diff --git a/_projects/1_project.md b/_projects/1_project.md index d698579..66bf991 100644 --- a/_projects/1_project.md +++ b/_projects/1_project.md @@ -7,7 +7,23 @@ importance: 1 category: work&research related_publications: Spale20221226,Weiß2020 --- -This project page is dedicated to development of a supersonic ORC turbine for a biomass-fired CHP unit. +## Motivation + +### Organic Rankine cycle + +(ORC) power systems became an unrivalled technical solution and an industrial standard in several applications, such as low temperature heat utilization in geothermal systems, combined heat and power (CHP) systems in the scale of several MWs down to hundreds of kW or waste heat recovery (WHR) power systems down to dozens of kilowatts. ORC systems in small to micro scale domestic CHPs face mainly economical barriers with economy-of-scale and large cost per installed kilowatt in micro scale units. [1,2] + +When focusing on micro scale ORC CHP with electrical output in the order of less than 10 kW, many +laboratory units and prototypes have been built and tested. Regardless of these R&D efforts, these micro scale ORC power systems mostly have not seen commercialization, the rest have not yet been proven to be economically feasible or are until today very scarce on the market. Mainly because their installations face economical barriers with economy-of-scale, since downscaling the ORC power systems to micro scale results in high specific costs associated with low initial production quantities and large cost per installed kilowatt. [3] + +Another great reason which disfavours small scale ORC power systems is **the lack of reliable, efficient and cost-effective expansion machines.** + +### ORC expansion machines + +For medium and large-scale ORC power systems, a turbine is the state-of-the-art vapour expansion device. For the small to micro scale systems though, volumetric expanders dominate the market. Main reason for that is the possibility to derive the design of a small volumetric expander from an off-the-shelf volumetric compressor, common machine in refrigeration and compressed air technology, connected with low investment costs and reliability. [4] + +Turboexpanders for small scale ORC plants are nowadays rather scarce and seldom used. Other reason for that may be that volumetric machines are able to operate in a wide range of conditions with decent efficiency compared to narrow design points of turboexpanders. Apart from that, volumetric machines are bringing mostly drawbacks in an increased complexity of the system, additional lubrication system is usually needed, wear occurs on the contact surfaces and the sealing is rather complicated. +