Condenser Design for On-Board ORC Recovery System

Abstract

In this study, an ORC plant is considered that recovers the heat source from 1800 cc Diesel Engine exhaust gases. The power recovered by the ORC system could be used, as an auxiliary system, to provide energy to the electronic parts of the car. The purpose of this study is to investigate the possibility of allocating this ORC plant into a vehicle and in the design of the condenser, with the purpose of reaching the best configurations that lead to low-pressure drop and compact dimensions. The Organic Rankine Cycle converts thermal energy from low-grade heat sources into electricity. The thermodynamic cycles to produce 5 kW were simulated using a custom software application. The basic cycle was chosen to guarantee the most compact configurations. The selected thermodynamic parameters are based on the need to cope with atmospheric conditions. The working fluid chosen is R245fa, due to its thermodynamic characteristics. Since the electrical part would be partially satisfied by this system, the entire power of the thermal engine would be dedicated to mechanical use. It could also be assumed that, as a consequence of the settings of this plant, a reduction in fuel consumption could be expected, which, although at a percentage that cannot be theoretically evaluated at the moment, is nevertheless predictable. In this first stage of the evaluation, the condenser design is presented and analyzed.