corresponding author.
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Ursula Eicker,
Ursula Eicker
Professor
e-mail: ursula.eicker@hft-stuttgart.de
Sustainable Energy Technology Research,
e-mail: ursula.eicker@hft-stuttgart.de
Sustainable Energy Technology Research,
University of Applied Sciences Stuttgart
,Schellingstrasse 24
,70190 Stuttgart
, Germany
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David Infield
David Infield
Professor
Department of Electric and Electronic Engineering,
e-mail: david.infield@eee.strath.ac.uk
Department of Electric and Electronic Engineering,
University of Strathclyde Glasgow
,204 George Street
,Glasgow, Scotland G1 1XW
, UK
e-mail: david.infield@eee.strath.ac.uk
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Tobias G. Erhart
Researcher
e-mail: tobias.erhart@hft-stuttgart.de
e-mail: tobias.erhart@hft-stuttgart.de
Ursula Eicker
Professor
e-mail: ursula.eicker@hft-stuttgart.de
Sustainable Energy Technology Research,
e-mail: ursula.eicker@hft-stuttgart.de
Sustainable Energy Technology Research,
University of Applied Sciences Stuttgart
,Schellingstrasse 24
,70190 Stuttgart
, Germany
David Infield
Professor
Department of Electric and Electronic Engineering,
e-mail: david.infield@eee.strath.ac.uk
Department of Electric and Electronic Engineering,
University of Strathclyde Glasgow
,204 George Street
,Glasgow, Scotland G1 1XW
, UK
e-mail: david.infield@eee.strath.ac.uk
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the International Gas Turbine Institute (IGTI) of ASME for publication in the Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power. Manuscript received January 27, 2012; final manuscript received August 13, 2012; published online March 18, 2013. Assoc. Editor: Paolo Chiesa.
J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. Apr 2013, 135(4): 042301 (9 pages)
Published Online: March 18, 2013
Article history
Received:
January 27, 2012
Revision Received:
August 13, 2012
Citation
Erhart, T. G., Eicker, U., and Infield, D. (March 18, 2013). "Influence of Condenser Conditions on Organic Rankine Cycle Load Characteristics." ASME. J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. April 2013; 135(4): 042301. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4023113
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