Global Efficiency of Heat Engines and Heat Pumps with Non-Linear Boundary Conditions

Analysis of global energy efficiency of thermal systems is of practical importance for a number of reasons. Cycles and processes used in thermal systems exist in very different configurations, making comparison difficult if specific models are required to analyze specific thermal systems. Thermal sy...

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Main Authors: Per Lundqvist, Henrik Öhman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2017-07-01
Series:Entropy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/19/8/394
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author Per Lundqvist
Henrik Öhman
author_facet Per Lundqvist
Henrik Öhman
author_sort Per Lundqvist
collection DOAJ
description Analysis of global energy efficiency of thermal systems is of practical importance for a number of reasons. Cycles and processes used in thermal systems exist in very different configurations, making comparison difficult if specific models are required to analyze specific thermal systems. Thermal systems with small temperature differences between a hot side and a cold side also suffer from difficulties due to heat transfer pinch point effects. Such pinch points are consequences of thermal systems design and must therefore be integrated in the global evaluation. In optimizing thermal systems, detailed entropy generation analysis is suitable to identify performance losses caused by cycle components. In plant analysis, a similar logic applies with the difference that the thermal system is then only a component, often industrially standardized. This article presents how a thermodynamic “black box” method for defining and comparing thermal efficiency of different size and types of heat engines can be extended to also compare heat pumps of different apparent magnitude and type. Impact of a non-linear boundary condition on reversible thermal efficiency is exemplified and a correlation of average real heat engine efficiencies is discussed in the light of linear and non-linear boundary conditions.
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spelling doaj.art-194d9e45164948cfb4471ba5e8747ae42022-12-22T04:08:58ZengMDPI AGEntropy1099-43002017-07-0119839410.3390/e19080394e19080394Global Efficiency of Heat Engines and Heat Pumps with Non-Linear Boundary ConditionsPer Lundqvist0Henrik Öhman1Department of Energy Technology, KTH, 100 44 Stockholm, SwedenDepartment of Energy Technology, KTH, 100 44 Stockholm, SwedenAnalysis of global energy efficiency of thermal systems is of practical importance for a number of reasons. Cycles and processes used in thermal systems exist in very different configurations, making comparison difficult if specific models are required to analyze specific thermal systems. Thermal systems with small temperature differences between a hot side and a cold side also suffer from difficulties due to heat transfer pinch point effects. Such pinch points are consequences of thermal systems design and must therefore be integrated in the global evaluation. In optimizing thermal systems, detailed entropy generation analysis is suitable to identify performance losses caused by cycle components. In plant analysis, a similar logic applies with the difference that the thermal system is then only a component, often industrially standardized. This article presents how a thermodynamic “black box” method for defining and comparing thermal efficiency of different size and types of heat engines can be extended to also compare heat pumps of different apparent magnitude and type. Impact of a non-linear boundary condition on reversible thermal efficiency is exemplified and a correlation of average real heat engine efficiencies is discussed in the light of linear and non-linear boundary conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/19/8/394global efficiencyenergy efficiencyheat engineheat pumputilizationCarnot efficiencycomparisonthermal systemcycle analysis
spellingShingle Per Lundqvist
Henrik Öhman
Global Efficiency of Heat Engines and Heat Pumps with Non-Linear Boundary Conditions
Entropy
global efficiency
energy efficiency
heat engine
heat pump
utilization
Carnot efficiency
comparison
thermal system
cycle analysis
title Global Efficiency of Heat Engines and Heat Pumps with Non-Linear Boundary Conditions
title_full Global Efficiency of Heat Engines and Heat Pumps with Non-Linear Boundary Conditions
title_fullStr Global Efficiency of Heat Engines and Heat Pumps with Non-Linear Boundary Conditions
title_full_unstemmed Global Efficiency of Heat Engines and Heat Pumps with Non-Linear Boundary Conditions
title_short Global Efficiency of Heat Engines and Heat Pumps with Non-Linear Boundary Conditions
title_sort global efficiency of heat engines and heat pumps with non linear boundary conditions
topic global efficiency
energy efficiency
heat engine
heat pump
utilization
Carnot efficiency
comparison
thermal system
cycle analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/19/8/394
work_keys_str_mv AT perlundqvist globalefficiencyofheatenginesandheatpumpswithnonlinearboundaryconditions
AT henrikohman globalefficiencyofheatenginesandheatpumpswithnonlinearboundaryconditions