Condenser Erosion Prevention in Low-Temperature Organic Rankine Cycle Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for converting thermal energy from low-temperature sources into mechanical energy face challenges in preventing condenser erosion, which shortens the system's lifespan, while maintaining efficiency and avoiding increased complexity.
Innovation Solution
The method involves separating the liquid phase from the vapor phase immediately upstream of the condenser, allowing only the vapor phase to be condensed, and then recombining the phases before re-pumping, using a separator and a bypass line to direct the liquid phase past the condenser, thereby reducing erosion risk without significantly increasing system complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the two-phase mixture leaving the turbine is fed to the condenser, then the condensation process is complete, but liquid components cause erosion of the condenser, shortening its life
Solution Approach 1:
The two-phase mixture flow is segmented into liquid phase and vapor phase using a separator. The liquid phase is separated and directed through a bypass line past the condenser, while only the vapor phase enters the condenser for condensation. This segmentation prevents liquid-induced erosion while maintaining complete condensation of the vapor phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful liquid phase is extracted from the two-phase mixture before it enters the condenser. The separator extracts the liquid phase, which is then conducted past the condenser through a bypass line, eliminating the erosion problem while allowing the condenser to focus solely on condensing the vapor phase.
2Reliability
If a separator and bypass line are added to prevent erosion, then condenser lifespan is extended, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into distinct flow paths: a main path through the condenser for vapor phase condensation, and a bypass path for the liquid phase. The separator divides the two-phase mixture into these two streams, allowing each component to follow its optimal path and preventing erosion without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator acts as an intermediary device that mediates between the turbine outlet and the condenser. It separates the two-phase mixture into liquid and vapor phases, directing only the vapor phase to the condenser while bypassing the liquid phase, thus protecting the condenser without significantly complicating the overall system.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the pressure in the condenser is optimized for minimal droplet size, then erosion is reduced, but mechanical energy generation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid phase is separated from the vapor phase before the vapor phase enters the condenser. This preliminary separation action prevents liquid droplets from forming in the condenser entirely, eliminating erosion risk without requiring pressure optimization that would compromise mechanical energy generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The presence of liquid phase in the two-phase mixture, which originally caused erosion harm, is converted into a benefit by separating it and directing it through the bypass line. This allows the condenser to operate at optimal pressure for maximum mechanical energy generation while the separated liquid phase bypasses the condenser, turning the potential harm into a protective measure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively prevents condenser erosion while maintaining significant efficiency advantages by optimizing the pressure in the condenser for minimal droplet size and maximal mechanical energy generation, ensuring the system's longevity and performance.
Implementation Method 1
a separator (7) for separating the liquid phase from the vapor phase of the expanded, partially vaporized working medium
Implementation Method 2
Only the vapor phase is fed to the condenser (8) for condensation
Implementation Method 3
the pressurized liquid working medium is heated in a heat exchanger by heat transfer from a low-temperature source
Implementation Method 4
the heated, liquid working medium is expanded in a two-phase turbine, with partial evaporation of the working medium producing an expanded, partially vaporized working medium with a liquid and a vapor phase and thermal energy of the working medium being converted into mechanical energy
Implementation Method 5
The resulting water-steam jet is directed onto the turbine blades of the turbine, through which the kinetic energy of the water-steam jet is converted into mechanical energy of a rotor shaft
Implementation Method 6
The rotor shaft is in turn connected to a generator, which converts the mechanical energy of the rotor shaft into electrical energy
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates a method and to a device (1) for converting thermal energy of a low temperature heat source (20) into mechanical energy in a closed circuit. The method consists of heating a liquid working agent by transmitting heat from the low temperature source (20) and partially evaporating it in an expansion device (3). According to the invention, erosion to the condenser (8) for condensing the partially evaporated working agent can be prevented by separating the liquid phase from the evaporator phase in the partially evaporated working agent that is directly in front of the condenser (8), and only the evaporator phase is transferred to the condenser (8) for condensing and subsequently, the condensed evaporator phase and the liquid phase are merged.