Off-design condition optimization of organic Rankine cycle based on genetic algorithm

Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) has been considered as one of the most promising technologies in industrial waste heat utilization and power generation. During the actual operation of ORC system, due to the fluctuation of cooling and heat sources, the system operates under off-design conditions in most cases. In this paper, thermodynamic model, heat transfer process description and power equipment model are established to evaluate the operating parameters of ORC for the off-design conditions. Evaporation temperature and condensation temperature are taken as independent parameters for the operation of ORC system. Genetic algorithm is adopted to optimize the independent parameters under the maximum net output power. The results show that the effect of optimizing independent parameters is to make the working fluid at the outlet of the preheater as close as possible to a saturated liquid state, and the working fluid at the inlet of the screw expander should be in a saturated gas state. With the optimal power output increasing by 19.1% for every 5 °C increase in hot water inlet temperature, 9.2% for every 20 kg/s increase in hot water mass flow rate, and 3.9% for every 1 °C decrease in cooling water temperature. The optimization method of off-design operating conditions has good system performance and good engineering application prospects.