Advanced thermodynamic power cycles for utilising low-enthalpy heat sources

Zhibin Yu

Advanced thermodynamic power cycles for utilising low-enthalpy heat sources

Zhibin Yu

University of Glasgow, UK

: J Nucl Ene Sci Power Generat Technol

Abstract

It is estimated that about 20 to 50% of industrial energy input in the world is discharged as waste heat in the form of hot exhaust gases, cooling water and heat lost from hot equipment surfaces and products. The energy intensive industrial sectors include iron and steel, aluminium, cement, ceramics, glass, oil refinery, food industry and so on. Most of these waste heat sources are in the category low-enthalpy heat with a temperature less than 2500C. In addition, renewable energy, such as solar thermal and geothermal energy, is another major source of a low-temperature heat. For instance, the sustainable technical potential for Europe is estimated as 350 TWh/yr. It is also estimated that 70% of the global geothermal resource is at temperatures of 100-130Ã‚Â°C. Therefore, utilising these low-enthalpy heat sources becomes attractive and can potentially make a significant contribution to carbon reduction and energy security. In this talk, several thermodynamic power cycles that are suitable for power generation from low-enthalpy heat sources will be analysed, and their new developments will be discussed.