Fluid dynamics in the Kalina cycle: Optimizing heat recovery for sustainable energy solutions

Abstract

The Kalina cycle is well-known for its innovative energy conversion optimization, utilizing various working fluids such as butane, freon, isobutane, and pentane to evaluate efficiency and performance. This research explores the interaction of fluids in the Kalina cycle to enhance heat recovery by utilizing heat from road infrastructure. Our research focuses on analyzing thermodynamic intricacies and fluid dynamics to provide insights for improving sustainable energy technologies and enhancing heat utilization in various industrial applications. The performance of working fluids in the Kalina cycle has a notable impact on power generation or consumption, which can differ depending on the equipment configurations. One interesting observation is that certain cycles showed a net energy gain at the turbine, particularly the ammonia cycle running at 75 % working fluid, which generated a total net power of −1030.6048 kW. Two freon cycles were compared in terms of net power output: the pure freon cycle produced −125.493 kW, whereas the freon cycle with 90 % freon generated −375.1616 kW. Finally, the pentane cycle with a 50 % efficiency yielded a net power output of −137.6613 kW. This study offers a thorough understanding of how working fluids perform in the Kalina cycle, which can help improve energy conversion processes and promote sustainable energy solutions.

Keywords

• Heat recovery
• Electrical energy
• Kalina cycle
• Working fluid
• Aspen plus
• Net power