Component-oriented ORC plant modeling for efficient system design and profitability prediction

This contribution presents the modeling of compact Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) power plants intended to generate electrical energy from waste heat. The component-oriented models are illustrated as a valuable means in system design and efficiency/profitability prediction of a potential product in consideration of varying boundary conditions. First, we demonstrate the modeling of two crucial components, one in a bottom-up manner and another one in a top-down manner, as well as the effective construction of a closed-loop system model. Secondly, all physical component models are systematically extended by their respective economic quantities (costs and profit-relevant energy production and consumption). On the system level, these quantities are generically merged with all legal subsidies and compensation that are applicable to the considered plant (with the German renewable energy source act serving as an example). Finally, using the integrative physico-economic models in dynamic system simulations, we show efficiency and profitability predictions of an exemplary ORC plant in two scenarios.