Advanced thermodynamic cycles utilising low-temperature heat sources

Energy sources at a low temperature level are available from a variety of sources ranging from waste heat from ships, industry and refrigeration plants, to renewable energy in the form of biomass, geothermal and solar.
There is significant potential for improving the use of these sources in developing new cycles based on new multi-component fluid mixtures. These improvements will not only increase the efficiency of today's technology, but they will also make it possible to use low-temperature sources which, due to lack of technical feasibility or economy is not used today. This ambitious, interdisciplinary project will lead the way to innovative thermal system for electricity generation, heat pumping and cooling by utilization of low value sources, at efficiencies that surpasses today's level significantly. The project will develop advances in the design of both processes and media so that energy savings of 15% can be achieved. The analysis will include numerical simulation and advanced thermodynamic methods based on energy and exergy analysis and experimental verification of component performance. The development of a systematic approach to the optimization of cycle and the working medium in the given application. The results will provide a scientific basis for choosing the future use of low-temperature resources in Denmark. This may contribute significantly to the development of the future society using no fossil resources, but large amounts of fluctuating renewable energy.